Fingerman

"Casey Martin" can take the final fall for a life of crime or cut a deal with T-Men to go undercover. It takes a tough guy, up against the wall, to tackle the assignment. The actors and script follow through to deliver a good tale. It's surprising that major studios were still making Black & White films in 1955, but the format seems to fit this story.

Fingerman is a good example of a 50's style crime drama. The basic plot line is: a man who has spent a lifetime committing crimes is "back at work" after his latest release from prison. While committing a hold-up by hijacking a truck, he carelessly drops a pack of cigarettes on the road with his fingerprints all over them and is nailed by the feds. Given a choice to go free if he becomes a stool-pigeon, he has to decide if he'll work for the feds to nab a crime kingpin.

Although there are no major stars, the performances are mostly good. Frank Lovejoy specialized in this type of role, a cynical protagonist caught up in circumstances beyond his control. Forrest Tucker (as the crime boss) and Peggie Castle (as Lovejoy's girlfriend) do well also. Timothy Carey (one of the most bizarre actors in screen history) is a standout as a torpedo in Tucker's employ.

The direction is decent but not outstanding, yet there are a few good moments, such as when two of Tucker's henchmen toss an informer in front of an approaching vehicle. Much of the action occurs at night, thus adding to the "noir" feel of the movie.

The film is unquestionably dated, and may bore younger viewers who need explosions or special effects every five minutes, but if you like 50's crime drama, Fingerman is a good way to kill an hour-and-a-half.

"Fingerman" (1955) is a blunt, no-nonsense title for an excellently-crafted no-nonsense movie that seems to take itself just seriously enough to make it a little police-story masterpiece. The story of how an almost three-time loser agrees to a dangerous effort of nabbing an underworld kingpin for the Treasury Department is taut and dramatically exciting, with some "noir" thrown in for good measure. Crisp and convincingly delivered dialog is conducted in many 1950's-style locations, including night time streets illuminated by glowing street lamps, garish but yet swank nightclubs, dark back alleys, musty-appearing warehouse interiors, and small, dingy apartments, just to name some. We also get to see police techniques unfold and state of the art police equipment of the era put to good use. But best of all, we enjoy some really excellent character development, including relationships that grow in suspenseful ways, including the one between Casey (Frank Lovejoy) and Dutch (Forrest Tucker) and the one between Casey and creepy henchman Lou (Timothy Carey). Peggie Castle is likewise very watchable in her role. The carefully articulated music score is underplayed and successfully and unobtrusively adds to the suspense and the magic of the film. And one more added bonus is the sight of early 1950's Cadillacs and other vehicles, which punctuate the movie with even more compelling atmosphere. What's more, no annoying mistakes or problems in the positioning of actors or props made themselves apparent to this observer. So yes, this is a magnificent piece of film making on a less than grand budget and I can't imagine buffs of old films would not like it a whole lot.

The question is asked by Lucille in her last scene, as she lies in the hospital to be detoxicated, and she is in hell. She is one of many female victims of Dutch Becker (Forest Tucker) who "owns" fallen girls "body and soul" all over the country, according to the police only in nine states. Frank Lovejoy as a frequent jailbird gets a chance for a clean slate if he helps the police to frame Dutch Becker to make it stick. That is the plot.

It's a grim film of spartan conciseness, and there are many interesting minor details that are important but risk getting bypassed by the action. All the scenes with Gladys Baker (Peggy Castle) are captivating, especially the last one, the longest shot in the film. In fact, it's all the expressive scenes with the women (and they are not many) that makes the film magic and of lasting interest beyond the limits of its time and age.

Frank Lovejoy reminds in this film very much of Eddie Constantine, the forerunner of James Bond but with a school of hard knocks behind him and a scarred face, that ultimately ruined his career. Frank Lovejoy has no scars, but he does have knuckles and uses them frequently. You simply have to love him, and the more for each trouble he starts.

The music is also outstanding, excellently composed and suited perfectly to every scene. This is a great film on a small level that will outshine most film of the period that were made to be more spectacular. This is a noir down to basics and extremely efficient as such.

Frank Lovejoy is a three-time loser whose fingerprints have just turned up at the site of a truck heist. The Feds give him a choice: a lifetime in prison or help them get the dirt on mob head Forrest Tucker. Lovejoy has never talked, but when he sees what happened to his sister, Evelyn Eaton, he agrees. He gets Peggy Castle, with whom he has begun an affair, to introduce him to the big man.

Harold Schuster directs this as a straight, tough, ugly crime drama, where everyone is twitchy, except for Tucker, who talks emotionally of loyalty and honesty and has people killed. Lovejoy plays the role as a man about to explode at any moment, and knocks a few people down with his fists.

It's a very handsomely directed B, but it's too cheap and it came too late for anyone to break out. Schuster had directed some terrific westerns, and would soon get his shot in the Tarzan franchise.... and then settle down to TV work. Likewise Tucker. As for Lovejoy, he had the look and voice for the RKO B noirs, but that was five or ten years in the past; he already was performing on TV, and he would die in 1962, just 50 years old.