Double Cross

The opening scenes of this film depict policeman Steve Bronson (Richard Beach) keeping company with Fay Saunders (Wynne Gibson), whom he believes is his girlfriend, at a night club, The Silver Slipper, when a squad from his Department raids into the rear of the establishment, wherein flourishes an illicit gambling salon, and while the club's owner Nick Taggart (John Miljan) grapples with officers, Fay removes Steve's revolver from its holster and kills a policeman, as her affection for her actual lover Taggart plainly extends beyond what might be considered natural. When Steve retrieves the murder weapon from false Fay he is, with pistol in hand, shot down by other officers, therewith apparently tagged as being a cop-killer, but this is not accepted by police dispatcher Jim Murray (Kane Richmond), son of the Captain in charge of the tragically suppressant raid, especially following his visit and conversation with Steve at the latter's hospital death bed, after which Jim is determined to bring Fay and Taggart to justice. While in the process of attempting to infiltrate Taggart's criminal organization, Jim is cashiered from his Department because his father can find no discernible legitimate cause for his son's involvement with the band of ne'er-do-wells, but young Murray persists with his clandestine investigation, sharing his plan with only his fiancée Ellen (Pauline Moore), Steve's sister, who gives him emotional support. When Jim discovers that Taggart is planning to assassinate the senior Murray, his scheme to bring the evildoers to bay must co-exist with a method of saving his father from a violent death, hoping that by success with both ventures he may achieve reinstatement as an officer. The initial sequences of the film are neatly constructed, with each of the principal characters along with their motivations being quickly and efficiently sketched and interconnected, but as the low budget PRC release, filmed in Los Angeles, continues, a series of leaden incongruities abound, with a viewer's interest being consequently reduced. Fine Serbian actor Miljan gains the acting laurels here for his polished technique in playing boss of the Forces of Evil and Richmond, of the square-jawed Richard Arlen mode of acting, is suitably heroic throughout, while from the distaff side, Gibson is by turns stiff and shrill, Moore is bland, and Mary Gordon performs comfortably within her characteristic Irish matriarchal part. Additionally, it is ever a pleasure to watch veteran supporting actor Frank Moran, former top-flight heavyweight boxing contender, who traveled the full distance in title bouts with Jess Willard and Jack Johnson. Here he is cast as a simple-minded Taggart henchman, albeit one with a heart of gold.

This is one of those crime dramas where not much happens and the main character does things he should not be able to. It involves a self imposed undercover situation where a cop acts like he is going bad to get into a crime group. It is basically dull and silly. It has little if any suspense. The characters aren't all that attractive and the cause is a bit hard to swallow. There is a supposed thread of integrity at stake, but mostly it goes about going right where we think it will go. It's as if they needed to get the movie out without putting much time in on it. The actors sleepwalk and talk in little bursts. The B movie didn't demand much. I can see those kids on Saturday morning enjoying the car chases and the gunshots being fired. They really weren't much interested in a story.

Thoroughly routine PRC programmer, filmed in dreary pedestrian style. At least some atmospherics would have compensated for a patchwork script, erratic acting, and sloppy staging— for example, note the incredible "ducking bullets is for sissies" highway shoot-out, or the rope on Jim's hands that miraculously re-ties itself. But then this is PRC and they're probably on a three-day shooting schedule. Still, I suspect that with better material and more engaged direction, the cast would have delivered more respectable results.

No need to recap the plot, except that double-crosses abound. On the other hand, Richmond makes a handsome square-jawed hero, while Moore's lovely good girl Ellen resembles an unglamorized Hedy LaMarr. But above all there's Frank Moran as Cookie, with probably the friendliest ugly mug in Hollywood. They should have thrown more scenes his way since he's the movie's one notable feature. The two-shots with him and Ellen are like Beauty and the Beast and probably gave the director a few chuckles. Anyway, I can't say I didn't ask for disappointment by tuning in to what I knew was a PRC cheapo. Still, they did sometimes hit pay-dirt, as with the noir classic, Detour (1945). No such luck here. I suggest you skip this one, unless it's to catch the sublime Moran.

The film begins with a cop visiting his girlfriend. While this sounds innocent enough, it isn't---she's in a gambling dive. Why she's there and manipulates him into being there soon becomes evident when the police raid the place—and she sets him up to be killed! It seems that she is a real black widow of a woman! The dead man's partner happens to be the police Captain's son and the son decides to investigate the supposed 'accidental killing' by going undercover—way undercover. He pretends to show dissatisfaction with the police force and gets himself fired. Then, he goes to work for the baddie (John Miljan) in order to determine what really happened to his friend.

Aside from a REALLY dumb scene at the 50 minute mark, the film is actually pretty enjoyable as a cheap B-movie. This dumb scene is a cliché I HATE to see in movies—when someone threatens the big boss-man—telling the guy that they'll expose him for what he is. In 100% of the cases, the person making the threat is dead within about 3 seconds—and this case is no different. Think about it—your boss is completely evil and is responsible for countless atrocities and you tell him, when you two are alone, that you're going to the cops!! That's like telling Hannibal Lector that you are the other white meat! You KNOW what's bound to happen and it won't be good!!! But, brain-dead cliché or not, the film is interesting and a decent time-passer.

Young police officer Kane Richmond pretends to "go bad" in order to get in with the gang of crooks who corrupted and caused the death of his friend. Richmond even goes so far as to let his police captain father think he has disgraced the force. Things are made no less stressful by the fact that Richmond's girlfriend (Pauline Moore) has come to stay with the family since the death of her brother--that same best friend. No, it's not believable for a minute, but what the heck.

Wynne Gibson is top-billed here as the co-leader of the gambling ring who intends to put her new recruit to evil use and is in turn betrayed by her partner (the ever-villainous John Miljan). Mary Gordon is earnest as always as the mother and wife of policemen.

A little more levity might have livened this one up. As it turned out, it's basically an okay revenge picture whose familiar faces do more to recommend it than its plot or dialog.