The Big Steal (1949)

User Rating:

7.1/10   

Director:

Don Siegel

Writers:

Daniel Mainwaring (screenplay) &
Gerald Drayson Adams (screenplay) ...

Release Date:

26 December 1949 (Sweden)

Genre:

Drama | Film-Noir | Adventure | Thriller

Tagline:

Mitchum is HOT! - HOT...off location in the heart of Mexico...HOT...after a girl with a million-dollar figure!...HOT...at the nation's boxoffices...HOT...in his newest picture!

Plot:

An army lieutenant accused of robbery pursues the real thief on a frantic chase through Mexico aided by the thief's ex-girlfriend.

Plot Keywords:

Mexico | Chase | Lieutenant | Cult Favorite | Goat

Cast

Robert Mitchum	...	Lt. Duke Halliday
Jane Greer	...	Joan 'Chiquita' Graham
William Bendix	...	Capt. Vincent Blake
Patric Knowles	...	Jim Fiske
Ramon Novarro	...	Inspector General Ortega
Don Alvarado	...	Lt. Ruiz
John Qualen	...	Julius Seton
Pascual García Peña	...	Manuel (as Pascual Garcia Pena)

Runtime:

71 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English | Spanish

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (RCA Sound System)

Certification:

West Germany:12 (nf) | Finland:K-16 | UK:PG | USA:Approved | Sweden:15 | Australia:PG

Filming Locations:

Iverson Ranch, Chatsworth, Los Angeles, California, USA

Company:

RKO Radio Pictures

Quotes:

Lt. Duke Halliday: Where's Fiske?
Joan 'Chiquita' Graham: Taking the parrot for a walk.
Lt. Duke Halliday: You wouldn't be his wife, would you?
Joan 'Chiquita' Graham: No, I wouldn't!
Lt. Duke Halliday: Mmm-hmm!
Joan 'Chiquita' Graham: [taking offense] I don't like the 'Mmm-hmm.' I'm not his wife!
Lt. Duke Halliday: If you were, I wouldn't be saying 'Mmm-hmm!'

Movie Connections:

Featured in The Big Steal: Look Behind You (2007) (V)

Mitchum and Greer together again in a great fun film.

'The Big Steal' sees Robert Mitchum and Jane Greer team up again after their earlier Noir classic 'Out Of The Past', which is still one of the greatest Film Noirs ever made. 'The Big Steal' isn't as good, that's a fact, but it's a very different kind of movie, and comparing the two is a bit unfair. It's much lighter in tone and approach. Still Mitchum and Greer make a great team and it's a pity they didn't work together more. Director Don Siegel went on to make 'Invasion Of The Body Snatchers', 'The Killers' and 'Dirty Harry', all great favourites of mine, but 'The Big Steal' is just as good and is not to be overlooked. It's a great piece of entertainment and also features a very good performance by William Bendix, who I also really enjoyed in Hitchcock's underrated 'Lifeboat'. Forget about 'Out Of The Past' and just enjoy 'The Big Steal' for what it is, a thriller that is a great fun film.