Vice Raid

This is not the best Edward L Cahn's film, unlike GUNS GIRLS AND GANGSTERSa, also starring Mamie Van Doren, but with Lee Van Cleef and Gerald Mohr, a film far more interesting, taut, tough than this predictable and tepid one. Brad Dexter is excellent as the mob leader but that's all. The overall atmosphere of a US noir movie is OK, for,moviegoers more or less craving for Mamie Van Doren, and I know this poor man's Jane Mansfield has a fan club all over the world, even now, eighty or at least seventy years old fans. It is shown as a kind of expose crime drama, with an off voice, but I repeat: everything is predictable here; the good cops and gorgeous moll against the evil syndicate...No, really, I prefered GUNS, GIRLS AND GANGSTERS. Even Sam Katzman's movies as a producer, with Fred Sears as a director were better than this one.

Vice Raid (1960)

** (out of 4)

Crime boss Vince Malone (Brad Dexter) deals in various illegal activities but prostitution is his number one money maker. The only problem is vice squad member Whitey Brandon (Richard Coogan) who will stop at nothing to bring him down. Malone gets the idea of sending in a beautiful woman named Carol (Mamie Van Doren) to get Brandon kicked off the force but once off the force he finds more ways to get to the underground. VICE RAID is like many crime pictures from this era as it features the "Dragnet" type narration and a story that doesn't throw too many twists. In fact, the entire story pretty much plays out just like you'd expect it to and the lack of any real drama or tension keeps it from being much better than it could have been. The best thing about the picture is that it contains some rather frank dialogue involving teenage girls being abused by these smut magazines and the lowdown of prostitution is also talked about rather freely. The performances are another plus with Coogan doing a nice job in the role of the vice squad leader who finds himself on the wrong side of the law. I thought Coogan was quite believable in the part and made for a good heavy. Dexter was also quite good as the bad guy and we also get nice work from Barry Atwater and Frank Gerstle. This here is probably the best I've seen Van Doren, which might not be saying too much but I thought she handled her own quite well. Carol Nugent is rather memorable in the role of the sister. The biggest problem is certainly the screenplay but director Edward L. Cahn never adds any energy or life to the picture. In the end, VICE RAID is a decent crime picture but there's certainly nothing about it that makes it a must see.

A vice detective goes up against a call girl (Mamie VanDoren) and loses in court. But once unemployed, the cop starts handling investigations his own way.

I really liked this film. As a historian who focuses on organized crime, I liked the idea of the "octopus" and "syndicate" without the film having to say Mafia or resorting to Italian-American stereotypes. While the Mafia probably was the dominant force at this time (the 1960s), they were hardly alone.

The subject matter was also handled really well. Although the story centers on prostitution, it was done in a clean manner -- no sex, no nudity, no vulgar language. There were some slinky outfits, but nothing racy. Today, I doubt they could make this film without plenty of sex in it, and I much prefer this version. I liked it even more because of the narration.

The film begins in New York City with two vice cops named "Whitey Brandon" (Richard Coogan) and "Ben Dunton" (Frank Gerstle) intercepting a mobster by the name of "Muggsy" (Shepherd Sanders) and a young female model he is escorting from Dallas named "Gertie" (Juli Reding). As it turns out, Muggsy works for a mob boss named "Vince Malone" (Brad Dexter) who has made a fortune operating a high-class prostitution ring which he fills with women coming from various cities to include Detroit, St. Louis and Chicago. In this particular case, Whitey has gotten wise to Malone's activities and all he needs is some inside information from Muggsy to help clarify a few things. What Whitey doesn't realize, however, is that his partner is also working for Malone and, rather than jeopardize his position, kills Muggsy the first chance he gets him alone. Needless to say, this creates a problem for Whitey's investigation. Conversely, it also creates a problem for Malone who decides to get rid of Whitey by framing him for a crime he did not commit. And to do this he calls Detroit and has them send a special call girl named "Carol Hudson" (Mamie Van Doren) who is as smart as she is beautiful. Unfortunately, what nobody counts on is Carol's younger sister "Louise Hudson" (Carol Nugent) arriving a few days later which severely complicates matters for all concerned. Now, rather than reveal any more, I will just say that this was an okay crime-drama which, for all intents and purposes, relies more heavily upon the presence of Mamie Van Doren than anything else, as she totally dominated every scene. Yet even though she definitely adds a certain amount of pizzaz to what would otherwise be a rather drab picture, her presence alone wasn't quite enough for me to rate this movie any higher than I have. Average.

This is Notable for the No-Singing, No-Dancing, No-Wiggling Outing for the usually Vivacious Mamie Van Doren. Here She is More Thespian than Usual and gets to Show some Acting Chops. But for those looking to find Sleaze and "Girlie Mag" Cheesecake will be Disappointed.

It is a very Tame and Unremarkable Movie that Treats its Subject matter with Docu-Style Blandness and Never Opens up to Allow any Real Taste of the Lurid Backdrop that it Shamelessly Exploits. There is Nary a Scantily Clad Female Form to be had.

Dull and Barely Interesting it is one of those Low-Budget, Trash Flicks that can't even be Faithful to its Picturesque Premise.

It contains a Scene or two that Almost Approaches its Come-On with some Sharp Violence, but for the Most Part it is only Watchable for a Good Try at Playing it Somewhat Straight for Mamie, but not much else.

She does Manage to Don a Bathing Suit and a Trademark Shiny Dress.