Balas na Noite

Hold-up offender Casey Martin (Frank Lovejoy) is nabbed by police and offered 'redemption' if he goes undercover with the local mob and leads them to the kingpin Dutch Baker (Forrest Tucker).

It's an oft-told tale in Film Noir and it's pretty well handled here by an able cast that includes Peggie Castle and Timothy Carey. In typical 50s style, the movie has a brighter look, with few of the darker, urban settings, until the end, and the direction is pretty anonymous. Although IMDb says Frank Lovejoy was 5'11 he is towered over by Tucker and Carey. In more than one scene, Lovejoy pummels much bigger men and it looks, at best, improbable. His character is a hothead, so we can accept it for the sake of the plot. Lovejoy was a solid actor, who also excelled playing a similar role in I WAS A COMMUNIST FOR THE FBI (one of the better films in its sub-genre). Tucker was one of the unsung great actors of his period, and he's great here as the self-important crime boss. As for Carey, he's doing his trademark psychotic type, used for dirty work by Tucker. Beautiful Peggie Castle is impressive as a mob-girl with a past she'd like to forget.

Fingerman is a good example of a 50's style crime drama. The basic plot line is: a man who has spent a lifetime committing crimes is "back at work" after his latest release from prison. While committing a hold-up by hijacking a truck, he carelessly drops a pack of cigarettes on the road with his fingerprints all over them and is nailed by the feds. Given a choice to go free if he becomes a stool-pigeon, he has to decide if he'll work for the feds to nab a crime kingpin.

Although there are no major stars, the performances are mostly good. Frank Lovejoy specialized in this type of role, a cynical protagonist caught up in circumstances beyond his control. Forrest Tucker (as the crime boss) and Peggie Castle (as Lovejoy's girlfriend) do well also. Timothy Carey (one of the most bizarre actors in screen history) is a standout as a torpedo in Tucker's employ.

The direction is decent but not outstanding, yet there are a few good moments, such as when two of Tucker's henchmen toss an informer in front of an approaching vehicle. Much of the action occurs at night, thus adding to the "noir" feel of the movie.

The film is unquestionably dated, and may bore younger viewers who need explosions or special effects every five minutes, but if you like 50's crime drama, Fingerman is a good way to kill an hour-and-a-half.

Does the perfect crime exist? Casey Martin (Frank Lovejoy) appears to be intent on discovering the hard way that it doesn't. Having just spent nine years behind bars, he executes an efficient highway heist, only to snooker himself via a discarded cigarette pack, falling foul of both the police and the Treasury Department as a repercussion.

Lovejoy is offered the choice of a lifetime in the slammer, or a liaison with the good guys to bring down big time operator Dutch Becker (Forrest Tucker). Just one small problem....he's likely to catch a bullet, or six doing it. At the risk of winding up with more holes than a colander, he takes his chance to nail the ruthless, string pulling kingpin.

The former jailbird launches himself gamely into the double dealing, fast talking, hard drinking, heavy smoking, moll mangling, fist flailing, sharp shooting, underhand, underworld sewer dominated by heavy weight Tucker, replete with his entourage of hoods, hookers, hostesses and hangers-on. Tucker is the manipulative button pusher behind illegal hooch and gambling rackets across nine states, who, in a calm, reassuring manner asks only for honesty and loyalty from those on his payroll. Unsurprisingly, any disloyalty results in rather more than a fatherly arm around the shoulder and a quiet corrective word of advice.

Access to the big shot's tawdry activities involves developing an intimacy with beautiful Peggie Castle, who finds herself walking on increasingly thin ice as a consequence. Lovejoy also experiences a seething reacquaintance with Tucker's sidekick, long faced, lugubrious and latterly lachrymose Timothy Carey.

Not outstanding or exceptional, but consistently engaging and entertaining. Finger lickin' good!

The question is asked by Lucille in her last scene, as she lies in the hospital to be detoxicated, and she is in hell. She is one of many female victims of Dutch Becker (Forest Tucker) who "owns" fallen girls "body and soul" all over the country, according to the police only in nine states. Frank Lovejoy as a frequent jailbird gets a chance for a clean slate if he helps the police to frame Dutch Becker to make it stick. That is the plot.

It's a grim film of spartan conciseness, and there are many interesting minor details that are important but risk getting bypassed by the action. All the scenes with Gladys Baker (Peggy Castle) are captivating, especially the last one, the longest shot in the film. In fact, it's all the expressive scenes with the women (and they are not many) that makes the film magic and of lasting interest beyond the limits of its time and age.

Frank Lovejoy reminds in this film very much of Eddie Constantine, the forerunner of James Bond but with a school of hard knocks behind him and a scarred face, that ultimately ruined his career. Frank Lovejoy has no scars, but he does have knuckles and uses them frequently. You simply have to love him, and the more for each trouble he starts.

The music is also outstanding, excellently composed and suited perfectly to every scene. This is a great film on a small level that will outshine most film of the period that were made to be more spectacular. This is a noir down to basics and extremely efficient as such.

"Casey Martin" can take the final fall for a life of crime or cut a deal with T-Men to go undercover. It takes a tough guy, up against the wall, to tackle the assignment. The actors and script follow through to deliver a good tale. It's surprising that major studios were still making Black & White films in 1955, but the format seems to fit this story.