Human Cargo

Thanks to a friend's discovery of a print, I was finally able to view this little gem from Fox Films. Director Alan Dwan does a great job here and is provided a very good cast, including Brian Donlevy and Claire Trevor (who was to work with Dwan on a half dozen films at Fox--titles like NAVY WIFE and the marvelous ONE MILE FROM HEAVEN). Set in the brutal world of alien smuggling, it tells the story of a hard nosed reporter and a wannabe reporter from society who mix it up as they try to get to the mysterious leader of the gang--men who think nothing of drowning their "human cargoes" in reservoirs or killing cops. This is a fast paced film with a lot of snappy dialogue and Rita Hayworth as an alien who ends up dancing in a club for a vicious killer. Some great character actors including Alan Dinehart and Ralph Morgan help things along nicely. Good "B" made on the cusp between Fox and 20th Century Fox as the closing credits suggest. Must see viewing for Rita fans and those who like good action "B" movies. Bob Connors (yrkconnors@yahoo.com).

Claire Trevor breaks into editor-in-chief Alan Dinehart's office. She wants to be a reporter. He says no. She threatens to have her uncle pull his department store's advertising, so he sends her to the sob sister desk. On the way, reporter Brian Donleavy figures she'll be good cover for a story on the illegal alien transporting racket; he has to go to a night club where a member of the gang is hiding, so he take her along. It winds up with the gangster shot dead and Miss Trevor in jail. Welcome to the newspaper racket!

Allan Dwan directs this 20th Century-Fox B at a high speed, with most of the humor in the mysogynistic way Dinehart operates. Donleavy is hard-boiled and not a wisecracker, and Miss revor is akll at sea, but learns fast. There are some nice twists, and a good supporting cast including Ralph Morgan, Rita Hayworth as a nightclub dancer, and Herman Bing. Sol Wurtzel wound up in charge of the B studio after the merger. No one liked him, but he had a good pool of performers and technicians. Thanks to the new corporate structure, he had access to good writers -- finally-- and didn't have to play office politics This is one of the movies that, in this period, made Fox the best B studio among the majors. It's not great, but it fills an hour not just adequately, but with some dash.