Le traquenard

This is not a film noir per se, though it has some nourish undercurrents and atmosphere. It is a bit of a downer because the lead is a scoundrel, his girl friend is a dolt, and there is not really anyone to admire. Lloyd Bridges plays the lead, and is more or less convincing, though hardly brilliant. But then the part gave him little scope anyway. The dame is Barbara Payton, who is not particularly enthralling. Payton had a terribly tragic life, dying at the age of only 39, after episodes of drug addiction, shop-lifting, and other symptoms of someone who was pretty totally messed-up. This film contains two remarkable and interesting film sequences, both shot on location. The first is inside the US Treasury in Washington, showing money being designed, processed and printed. (No mention of the Federal Reserve, so this is a bit puzzling.) The other is inside the large Los Angeles streetcar depot, where a dramatic chase and shootout take place. Streetcars must have been phased out not long afterwards, so this is rare footage. Bridges plays a jailed counterfeiter who is let out on condition that he exposes the people who are now 'using his plates' to print twenty dollar bills. A bewildering series of double-crosses and turning of tables takes place, all keeping one's attention, what with cops pretending to be crooks, and no one really knowing who is straight and who is not. John Hoyt is in this picture, as he was in so many others. He was a very nice man and did me a big favour when I was young. I was introduced to him by my very good aged friend of those days, Homer Croy, who wrote the Will Rogers movies, as Homer and Hoyt were old chums. Hoyt really did go out of his way to help people and was such a personable and pleasant person. I remember he wore a bow tie and was concerned to look smartly dressed. When I met him I had no idea of his film career, since there were no videos or DVDs in those days and hence no way to see old movies. Homer told me he was a well-known actor, but I had never heard of him at that time, since once a movie was out of the cinemas, it was gone gone gone. Even the stars rarely had cans of 35 mm of their finest work. Everything just disappeared into the vaults of the majors. I'm glad this film is no longer trapped in the vaults, despite its title. It was ably directed by Dick Fleischer and belongs in the canon along with the others.

This neat little thriller was directed by Richard Fleischer at the beginning of his "noir" period. He got better at it after this one--the terrific "Narrow Margin" and "Armored Car Robbery"--but this is still a good one, if a bit too slow at times.

Lloyd Bridges is a convicted counterfeiter serving time when he cuts a deal with the Treasury Department. It seems that when he was nabbed, his partner kept the plates and now almost flawless counterfeit currency is flooding Los Angeles. The feds believe it's Bridges' partner, and they'll cut his sentence in exchange for letting him out to find his partner and retrieve the plates. Once he gets out, however, he double-crosses them and plans to get the plates himself. As it turns out, Bridges isn't quite as slick as he thinks he is, and things start to go south rather quickly. Although not quite as fast-paced as Fleischer's better-known thrillers, it benefits tremendously from Bridges' presence. He's very tightly wound in this one, and quite a bit more brutal than you would expect him to be, even playing a bad guy. Tragic figure Barbara Payton actually does quite well as his floozy girlfriend, and the sinister John Hoyt does an excellent job as a somewhat enigmatic character who turns out to be not quite what he seems.

Good atmosphere and some neat plot--and other--twists make this a good companion piece to Fleischer's later noirs, and definitely worth a watch.

This was a good movie. Considering that it was probably made on a shoestring budget, it was a very good movie. Personally, I enjoy a good plot and storyline and this picture had it; it was interesting and absorbing throughout. Pacing was good and the picture moved along at a brisk pace. There was very little if any padding material.

Good job by Lloyd Bridges, who had not yet made it big. It had a good cast of dependable character actors. I did not know the sad story of Barbara Payton until I read it on the website, and she was very good as Bridges' girlfriend. It must have been Director Richard Fleischer's first solid hit, as he went on to have a pretty distinguished career in Hollywood.

If it ever comes on one of the movie channels do yourself a favor and see it, even if you're not a cops-and-robbers fan.

The opening of the film is a prolonged ode to the US Treasury in all its offices but particularly its role in the issuing of bank notes and prevention of counterfeit dosh. Then off we go with our hero released from jail (for counterfeiting) so he can help find who is now using his marvellous plates. This is no great noir but it is interesting enough and has its moments on the streets of LA. The finale in a tram shed containing LA electric street cars is effective and there are other set pieces making this worth a view. Bridges is most effective and Barbara Payton does well as the good looking moll. Predictable in parts but the action switches enough to maintain attention.

The film begins with a rather heavy-handed and hokey introduction extolling the virtues of Secret Service in their dealing with forged American dollars. Then, the actual story begins. It seems that a counterfeit $20 has turned up--and it's an awful lot like one passed by a man who has now been in prison several years (Lloyd Bridges). When he's questioned, he refuses to cooperate. However, when he does seem to be cooperating, it's a ruse--and soon he's escaped from custody. Eventually he makes his way back to his old gang--and he wants in for some of the action. Along the way, he meets up with a sharp character (John Hoyt) who wants to bankroll Bridges' scheme to make a killing with counterfeit bills. How all this works out is something you should see for yourself--and I really don't want to spoil the suspense by saying more.

When this fame debuted in 1949, Bridges and Hoyt were hardly household names. Bridges went on to great fame in the 1950s and 60s but here he plays a guy very much unlike his later roles--in "Trapped", he's just a nasty little hood. As for Hoyt, he's a face many will recognize though his name would escape most. He generally played cranky guys who were not the least bit macho or heroic, yet here he plays a man definitely against this type! In fact, it might just be one of Hoyt's best roles--if not his best. It's a shame, really, as he MIGHT have become a household name, as he was the original Doctor in the pilot episode of "Star Trek".

Overall, the film has a dandy script, is very entertaining and is a nice example of a lesser film noir movie that deserves to be seen. While not great, it certainly is very good and quite watchable.