I Was a Shoplifter

Although film noir was very popular in the 1950s in Hollywood, I wouldn't exactly consider "I Was a Shoplifter" to be an example of the genre. It's more a police procedural film...and a darned good one. It's also well worth seeing in order to see two future stars in smaller parts before they became famous, Tony Curtis and Rock Hudson. Of the two, Curtis' role was far larger and meatier...though VERY different from his later roles. He plays Pepe, a guy who is a pusillanimous jerk who loves to stab folks!

The film begins with two shoplifters being picked up by a department store. One (Mona Freeman) is the daughter of a judge...and she seems like a kleptomaniac who has no idea why she's doing it. The other seems like a real hard case...a career criminal who has been stealing for years (Scott Brady). But in reality, he's a detective working a case where they are trying to round up a ring of professional shoplifters as well as determine how and to whom they are selling their haul. Of course, there are lots of possible problems, a few fistfights and a dandy and tense finale.

The film is very well written, never dull and well acted. I noticed some reviewers really disliked this film...but I thought it was excellent from start to finish.

Or at least the only film noir in movie history speaking of shoplifting and not bank robbers, drug traffic, racketeers., pimps. The story itself is very easy and predictable to follow, not that unusual on the scheme itself. It is a rare film to catch and directed by Charles Lamont, not used to crime, film noirs, or some lousy ones in the thirties, but more comedy movies, light hearted dramas, such as the Abott and Costello series, or ven FRANCIS the talking mule. Useless to say that Charles Lamont was not a great director, but a prolific one, providing rare gems, which some are available on you tube. Not a bad little movie, I repeat, because of the shoplifting element. It could have been question of folks stealing gasoline in car tanks on parking lots. Why not? Another cute crime film speaking of shoplifting before Andrew Stone's CONFIDENCE GIRL.

How about, "I became a Hollywood has been in five films or less."

Andrea King and Scott Brady were up and coming stars after World War II. By 1950, Brady was on the booze and it showed. No more A features for him. I don't think Hollywood knew what to do with Andrea King. She ended up on Dragnet 1969 in a turban.

Mona Freeman did nothing but play put upon whiners. When she is listed among the cast you know it is going to be a Stinker.

You are never clear about how their racket is run and you stop caring.

Look out for small roles by Tony Curtis and Rock Hudson during their Universal International starlet days paying their dues on the casting chair.

The 25 year old Tony Curtis went on to act alongside Rock Hudson and James Stewart in films like 'Winchester 73' and 'I Was A Shoplifter' in 1950. Although this film was dull, Curtis was part of a stock of actors whose close friends included Hudson and Stewart.

At the end of I WAS A SHOPLIFTER, manipulative brunette crime-syndicate moll Andrea King tells undercover cop Scott Brady that it's too bad he is what he is, right as he's arresting her.. .

Because no matter how great poor little cute-rich-blonde Mona Freeman is with the handsome Brady, helping her out of a crime-ring after being caught thrill-lifting on her own.. he's exceptionally cool and smooth with Andrea, and they would have truly made a fantastic villainous team...

Instead she's saddled with more of a rogue wild card in non-famous whipper-snapper Tony Curtis, flashing a threatening blade at the gorgeous Mona Freeman to remain with this mobile den of thieves... all keeping their operation moving forward without realizing how close the law's moving in...

Overall part film noir, part throwback-gangster and part mainstream action-thriller, director Charles Lamont's I WAS A SHOPLIFTER is a nifty character-driven ride despite the campy, novelty-style title.