Accountant and war hero Dennis O'Keefe is contacted by the authorities and offered a big chunk of cash to infiltrate mobster Paul Stewart's operation. Stewart's former accountant had come forward claiming to have evidence that would convict him, but he was murdered before he could turn it over. They want O'Keefe to find out what he knew.
This plan apparently does not include any way of introducing O'Keefe to Stewart, so he strolls into Stewart's nightclub claiming he witnessed the murder. Luckily Stewart hires him instead of killing him. With the help of Allison Hayes (the 50 foot woman herself), who turns out to be the daughter of the murdered man, and Stewart's nightclub singer girlfriend Abbe Lane (wife of Xavier Cugat, who also has a prominent role) he gets the evidence.
This film sets itself up as a realistic, shot-on-locations crime flick, but other than a lot of great street shots of Chicago, it's more of a cheap, tawdry B noir (and I mean that as a complement). It's a really rough and tumble flick with some pretty surprisingly grim scenes for the 50's, including Stewart's thugs delivering a pretty intense beating to Lane. It's an enjoyable if pretty slight outing.
Xavier Cugat plays a few songs with Lane singing and that is superb.
This plan apparently does not include any way of introducing O'Keefe to Stewart, so he strolls into Stewart's nightclub claiming he witnessed the murder. Luckily Stewart hires him instead of killing him. With the help of Allison Hayes (the 50 foot woman herself), who turns out to be the daughter of the murdered man, and Stewart's nightclub singer girlfriend Abbe Lane (wife of Xavier Cugat, who also has a prominent role) he gets the evidence.
This film sets itself up as a realistic, shot-on-locations crime flick, but other than a lot of great street shots of Chicago, it's more of a cheap, tawdry B noir (and I mean that as a complement). It's a really rough and tumble flick with some pretty surprisingly grim scenes for the 50's, including Stewart's thugs delivering a pretty intense beating to Lane. It's an enjoyable if pretty slight outing.
Xavier Cugat plays a few songs with Lane singing and that is superb.