Desperate (1947)

A young married couple flee both police and a gangster out for revenge.

Director:

Anthony Mann

Writers:

Harry Essex (screenplay), Martin Rackin (additional dialogue),

Stars:

Steve Brodie, Audrey Long, Raymond Burr

Cast

Complete credited cast:
Steve Brodie	...	Steve Randall
Audrey Long	...	Mrs. Anne Randall
Raymond Burr	...	Walt Radak
Douglas Fowley	...	Pete Lavitch, Private Eye
William Challee	...	Reynolds
Jason Robards Sr.	...	Det. Lt. Louie Ferrari (as Jason Robards)
Freddie Steele	...	Shorty Abbott
Lee Frederick	...	Joe Daly
Paul E. Burns	...	Uncle Jan
Ilka Grüning	...	Aunt Klara (as Ilka Gruning)

Storyline

When mobster Walt Radak tries to trick independent trucker Steve Randall into transporting stolen furs, Steve alerts the police, and Walt's young brother Al is caught and held for a cop-killing. When ruthless Radak tries to extort Steve's help in clearing Al, Steve and his young wife flee for their lives, only to find that the police are also in pursuit. With every man's hand against them, Steve and Anne must repeatedly abandon their temporary refuges. Finally, one midnight, the showdown...

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Plot Keywords:

police | midnight | gangster | mobster | revenge | 

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Taglines:

MURDER at any moment! SUSPENSE... in every step!!!

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Genres:

Crime | Film-Noir | Thriller

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Certificate:

Approved

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

9 May 1947 (USA)

Also Known As:

Desesperado

Filming Locations:

RKO Encino Ranch - Balboa Boulevard & Burbank Boulevard, Encino, Los Angeles, California, USA

Company Credits

Production Co:

RKO Radio Pictures

Technical Specs

Runtime:

73 min

Sound Mix:

Mono (RCA Sound System)

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Did You Know?

Goofs

Ferrari and another policeman are right behind Steve when he re-enters the apartment house, but they're nowhere to be seen until after the shootout is over.

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Quotes

Policeman with Lt. Ferrari: [Referring to Radak] Say, Lieutenant, he must have died right at the stroke of midnight. What date'll I use?
Det. Lt. Louie Ferrari: [Indifferently] Toss a coin.

User Reviews

Burr- Menace Personified

This film, and others like it from that era, has something which has long been missing from suspense/crime movies of today: a slow-to-build menace. Things develop almost leisurely, and then--Burr, that menace personified, pounces like a rabid dog hounding Steve Brodie. The pay-off is so much more effective when a director takes the time to build the foundation of suspense. The characters are well-developed, Detective Ferrari in particular. He starts out as an antagonist and ends up, reluctantly, on the side of truth and justice. Brodie's backstory hints at a checkered past. The ending, as Steve faces death at midnight, the clock ticking away, is played out in what seems to be real-time. It was truly a nail-biter. Satisfying and captivating all the way.