No Questions Asked

Barry Sullivan retrieves stolen goods for a fee in "No Questions Asked," a 1951 B noir also starring George Murphy, Arlene Dahl and Jean Hagen. Sullivan is Steve Kiever, an attorney for an insurance company. He's impossibly in love with the beautiful, gold-digging Ellen (Dahl), who dumps him early on by getting married and forgetting to mention it. After recovering stolen furs for the insurance company and making extra money, he goes into business for himself. Soon there's a city-wide crime wave, with the thieves collecting good money on the stolen goods without being caught trying to sell the stuff and with no one learning their names. The police, led by George Murphpy, are furious with him. Kiever becomes wealthy and has gone back to an old girlfriend from his office, Joan (Hagen) when he sees Ellen again. The old hunger returns - though, as Hagen is aware, it had never left.

This is a pretty good film, very noirish with his sleazy locations and nighttime drama. There are some good scenes, though I have to admit that I saw through the gimmick used for the robbery and couldn't figure out why no one else who was robbed did. Two future TV stars, Richard Anderson and William Reynolds, have roles in the film, as well as old-timers like Murphy and Moroni Olsen.

Enjoyable.

And God spoke: I need two people, of all my creations, who will be perfect for the leads in what I will call Film Noir. That's how Barry Sullivan and Jean Hagen were created. This film is indeed classic, even typical film noir, with the one big difference: It's quite original plot, which twists and turns like a mountain road. Director Harold Kress lays the story out in a crisp and uninsulting manner, expecting us to pick up subtleties and clues without obvious explanations. I suppose if I have to find issue, I'd say the picture seems to be slightly over edited, coming across at times like a long montage. All in all, really good movie, and, if you are a film noir nut, maybe even great. Dahl always gives the added obvious bonus of being stunning.

An insurance claims adjuster (Barry Sullivan) finds he can make a lot more money if he deals with the crooks who are robbing and stealing valuable jewelry and furs. The insurance company that he works for is actually abetting crime in order to retrieve the stolen goods and minimize their losses, thus upsetting the police who would prefer to not reward the crooks who are now even more motivated to pull off daring heists, as they now are guaranteed hefty payments for the stolen goods. This film has some interesting elements and a couple of memorable scenes, a couple of which take place in a swimming pool and one in which the assembled wealthy patrons at an opening night theater debut are robbed while they're all in the powder room between acts. At the root of Sullivan's actions is the woman who dumped him, played by Arlene Dahl. She usually plays sympathetic parts, but here her character has a solid place on the memorable list of film noir bad girls. For a film directed by someone known for editing, this is surprisingly good, with a tough ending.

"They turn a spotlight on you and then they narrow the search...You wonder how it happened and where it all really began. It started somewhere beyond the searchlights and sirens. You had ideals and you went to a top law school...I think it all started when I received a telegram that Ellen was coming home."-Steve

This wonderful little film noir starts with our unsuspecting Steve picking up Ellen from the airport. These two are practically engaged to be married but Ellen starts working Steve with the idea that she doesn't want to raise her children in poverty like she was raised. Naïve and happy Steve goes right in and asks his boss for a raise...for which his boss gives him the runaround and a resounding no. Steve works for an insurance company who, like all insurance companies, is trying not to pay out claims.

Desperate to save his company money and to try to get a raise, Steve embarks on a dangerous idea to hunt down the mobsters who stole furs from their client. Steve gets roughed up a bit, but his gamble works and one of the mobsters bites...returning the furs for $10,000 no questions asked. Steve earns $2,500, for which he buys a ring and rushes over to Ellen's...only to find out from her landlady that she is married and left for a honeymoon in Europe!

Drowning his sorrows over his lost girl, one of the mobsters makes Steve an offer to make the insurance hustle a regular scheme.

"You know what I like about you?...you never worry about me smearing your lipstick."-Steve.

"Don't talk to any strange girls."-Joni.

"Do we put a tail on him?"-Cop "I don't know, I think he looks pretty cute just the way he is."-Steve.

"You're not talking to the sucker you left. Oh no! I took your advice and went out and got a liberal education. There are a few things they don't teach you in law school...like how to buy a penthouse. Well you were a great teacher and I've graduated. I can afford to send Stevie to Oxford only there isn't any Stevie."-Steve

"See I'm too smart to stick around because I'm still sucker enough to be in love with you."-Steve.

Good story and excellent film noir plot. If you are a film noir fan...this should be on your list to see.

This is definitely one of the better and original B noirs of the 1950s. An insurance lawyer skirts the edge of the law and eventually ends up in bed with the criminal element. Our favorite buxom bad broad, Arlene Dahl. Jean Hagen is good but deserved a better role as a bad girl. Sullivan is adequate but lacks the star quality that would have made this an A production.

It has a few fun and original touches. I won't give them away.