A Movie Nearly Every Night: B-Noir Double Feature

Armored Car Robbery (1950)
Dir. Richard Fleischer
Starring: Charles McGraw, Adele Jergens, William Talman, Douglas Fowley

Sorry, yes, more black and white. Honestly, we've watched a lot of stuff in color, but it's usually an episode of Dallas or 30 Rock or Iron Man 2, which I wanted to like, but ... ah no, I just couldn't. Dallas and 30 Rock on the other hand = choice viewing.

And, as long as I'm being completely honest ... uh ... okay, all honesty ... um, I fell asleep at the end of Armored Car Robbery. I know. I know! But it's winter in Oregon, people. The sun goes down at 4:30 and by 6:00 you feel like going to bed. Maybe it's just me, I don't know. So I can't tell you how this ends, but I can tell you that it has:

1. an armored car robbery


2. William Talman, who should re-think a haircut that emphasizes his absurdly high forehead


3. Sidekick-type, Benny (troubled Douglas Fowley) in a great stork print tie, and


4. Adele Jergens, the B-Movie Virginia Mayo, as Benny's wife, a "burley-que" stripper who doesn't really take much off, not even her gloves.

But, what really sets this movie apart is the inclusion of Charles McGraw. Not really apart, because he's played cops before, but I like to believe it was Fleischer who took McGraw out of small cop parts and gangster roles and made him a big detective, starting with this movie.

Talk you rat or I'll put the screws on ... harder

McGraw was huge and built to be a great gangster with his gravel voice and chisel face, but Fleischer made him a detective in this and The Narrow Margin (1952) and it changed McGraw into the protector-type, the guy on the police force you'd want on your side because he looks like he could do some serious damage to the bad guys. In Armored Car Robbery he even hints at police brutality -- where's the ACLU when you need 'em? Probably out gettin' donuts.

zzzzzzz...

But, yeah, it made me sleepy.

Why get this from Netflix? Friends, because it comes with a second movie on the disc:


Crime in the Streets (1956)
Dir. Don Siegel (whoo!)
Starring: James Whitmore, Sal Mineo, Mark Rydell, John Cassavetes

The Hornets are gonna rumble to-niiiiiiite

Oh yeah. Hell yeah. I saw this on Turner Classic Movies a few weeks ago and it totally hypnotized me. And it wasn't even James Ellroy guest programmer night! (By the way if that happens again, set up your DVD/VCR, because he picks great B-picture teen classics.) Sure, it's a little stagey, a little G.E. Theatre-ish, but it's directed by Don Siegel, who is beloved in this household.

Sorry, that's Donald Siegel

If we had an icon, we'd light candles to his greatness. Without him would we have Dirty Harry (1971)? Or Hell is for Heroes (1962)? Or Two Mules for Sister Sara (1970)? I think not! God bless you, Don Siegel.

This is also notable for bringing to the screen this guy:

Yep, he's staring at a tooth someone just knocked out

John, of the perfect head of hair --- I said PERFECT --- plays the leader of a gang called the Hornets, and they prey on defenseless old men and other gangs, so the plot is kind of typical, but also a little edgier than typical. The scenes with his mom and little brother make you want to leave the room because you know, you KNOW, something's going to give and when it does you don't want to get hit in the head with a bottle.

"Back off, ma"

So, yeah, things get out of hand quickly, mostly because Frankie (that's John) is a bit of a psychotic.

I know, big surprise.

This movie also has future director Mark Rydell (On Golden Pond, The Rose, etc...) as a really odd character named Lou, who stands like a girl, holds his cigarette like a girl, and still has a thing for Sal Mineo's older sister. And, let's not forget, our real star, James Whitmore, who plays this Father Flanagan type who really knows how to rap with the kids and dig their lingo.

You can see how well it's going over.