La Rue des pécheresses

If you can get past the stereotyping, clichés, cheesy dialogue, and the fiery jazz soundtrack with screeching brass, you will probably enjoy this as a solid B movie. It started out typical, but it progressed into a formidable sociological statement. It is entertaining!

It's clear the entire cast wanted this project to succeed. For that reason, I categorize this as an ensemble. Some actors shine; some do not. But my gut instinct tells me the entire crew was so happy to be working that they decided to give it their all. And it shows.

I rate this film a 7 because of the production, which includes the director. It's typical Hollywood, but that's what makes it fun. Not for those who can't handle dated films.

This camp classic deserves more recognition. Rookie cops tries to get the underbelly of society to play by the rules. They resist. "Get your ticket writing fingahs offa me!" The homeliest leading lady in movie history and Geraldine Brooks had come a long way down from her Warner Bros. Starlet days a few years ago.

Law abiding citizens today will yearn for tame 1950s criminalovs. I love sanitized 1950s Hollywood. The hookers wear pearls.

Inner-City Youths Boxed in to a Few Streets with 1 Beat-Cop to Deal With, When the Current "Look-the-Other-Way" Type Retires...

Hard-Nosed, By-the-Rules "Rookie" George Montgomery Takes Over and Things Get Out of Hand Fast.

Gritty Stuff on "Sinner-Street" with Seemingly "No-Way-Out", especially when the Local Bar-Hang-Out is Pushing Drinks on Minors and then Pushing the Girls "Down-Town" for "Modeling" Jobs (yea sure).

Montgomery is a One-Man Reformer Bucking the Locals with the "Old-Man' who runs the Bar, the Girls, and Everything Else with Tentacles Everywhere to Keep Things Running "Above the Law".

Phillip Yordan Adds some Character Development, and these are a Bunch of "Loser" Characters...

One Young Alcoholic Divorcee is so "Out-of-It" She is Cracked Wide-Open, Burns a Steak and Biscuits and Takes a Dive Off Her Tenement Building Ledge.

One Young Lady Goes from a Bar-Fly Flirting with the "Boss" (His Favorite), Sent-Packing "Downtown" in a Heartbeat.

Some Over-Acting and the Confines of the Limitations of "Sinner Street" Hold the Thing Back from any Broad Appeal or Significance,

but the Low-Budget Cast, some Taut Dialog, and Piled on Melodrama Help Make it More than it Should Be, and is...

Worth a Watch.

I saw this film in a late night slot many years ago on BBC television and it left a lasting impression. It was obviously made on a very tight budget, with next to no location shooting, but included a very telling performance from George Montgomery, one of his best in my opinion. Reading Ms Lott's account/synopsis, however, has thrown me a bit, as it's not how I remember the film. However, I must stress it was a long time ago when I viewed it! The action was, as I recall, almost all set during the night hours when policeman Montgomery walked his beat, the so called Street Of Sinners. Persoff was the local badman at the heart of the troubled area. George was on friendly terms with the ladies of the night, whilst also striving to reform the local youngsters.I remember one great scene where our hero walked into a bar and slammed his night stick baton on the bar and closed down the joint. Sadly, this underrated little picture has never been shown again on UK television. I shall continue to hope that it will one day be released on DVD.

John (George Montgomery) is a rookie cop about to start his first beat. However, he is quite naive and knows little about the neighborhood and the hood who runs it. Leon (Nehemiah Persoff) is a small-time mobster who has connections in City Hall....and for years, folks have ignored Leon. But while at first Leon seems like a minor crook who isn't doing much harm, his influence goes far beyond just serving liquor to underage kids in his bar. Can John manage to stand up to Leon and both keep his job AND not get his head blown off as well? And, can John effect change when his fellow officers don't seem to care?

Despite the film initially seeming pretty cheesy and stiff, the film improves as you watch. It soon becomes tense and exciting....and leads to a dandy finale. Well made and very well written.

By the way, believe it or not, Persoff turns 102 this August. Good luck to a fine, fine actor....and he sure plays an excellent villain!