Les dés sanglants

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.

When I see a film was made by Monogram Studio, I usually assume it's going to be a low-budgeted stinker. Of course, there some exceptions, such as their Charlie Chan series and a few others, but generally the studio's name was NOT one associated with quality! So, when I saw this no-name cast in a Monogram picture, I naturally thought it would be adequate at best. Boy, was I wrong!

When the story begins, two thugs are fighting over the number racket. One thinks he's a lot smarter than he is and is soon killed. Soon, his brother arrives in town...fresh from WWII and the Army Air Corps. Despite his great reputation as a war hero, he's very happy to step into his brother's shoes as head of that racket. The rest of the film consists of Joe (Warren Douglas) trying to convince everyone, including himself, that he's a tough jerk. What's next for this tough guy? See the film and find out for yourself.

Warren Douglas was terrific in the film and having an actor without a familiar face worked well...helping to make the story seem credible. Excellent writing also help with this one. My only quibble, and boy is it minor, is that the ending is just TOO perfect! Still, it showed that even Monogram could make a dandy film...on occasion.

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.