Les dés sanglants

Why not... since it's in black-and-white, made in the 40's and has a crime theme. At that, it fits better than most now residing under that genre.

This'un has gangster Oney Kessel (Philip Van Zandt) sending two of his henchies (Charles Sullivan and Meyer Grace)to threaten Jeff Hilton (George Meeker), through Jeff's attorney, Arthur Brennan (Paul Maxey,) in an effort to stop Jeff's muscling in on Kessel's rackets. Jeff disregards the threat, and he is killed when his girl friend Vivian (Jan Wiley)talks him into going out without his mobsters, Nichols (Clancy Cooper) and "Pinky" (John Harmon.) Brennan calls in Jeff's brother Joe (Warren Douglas), a returned veteran, who takes over the 26-game racket (six dice in a bucket)as revenge against civilians who made money in the black market while he was fighting for his country. Joe beats up night-club owner Kane (George Lloyd), one of his 26-game operators, to stop him from holding out game-table receipts under pressure from the Kessel syndicate. Joe also takes up with Lynn Turner (Ramsay Ames), one of his 26-game operators (but really a nice girl when all's said and done...and stacked like nobody's business), but warns her not to try and reform him.

Reform candidate-for-mayor Vail (George Eldredge) is refused a campaign donation by Joe, who is backing the crooked incumbent Turner (Alan Bridge.) But Joe's war buddy Sam Austin (Bruce Edwards)talks Joe into backing Vail, and this serves to break the truce between Joe's gang and Kessel's hirelings and henchies...and a gang war breaks out.

The loser dies and the winner reforms. Ramsay Ames and Jan Wiley make it worth while, and George Meeker and his slickest-in-the-business moustache cash in early and that is also a plus.

Warren Douglas is back from the war and prepared to take over his dead brother's night club. The mobbed-up guys who have been running it are not keen on the idea, but he settles them with his fists. He thinks he's paid his dues and is ready to get fat, but when it turns out that he's been using underage girls in the racy shows, and falls in love with Ramsay Ames, his conscience revives. THen it turns out his brother isn't dead.

It's a Monogram movie directed by William Beaudine, so you probably wouldn't expect it to be very good. It's not great, but it is a solid little noir, thanks to a decent script (co-written by Ivan Tors), and a cast good enough to get it on the first take, even on Monogram's uninspiring budgets.

...but there were some interesting elements to "Below the Deadline" from 1946.

This is an almost noir from Monogram directed by William "One Shot" Beaudine. The studios must have loved him.

This movie dealt the problems of a returning veteran, Joe Hilton (Warren Douglas). Certainly this has been explored in films such as "The Best Years of Our Lives," but I liked this take.

A gangster (Philip Van Zandt) dispatches two thugs to to threaten Jeff Hilton (George Meeker), using Jeff's attorney (Paul Maxey) in order to keep him from muscling in on certain rackets.

Jeff's girlfriend (Jan Wiley) convinces him to go out on his own and forget about the mobsters. We know what happens next, he's iced.

When his war hero brother Joe returns from service, seeing that his brother has been killed, he takes over his rackets. He wants revenge not only for his brother, but for these gangsters who made money on the black market while he was "eating out of cans covered with lice" and fighting for his country. Don't blame him.

He takes up with a woman (Ramsay Ames), who works in one of the clubs.

Short and not bad, and I wasn't familiar with the work of Ramsay Ames before this. She was a staggeringly beautiful woman -- and very modern looking -- someone else on this site mentioned that as well. She had a very "today" look. Apparently a lot of men fell off of catwalks at the studios trying to get a gander at her. She was multitalented - a former model and dancer-singer who had her own interview show in Spain. She was married to Man of La Mancha playwright Dale Wasserman.

Decent film, with some familiar faces who later worked a lot in TV, including Paul Maxey, Phillip Van Zandt, and the star, Warren Douglas, who became a writer and producer as well as an actor.

The More You Watch the Films of B-Movie Director William "One Shot" Beaudine the More You Appreciate the Man's Efficient Style and Flare. In this Monogram Quickie with Film-Noir Overtones there can be Found Noir Lighting Pattern Flourishes and Hard-Knuckle Fisticuffs.

Also, the Nightclub Scenes are Effective and Somewhat Sleazy, as is the Gaming Racket and Gang Rivalry that Keeps the Thing on the Edge. It is a Bit too Conventional in its Rap Up to be Pure Noir, it Nevertheless Engages Throughout its 65 Minute Running Time with Nods to Income Tax and Politics.

The Look is B-Movie Great and the Cynical Protagonist Returning from the War Where He was a Pilot Gives Free-Rein for the Script Writer to Banter with Wartime-Jargon that is a Hoot. For Example a Bar is Referred to as a "Fuel Dump" and Leaving a Lover is Called "Bailing Out".

Beyond Competent the Movie Rises to Must See Status for Fans of Film-Noir, B-Movies, WWII Aficionados, as Well as Those Looking for Some Mid-Forties Thrills on the Cheap.

Looks like that title has been used numerous times over the years, in both silents and talkies. With various writers and plots. This one is pretty cheesy. It's from monogram pictures, the low budget experts. Serviceman joe (warren douglas) comes home from war, and steps into his brother's business; the shady gambling operations. But when his girl (ramsay ames) and his army buddy try to get him to go straight, he doesn't want any part of it. And keeps getting into fist fights. I guess they left their guns at home. It's clearly a low dollar deal. Aint no thang. Directed by bill beaudine.