Apology for Murder

The minor Hollywood studios and companies usually waited a decent interval---say two or three years--- before they made their own version of a major company film, but good old PRC had an early-day version of the TV mentality that says if it was good last week, we'll make it again tomorrow. Rigor mortis hadn't set in on Fred MacMurray's "Double Indemnity" character before PRC had their own grind-house version playing. Nothing to it; just change the insurance salesman and company cop to a reporter and his editor; cast Ann Savage (who else?) in Barbara Stanwyck's scheming, double-dealing wife role and tell the exhibitors it will be ready in two weeks. And who needs Billy Wilder and James M. Cain when they have Sam Newfield and Fred Myton? Not any of us PRC-schlock lovers for certain. The super market scene-lovers could be disappointed.

Apology for Murder Review by Denise Noe

The movie opens with a uniformed maid answering a door. Journalist Kenny Blake (Hugh Beaumont of Leave It To Beaver fame) says he is with The Daily Tribune. Before he can continue, he is distracted by the sound of what is happening in a nearby room behind a closed door. A man is giving a tongue lashing to a woman about her "extravagance." He threatens, "If necessary, I'll cancel your charge accounts." Then we are inside the room. We see an aging and gray-haired fellow behind a large desk. The woman to whom he speaks sits with her back to us in a comfortable chair. We see her shapely legs, one going idly back and forth. She warns that his reputation could be damaged by the "rumor that you are in financial difficulties." Back to the pushy reporter who wants to interview Mr. Kirkland. The maid tries to restrain him but Kenny barges in. He informs business tycoon Harvey Kirkland (Russell Hicks) that the newspaper i interested in plans to join his business with another. Our entrepreneur is not interested in an article on his business. Kenny rattles off reasons why the story has "human interest" when his attention is caught by the shapely legs recently mentioned. Then Toni Kirkland (Ann Savage) shows her face, causing Kenny to become even more distracted. However, get-the-story reporter that he is, Kenny continues pitching the potential benefits of a newspaper article to old man Kirkland even as Toni rises from her chair and his lascivious attention follows her to the door. Nothing is going to persuade the entrepreneur to want a story.

Before Kenny can leave, Toni speaks to him in a flirtatious manner. Kenny has a strong interest in this mansion that is no longer professional. It is not too long before Kenny and Toni are dating. But things seem to go south. Kenny had assumed that young Toni was Kirkland's daughter. He is flummoxed to learn he has been "running around with another man's wife." Toni assumed he knew she was Mrs. Kirkland. As upset as he was at learning the truth, he is in too deep to skedaddle now. And things get much worse when a disillusioned and disappointed Toni Kirkland says she needs her husband's money - but wants him out of the way.

As others have noted, Apology for Murder is a low-rent Double Indemnity rip-off. It substitutes a newspaper office for an insurance office. It follows the original classic in so many ways that it becomes highly predictable. Overall, the movie is not bad as it moves at a brisk pace and keeps attention. Ann Savage is not quite as "savage" as she was in the classic Detour. Rather, she shows enough softness that we understand why Kenny is so entranced with her. However, Toni is a wicked piece of work and Savage is never at a loss to let loose with cinematic wickedness. Beaumont does well with the character of the romance-besotted man who reluctantly turns to evil. Other performers fill their roles in a satisfactory manner.

Apology for Murder is not a bad way to spend your time but it cannot get out from the shadow of Double Indemnity, a much better movie.

This film essentially involves an extremely wealthy businessman by the name of "Harvey Kirkland" (Russell Hicks) who has had the misfortune to have married a woman who is much younger than him and is interested in only one thing-his money. As it so happens, he is involved in a huge business deal and because of that the local newspaper sends a reporter named "Kenny Blake" (Hugh Beaumont) to try to get an interview with him. Although he is successful in meeting with him he is denied an interview and is asked to leave his house. On his way out, however, he meets Harvey's wife "Toni Kirkland" (Ann Savage) who immediately catches his attention. One thing leads to another and soon they become romantically involved. It's during this time that she convinces him to help her kill her husband so that they can have his entire fortune for themselves. But what Kenny doesn't know is whether she actually loves him or just wants to get her hands on her husband's money. Now rather than reveal any more I will just say that this film started off well enough but slowed down after the first 30 minutes or so and ended on a very corny note. Even so, I suppose it helped pass the time fairly well and for that reason I have rated it accordingly. Average.

"Apology for Murder" is a very good film with one problem...the plot is a complete ripoff of "Double Indemnity". In far too many ways does this PRC film mirror the Paramount film from the previous year.

The movie stars Hugh Beaumont as a murderer. Although he was such an incredibly nice ordinary guy as the father on "Leave it to Beaver", he often played scum-bags or hardboiled cops in films. In this film, he plays a reporter named Kenny who visits the elderly Harvey Kirkland to try to get a story. He meets a young lady named Toni (Ann Savage) and assumes it's Kirkland's daughter--but it's his young and conniving wife. She feigns interest in Kenny...all to try to get him to help murder her husband. But when he does the dirty deed, he learns she's already picked out another boyfriend and that someone else is being blamed for the husband's murder!

This story has so much from the previous film...and it's obvious they were copying. But even with this, Beaumont is still excellent and the super-cheap film still exudes a nice, noirish atmosphere. Totally unoriginal...but still worth your time.

Hugh Beaumont and Fred MacMurray...Migrated to TV to Play "Wonderful", Highly Successful and Enduring TV-Dads on "Leave it to Beaver" and "My Three Sons"...

But Both Played the Lead in Almost Identical Movies, One an Academy Award Multi-Nominee and Top-10 Film-Noir,

the Other a PRC (Producers Releasing Co..."Pretty Rotten Crap..."Poverty Row Cinema") Quickie.

"Apology" has All the Pitfalls and Baggage that Accompany Movies Made on the Cheap...60 min. Run-Time...Mostly One-Takes, and Not a Whole-Lotta-Time or Money to Make a Better Movie.

But the Low-Rent Studios "Reason to Be" was Making "Watchable Movies for the Bottom-End of a Double-Bill while Making a Dollar-Bill.

Providing Work for Out-of-Work Folks that Worked in the Movies,

and through No Fault, but Resources, Sacrificial Lambs for "No-Shame" Ghouls to Pick the Bones Clean Laughing at 'Primitive Art" for Not Being "Legitimate" Art...Bullies All.

But "Apology for Murder" Makes No Apologies and "Respects" the Billy Wilder Film..."Imitation is the Greatest Form of Flattery"...

Anne Savage will Never Apologize for NOT being Barbara Stanwyck,

Her On-Screen Persona is Something to be Proud. If there Ever was an Actress "Born" to Play "Femme-Fatales", She's the One.

Hugh Beaumont is Fine "Playing the Sap", and the Ending is a Violent and Peaceful Wrap where He Delivers and then Some.

Ignore the "Deja Vu" when it Surfaces in this "Homage" and Enjoy.

If "B-Movies" Didn't Exist...There would be No "A-Movies".

Definitely...

Worth a Watch.