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In my opinion, Charles McGraw is probably the best and best known actor of the post war / film noir genre. Sometimes he was one of the good guys, and sometimes one of the bad. In "The Threat", he's the baddest. Michael O'Shea and Virginia Grey get top billing, but compared to McGraw they're hardly even in the film at all. McGraw is clearly the star of this movie, and he's absolutely terrific as a no nonsense, cold blooded killer. Those piercing eyes of his go right through you. Just about as scary a movie criminal as there ever was. Scary because criminals like this actually do exist, and a great little film like this brings the audience enough into the movie that you can't help but think "what if I were kidnapped by a homicidal lunatic like this?" At 65 minutes, "The Threat" is a very tight film noir type crime drama filled with tension, and Charles McGraw is the center of picture. Great film and a great under rated actor with Charles McGraw. I've been a fan of his for years, and thanks to a recent run on TCM, I finally got to see what has to be his best starring role.

"The Threat" is an effective "B" film noir that is kind of a junior league "White Heat" with Charles McGraw starring as an escaped killer seeking vengeance on those who sent him up. The storyline is relatively clever and the threadbare production values are easily overlooked due to the earnest acting and fast pace.

McGraw was so evilly convincing as the heavy that RKO subsequently signed him to a seven-year contract and starred him in "Armored Car Robbery", "Roadblock" and "The Narrow Margin". When you consider that this picture was shot in under three weeks with a total budget of $221,000, it is quite an achievement for director Felix Feist.

One doesn't have to be 8 years old to appreciate economical film making that rises above the typical RKO "B" film sausage grinding of the time.

Charles McGraw was one of the all-time best at playing tough guy roles in Hollywood. He was never anything but totally convincing in those roles, either. It has to be his distinctive gravel voice, along with his manly facial features and mannerisms, but also the fact he seemed to always play these kind of characters. All of this stamped him as a rough thug, no matter what side of the law he was on and the older he got, the more chiseled his face and rougher the voice. By 1950, he - along with big Sterling Hayden - were the two best males in the film noir genre, in my opinion. Both men were always interesting and both hit peaks in the very early '50s.

In this film, McGraw is the main criminal, "Red Kluger," a man who has just busted out of Folsom Prison. He immediately goes after the two guys most responsible for putting him behind bars, captures then and then goes on the lam with a stolen truck, a couple of other thugs and the kidnapped driver of the big truck.

At only 65 minutes, this moves by pretty fast, although there is a lull halfway through until things start to get tense as the cops get closer and closer. The "Inspector," by the way, is Robert Shayne, who played "Inspector Henderson" on the Superman TV show in the 1950s. The only difference was that he had a mustache in this movie.

One credibility problem: the truck driver, "Joe," could have escaped a few times, especially with his riding partner up front got out of the cab to talk to a cop! What a perfect chance to slip out his side and run for it...but he stays in the driver's seat (with nobody looking at him?) Oh, well; no film is perfect.

The climax was fine, offering some tense moments and a surprise finish regarding the hostages and crooks. Overall, a pretty solid film noir and one that, hopefully, will be available on DVD.

Except for the light-hearted beginning and end, this is one hard-boiled cookie of a movie, (my apology to gourmets). Kluger (McGraw) may take hostages for criminal purposes, but the screenplay takes no prisoners. It's smart, tough, and efficient, another minor gem from RKO's golden post-war period. And who better to act out the gritty script than the jut-jawed McGraw, a role that fits him like a glove. And when he barks out orders to his underlings, I had to remind myself I wasn't included. If there were B-movie Oscars, which there should have been, he would be richly deserving.

Anyhow, the plot manages to turn the familiar prison break fugitive into an exciting chase across California, replete with a number of clever touches and a few surprises from an unflinching camera. I also like Virginia Grey (Carol) who specialized in sad-eyed, soulful parts as she does here. Still, I'm not sure the movie did O'Shea's (Ray) career much good since he's definitely second fiddle to the all-dominating Mc Graw. Too bad the movie's so obscure, since it shows in spades the vigor of the B-movie at its purest level.

When vicious killer Arnold Kluger (Charles McGraw) and his pals escape from Folsom Prison, they go after the detective (Michael O'Shea) and the DA (Frank Conroy) who put Kluger in prison in the fist place.

The two, plus a woman Kluger thinks ratted him out are holed up with the men in a desert shack where Kluger and his pals are to be picked up by another confederate, Anthony.

Michael O'Shea plays a police officer who, with is wife, is awaiting the birth of their child. He's not supposed to be out on the street but to his wife's chagrin, he runs out when he learns of Kluger's escape, only to be captured by him. At first, Kluger makes him call in as if all is well.

Virginia Grey is the woman Kluger thinks betrayed her, and she spends most of the movie screaming and crying to let her leave. Meanwhile the officer and DA are tied up in the next room after being taken to this out of the way cabin. Not looking good.

Charles McGraw is dynamite in this film, incredibly mean, without one drop of human kindness. As someone on the board pointed out, people like this exist, making the story scarier. He's absolutely frightening because he's capable of anything.

If you're a baby boomer, you'll recognize the voice of Inspector Henderson from Superman right away, Robert Shayne as Police Inspector Murphy. The man worked into his nineties but is probably best remembered as Henderson. The film was made in 1949, and most if not all of these actors wound up in television.

Michael O'Shea was always likable, and he's no different here, playing a police detective who keeps his cool. Married to Virginia Mayo, the two did a lot of theater together, and after he retired he became a plainclothes CIA operative.

Virginia Grey was a good actress and a lovely one, though this role called for her to be hysterical a good part of the time.

This is a short film that packs a wallop - a real wallop. Very hard- hitting.