Time Table

This is a neat, no-frills thriller about an intricately planned train heist, the turbulent insurance investigator assigned to the case, and his hard-nosed boss whose motto is "There's no such thing as a perfect crime." Filmed in the flat, greyish TV style of the 50s with occasional expressionist touches, it is rife with plot twists and intriguing characters, and features a supporting cast of familiar faces (Alan Reed, Jack Klugman, etc). It should appeal to those who prefer story over stylishness. Tough-guy Stevens starred in several top-notch noirs of the 40s, and directed a couple of good second-feature thrillers in the 50s, including Cry Vengeance.

After robbers steal $50,000 from a train, an insurance investigator (Mark Stevens) is assigned to investigate, who in fact one of the ring leaders of the train robbery and needs to make the investigation seem credible.

Produced, directed by and starring Stevens, this is an interestingly plotted crime thriller written by Aben Kendel that contains plenty of twists and turns with some decent changes in direction with Stevens' character trying to double cross his co-thieves.

You would think that by 1956 nobody could breathe new life into a train robbery tale. But in this film there are two major surprising twists, one near the beginning and then one smack in the middle.

Because half a million was taken in the robbery, a crack insurance investigator has his vacation to Mexico postponed to solve this crime. He is paired up with a bulldog of a railroad detective. Very shortly the pair determine that this crime was meticulously planned. But because it is obvious the crooks were working by a "time table" (thus the title), the railroad investigator says that is their weak link. Find a place where they couldn't make their time table, and the case should be something that can be cracked.

This is somewhat like a film noir and somewhat like a crime drama - a bit half and half. The interesting theme here is that of a normal middle class person turning to crime not because of one small bad decision snowballing or some life event causing a desperate need for money beyond their means, but because of living a life of "quiet desperation". Maybe this film is not remembered so much because that theme has become quite common in the decades that have passed. But in the "I Like Ike" 1950s, the idea of somebody not being happy with a chicken in their pot and their suburban tract home was almost blasphemy.

I'd highly recommend it. I haven't given too many details because to say much at all would spoil it for you.

A funny coincidence - Actor Raymond Bailey as the insurance company executive, calmly stating that if the crime cannot be solved and the loot recovered, then the company may have to pay out half a million. Bailey played skinflint banker Milburn Drysdale during the 1960s in the Beverly Hillbillies, and THAT character would have had a heart attack over losing such a sum!

I seen many bad reviews for this film and I just do not get it. I love it, it may not be the greatest film ever made but I love it. It is cheesy and I am okay with that. If you watch it without being overly critical it is a fun watch. It has its twists and turns which keep you interested. The plot is pretty decent and for the time original. If you like this genre of film you should really enjoy this one. Mark Stevens does a credible job as the lead and it is the earliest film I believe I saw Jack Klugman in. Ignore the nay sayers and give it go it may not be the best film you have seen but it will keep you entertained and in the end that is all a film is supposed to do. Yes there are some issues with the film but it was not a big budget movie and they do a brilliant job with what they are given. Try it, you won't regret it.

The film gets off to a really good start. A slick crime with no clues appearing and you're wondering how the investigators are going to solve it. I'm thinking this is great (8 or 9 out of 10); a real puzzle but out of the blue they catch a member of the gang with no explanation as to how they found him. Then other members of the gang start making mistakes by not following orders. If the crime had been solved by deduction it could have been a great movie. Gripping start but soon disappoints.