As the only reviewer fan of B movies wrote, Illegal traffic is a pleasant comedy gangster quite talky, a few light action and car chases, this movie is saved by delicious Mary Carlisle and always charismatic Robert Preston as the tough guy, don't miss the final car chase, it's fast and efficient but too short.
5 Reviews
"Now-a I'm-a a bigga shotta".
mark.waltz20 June 2022
Warning: Spoilers
With a fake-a Italian-a accenta, J. Carroll Naish gets unintentional laughs by speaking in a cartoonish manner as the head of a racket which makes its scratch (old slang term for dough) getting criminals out of the country for a large fee. He's moved up the ladder of success, but he's still a thug in an expensive suit, and now the feds (led by future music man Robert Preston) are after him. Of course, Preston and other Federal G-men agents end up undercover, infiltrating the gang and even working along side Naish.
Preston is aided by pretty waitress Mary Carlisle, fellow agent Buster Crabbe and drunken pilot Regis Toomey, while Naish's team includes moll Judith Barrett and such cagey sounding characters as Jigger (Pierre Watkin), Cagey (Dennis Morgan) and Silk (Richard Denning). For the most part, these films are difficult to either praise or pan simply because they accomplish what they are trying to do, showing in an extended running time that "Crime does not pay" in an entertaining manner with lots of tough talk, shoot-outs and car chases.
These formula B films were a popular, quick way for the studios to make a buck to invest in the more prestigious big budget films that were riskier but artistic. So non-award-winning quality type films like this would basically finance the award winners. With workman like qualities under the direction of Louis King, this definitely required a lot of popcorn, but little brain cells, and in most cases, viewers would end up seeing another film exactly like this the following week. While watching this, titles of many of these types of films began flashing through my mind, the characters with different names, and the racket a bit different, but nearly identical in structure.
Preston is aided by pretty waitress Mary Carlisle, fellow agent Buster Crabbe and drunken pilot Regis Toomey, while Naish's team includes moll Judith Barrett and such cagey sounding characters as Jigger (Pierre Watkin), Cagey (Dennis Morgan) and Silk (Richard Denning). For the most part, these films are difficult to either praise or pan simply because they accomplish what they are trying to do, showing in an extended running time that "Crime does not pay" in an entertaining manner with lots of tough talk, shoot-outs and car chases.
These formula B films were a popular, quick way for the studios to make a buck to invest in the more prestigious big budget films that were riskier but artistic. So non-award-winning quality type films like this would basically finance the award winners. With workman like qualities under the direction of Louis King, this definitely required a lot of popcorn, but little brain cells, and in most cases, viewers would end up seeing another film exactly like this the following week. While watching this, titles of many of these types of films began flashing through my mind, the characters with different names, and the racket a bit different, but nearly identical in structure.
Moving Goods
boblipton13 March 2024
J. Carroll Naish is in the transportation business. His network of trucks, cars, and airplanes has a nice line of moving thieves and their stolen goods out of the loca area to avoid the short reach of law enforcement. The feds are onto his racket, but they need someone on the inside, and that someone is Robert Preston.
B director Louis King was not as high-profile as his brother Henry, but he knew how to make a fast-paced B movie, and this is one. Naish adopts a comic Italian accent, and effusive and ridiculous one that turns threatening when it comes time to turn the screws on old associates like Pierre Watkins, or George McKay, who bought into Naish's network to keep his trucking business operating. Mary Carlisle provides the feminine half of the inevitable romance, and other people who had been or would eventually become famous include buster Crabbe, Dennis Morgan, Monte Blue, and Regis Toomey.
B director Louis King was not as high-profile as his brother Henry, but he knew how to make a fast-paced B movie, and this is one. Naish adopts a comic Italian accent, and effusive and ridiculous one that turns threatening when it comes time to turn the screws on old associates like Pierre Watkins, or George McKay, who bought into Naish's network to keep his trucking business operating. Mary Carlisle provides the feminine half of the inevitable romance, and other people who had been or would eventually become famous include buster Crabbe, Dennis Morgan, Monte Blue, and Regis Toomey.
Fast paced Paramount vehicle
searchanddestroy-114 August 2016
I am very surprised not to have commented this little crime flick yet. But I am dead sure that I have done it for other Paramount crime programmers from this very era, starring the likes of the early Tony Quinn, Lloyd Nolan, J Caroll Naish, Buster Crabbe. The topic are nearly always the same, I agree, but they are all pretty good time wasters, fast paced in the pure Warner Bros style with Jimmy Cagney or Eddy Robinson. The main directors for those films were mainly Louis King and Bob Florey. No surprise here, folks, just the atmosphere if you like it, not more but that's far enough for me. Just enjoy.
There were others of those little flicks. I am sure they are available some where.
There were others of those little flicks. I am sure they are available some where.
Entertaining...but also kind of bad.
planktonrules8 October 2023
The bad guy in "Illegal Traffic" is played by J. Carrol Naish, an actor who often played villains and ethnic type characters. Here, he plays BOTH...a villain and a guy with a very stereotypical 'Italian' accent...one that sounds much more like Chico Marx than an honest to goodness Italian!
The setup for this story is interesting. Lewis Zomar (Naish) and his partner run a sort of transport company. They will get any crook over the border and out of US jurisdiction...for a hefty percentage of any crook's loot. But Zomar is smart and the federal authorities are having a hard time pinning anything on him. So, they arrange to have two undercover agents infiltrate his organization....though this plan goes seriously awry.
The idea for the story is very good for a B. However, the execution is poor at times. For example, when one Fed is flying a plane, it's obviously a model and makes insanely tight and impossible turns...to the point of being rather comical. Another, and much worse part of the story is when one of the Feds forgets to take his FBI identification card out of his wallet and he's discovered. Can ANY agent be that dumb??? There's also more, including a woman who works hard to help Zomar and then, inexplicably doesn't! It is all pretty inconsequential as a result. Not terrible but sloppy...even for a B.
The setup for this story is interesting. Lewis Zomar (Naish) and his partner run a sort of transport company. They will get any crook over the border and out of US jurisdiction...for a hefty percentage of any crook's loot. But Zomar is smart and the federal authorities are having a hard time pinning anything on him. So, they arrange to have two undercover agents infiltrate his organization....though this plan goes seriously awry.
The idea for the story is very good for a B. However, the execution is poor at times. For example, when one Fed is flying a plane, it's obviously a model and makes insanely tight and impossible turns...to the point of being rather comical. Another, and much worse part of the story is when one of the Feds forgets to take his FBI identification card out of his wallet and he's discovered. Can ANY agent be that dumb??? There's also more, including a woman who works hard to help Zomar and then, inexplicably doesn't! It is all pretty inconsequential as a result. Not terrible but sloppy...even for a B.
See also
Awards | FAQ | User Ratings | External Reviews | Metacritic Reviews
