Armored Car Robbery

Armored Car Robbery (1950)

*** (out of 4)

Thief Dave Purvis (William Talman) plays the perfect heist of an armored car in L.A. but things take a disastrous turn when cops show up on the scene. A gunfight breaks out and a cop is killed, which doesn't sit well with Lt. Jim Cordell (Charles McGraw) who will stop at nothing to make sure those responsible are brought to justice. This film was released by Warner as a film-noir but I personally didn't see anything to connect this to that genre. This is, however, a fine crime picture that has two great actors delivering strong performances and in the end they're reason enough to watch the film. I think the biggest problem with the movie is that director Flesicher never builds up any atmosphere nor does he ever build up any real suspense. In many ways the film is very by-the-numbers because it seems like the director and screenwriter never tried to go out of their way to do something special but instead they just deliver the goods and make for a pleasant 67-minutes. The movie features some great locations around Wrigley Field as well as several scenes inside a burlesque show, which adds to the fun. The heist sequence was fairly well-directed and the pay-off is nice as well. The ending is going to remind people of Kubrick's THE KILLING, although it's a lot more graphic in nature here. Talman and McGraw are two veterans of this genre and both men know how to make their characters speak without saying a word. Both men have incredible faces that really tell us all we need to know and it seems as if both actors were having a lot of fun in these roles. Talman is very laid-back in his role and his character really comes across very collective and cool. McGraw, in an early Dirty Harry type role, is tough as nails and you just know he's not going to stop.

Remembered mostly as Hamilton Berger, TV's Perry Mason's opponent always doomed to fail, William Talman radiates with star quality as the anti-hero in this taut programmer. With few words and with no fanfare, Talman etches a finely tuned portrayal of a brainy and fussy gangster. The man is a portrait of self-discipline and clean-living except that he is a crook. Charles McGraw does well as his adversary, the detective, but it's Talman who captures our imagination and leaves indelible imprint on our minds as the meticulous crook who has figured out everything to the most infinitessimal detail. There's just one thing he doesn't know: this is an early 50's movie, so his character must learn that crime doesn't pay!

Director Richard Fleischer was responsible for two of the best of the low-budget '50s cops-n-robbers flicks, both notable for starring Charles McGraw, one of the great movie bad guys, as a tough detective. One, "The Narrow Margin," is quite well known; this is the other one, and while not as well known, it certainly should be. The story is about a vicious gang of robbers, headed by a murderous psychopath (William Talman, who seemed to have a corner on that market in the '50s), pulls off an armored car robbery that goes awry. Detective McGraw is out to track down the gang. The film is a textbook example of the best of the B movie--swiftly paced, tightly edited, with a good story and a cast of veteran character actors that work together like a well-oiled machine. Some clever plot twists and startling (for the time) violence make this one a keeper. Very highly recommended.

With its lean, pared-down running time and exclusive focus on the cops 'n' robbers storyline, ARMOURED CAR ROBBERY could be a modern movie along the likes of the BOURNE films or HEAT. It's certainly a film that's stood the test of time very well, as it's extremely fast paced and action-packed with it. There's little to dislike here.

The plot is simplicity in itself: a group of bank robbers hijack an armoured car and make way with the loot. A gang of cops are soon on their tail, and then things get rather messy. There are fatalities on both sides, a sleazy burlesque club gets drawn into the mix, and there's an inexorable slide towards the inevitable showdown at the climax.

ARMOURED CAR ROBBERY boasts a tough script, excellent acting and strong direction from the reliable Richard Fleischer (10 RILLINGTON PLACE). The best of the cast is easily William Talman as the chief robber; he has a real screen presence here and holds his own against everyone else. Charles McGraw, as the dogged detective on his trail, is very nearly as good. In any case, this is a great, forgotten little movie that's rip for rediscovery.

Having just watched Spike Lee's Inside Man recently, it occurred to me that the caper/heist genre movie has gradually become so familiar that even the twistiest of plots seems predictable and ordinary. With this in mind I stepped back about 50 years to this entry in the genre that is almost a documentary by way of comparison to recent films. Instead of building to twists and revelations, this film takes a much straighter line and plays up the noir aspects of the film to deliver a solid b movie that is lacking in fireworks but not any less satisfying for it.

Apparently this film caused a bit of a stir at the time of release as it was criticised for being too "instructional" in regards planning a job and also police procedure in the investigation. This is maybe pushing it a bit far but certainly it is played pretty straight throughout and by doing so seems to work well as just a tough crime story. The tough part is key because, although the basic story is solid, the film is sold on the atmosphere as painted by the script, the direction and the performances. The film is set in the grey world of noir where the criminals are hard but the cops seem to be driven by bitterness and revenge just as much as a desire to do the right thing. This gives the film a nice dark edge that fits the material well and although it lacks flair, the straight-shooting approach works well.

The direction is good and Fleischer is confident within the smoky confines of interview rooms, nightclubs and hideouts. The script is not a classic but it does provide some memorable lines and has a tough edge that the cast take to. Talman is suitably sharp and dark as the gang leader, convincing in his infatuation with Yvonne just as he is betraying his gang. McGraw is more obvious but no less enjoyable in the role of the bitter, driven detective after the gang. Jergens is a bit too, well, round to totally convincing as the scheming showgirl but she did well enough to carry her scenes. Support from Fowley, McGuire and others round out the b movie cast but their performances all suit the material and the genre.

Overall then this runs the risk of coming over a bit dull to those that are used to their "heist gone wrong" movies with more violence and more twists but this relatively by-the-numbers film still works well. The material is enjoyable and the solid script is well delivered with a tough edge by director and cast.