Flaxy Martin (1949) User Reviews

A better than average standard crime melodrama...

[Doylenf · 6/10 · 30 November 2011]

Zachary Scott has most of the best lines and Virginia Mayo gets the complete glamor treatment in the title role of FLAXY MARTIN. Both of them score heavily in this tight little crime melodrama that suffers only when the plot's loopholes begin to show. Dorothy Malone gets third billing as the wholesome librarian who sticks her neck out to help a man she almost runs over on a dark and stormy night. Her motivations for taking him in and then discovering he's a man on the run from the law are never completely believable.

Nor is the way Scott tries to shield Mayo from the police by pretending that he's the man who murdered a woman the mob wanted to get rid of. He's a lawyer for the gangsters and sticks his own head into a noose by thinking that he can back himself into a corner and then get out.

But aside from these plot contrivances that don't ring true, the story about a lawyer being double-crossed by the gangsters he was protecting is tight and suspenseful. The supporting cast includes Douglas Kennedy, Elisha Cook, Jr., Tom D'Andrea and Douglas Fowley, all well-used and fitting into the noir-like atmosphere of the melodramatic turn of events.

The amusing tough guy talk from Zachary Scott gets the kind of delivery that shows he was a very capable actor who deserved more recognition with better roles in A-films. He's excellent here and Virginia Mayo is so convincing as a scheming tramp that it makes me think Bette Davis was right when she told Warner Brothers they should have offered the role of Rosa Moline in "Beyond the Forest" to Mayo. She's that good.

Zachary Scott, Virginia Mayo give their best in often overlooked film noir

[bmacv · 7/10 · 23 August 2003]

Zachary Scott isn't a name on the tips of too many tongues these days, but in the late ‘40s he was a very busy boy. However, in his best remembered movies, like Mildred Pierce and Flamingo Road, he had the misfortune to play second fiddle to the domineering Joan Crawford; many of his roles, too, were as weaklings, leaving the false impression that he was a weak actor (his visage – deeply waved hair, a Tomas E. Dewey mustache – was considered quite dashing in the post-war years but now looks seriously passé, which doesn't help his legacy either).

Flaxy Martin preserves one of his stronger starring performances, as a mob mouthpiece who finds himself in over his head. He's been balking at his shady job as a syndicate lawyer for a long time, but his girl (Virginia Mayo, who takes the title role) keeps urging him to stick with it until he assembles a nice nest egg. Unfortunately, she's really the moll of syndicate kingpin Douglas Kennedy, stringing Scott along to keep him quiescent. When a murder by one of Kennedy's goons threatens to implicate Mayo, Scott takes the rap, confident that he'll get himself off. He didn't count on being double-crossed. The plot traces his rude awakening and plans for payback.

The movie mixes a lot of tight, hard scenes with some soft and sappy ones; the redemptive sub-plot with, as Scott's new love interest, Dorothy Malone (wasted yet again as a good girl) proves flat and superfluous. Mayo, along with Scott, has one of her better parts; she might have been one of the noir cycle's more memorable femme fatales had her acting skills been on a par with her pouty blonde looks. And Elisha Cook, Jr. contributes another turn as a bantam rooster barely bigger than his gun.

Flaxy Martin, along the the previous year's Smart Girls Don't Talk (also starring Mayo), marks a rare break for director Richard Bare, who from the early ‘40s until the late ‘50s and his passage into series television directed little but dozens upon dozens of `humorous' shorts with titles beginning `So you think you're...' and `So you want to be...'. They're a part of Hollywood better left undisturbed. The overlooked Flaxy Martin, on the other hand, ought to be a bit better known

Trouble in the beautiful shape of Virginia Mayo

[blanche-2 · 7/10 · 10 September 2009]

Virginia Mayo is a man trap in "Flaxy Martin," a 1949 noir starring Zachary Scott, Dorothy Malone, Helen Westcott, and Tom D'Andrea. Scott plays a mob lawyer Walter Colby, who's sick of the cases handed him by mobster Hap Ritchie (Douglas Kennedy). He's in love with Flaxy (Mayo), who is two-timing him with Hap, though Walter doesn't know that. Flaxy talks him into staying until they have enough money to take off. When Walter finds out a witness (Westcott) was paid off to give an alibi to one of Hap's henchmen in a murder case, he threatens to go to the D.A. about it. Before he knows it, with Flaxy's help, he's been framed for the witness' murder. He escapes from custody and, going on the run, meets Nora (Malone).

Compelling film with excellent performances by Mayo, Westcott, Malone, and Elijah Cook, Jr., as one of Hap's ruthless thugs. Mayo is as cold as they come, sexy and convincing as she manipulates her men. It's always fun to see Tom D'Andrea, whom baby boomers remember as Gillis in "The Life of Riley" as well. He has a small role, but he's very good. Zachary Scott is Zachary Scott - he has a strong film persona, a good speaking voice, and does tough well. He's not that slimeball Monty from "Mildred Pierce," though, just someone who works for a low-life.

Well worth seeing.

Fascinating characters and performances undone by a really dumb plot device.

[planktonrules · 6/10 · 20 January 2010]

Zachary Scott is excellently cast as a mob lawyer who is sick of defending low-life scum. Despite the people who pay his salary, Scott is a decent person--and is unwilling to lie or cheat to gain acquittals. The problem is, his clients ARE very wiling to lie and cheat. When Scott realizes this, he unwisely announces he is resigning from the employ of a mob boss AND turning states evidence--not a good idea! Scott's lady friend is Flaxy (played by Virginia Mayo). While he thinks she cares about him, her first loyalty is to herself and her second loyalty is to money. Eventually, she is pulled into a plot to destroy Scott since Flaxy's boss needs Scott out of the way.

So far, the plot and characters are wonderful--very noir-like and very juicy--especially Mayo. However, the film's writing really lets the viewer down with what happens next. Flaxy is involved in a murder and when she goes crying to Scott, he tells her that HE will tell the police he did it and it was self-defense. He is sure that he'll get off with no jail time at all. But, when the case comes to court, the mob provides a witness that buries Scott--getting his a 20 year sentence. While this IS intriguing, it makes you stop and say "why did Scott's character plead guilty to a crime he didn't commit--especially when it was obvious to anyone with half a brain that Flaxy was involved up to her neck?!". This is a very, very reasonable comment--something that the film never really addresses. No lawyer, particularly a sharp one like Scott played, would ever confess to a crime he didn't do--especially when there's little apparent motivation for destroying his life and career. After all, even if he DID get off without prison time, it's doubtful he could have continued practicing law. A bit later, when a woman helps Scott after he breaks out on his way to prison, this, too, seems to make little sense--her motivation also made no sense. None of this makes any sense and it made me angry that I'd become so involved with a film that makes such glaring mistakes and clichés.

So, apart from these hair-brained plot elements, is the rest of the film worth seeing? Well, given Scott's and Mayo's acting, it is. They both were in great form. In particular, Mayo was so conniving and evil that I loved watching her in action--she was the perfect film noir 'dame'! In addition to their good work, I also loved Elisha Cook in a supporting role as a young thug--he was excellent and fun to watch in action--mostly because he really had the noir-style dialog down pat! I loved when he said "...what do you think I have--scrambled eggs for brains?!". What a great line! In addition to the acting, the second half of the movie is better written--more taut and without the hole-riddled plot. There are lots of great twists, betrayals and violent action. If only they'd worked out the plot leading up to this, it would have been a terrific film.

By the way, although Virginia Mayo was very good in the film, I don't know why they named the movie after her character--she was NOT the main focus of the film and Scott's character occupied the vast majority of the screen time, though I guess she was a lot better looking than Scott!

Flaxy, a Vicious Femme Fatale

[mackjay2 · 6/10 · 18 August 2020]

If you can get past the overly contrived plot, this is an enjoyable minor Film Noir. While it's far from the best example of Noir, FLAXY MARTIN can boast one of the most evil femme fatales you'll ever find. In the title role, Virginia Mayo digs her teeth into a selfish, scheming, two-timing dame that rivals just about any of the better-known ones. Flaxy is a nightclub singer (we never see her perform, not even dubbed) kept by syndicate boss Hap Richie (Douglas Kennedy). Unknown to Hap, she's also keeping company with syndicate lawyer Walt Colby (Zachary Scott) who is unaware of her liaison with Hap. Things get interesting when Hap forces Walt to get one of his thugs, Cesar, out of jail after a killing he's committed. He complies, but Walt is tired of his criminal associations and wants to settle down with Flaxy, who pretends to go along with him for a while. Then a paid 'witness" Peggy Farrar (Helen Westcott) is found murdered and it looks like Flaxy is the guilty party. Strongly smitten Walt offers to plead guilty in place of Flaxy, certain he can be acquitted, but Flaxy and Hap take advantage and Walt is on his way to prison. He manages to escape (in a wild sequence) and ends up meeting Nora Carson (Dorothy Malone) a trusting soul who's immediately taken with him. Though he gives her a rough time from the start, Nora helps Walt evade police and relentless pursuit of Roper (Elisha Cook, Jr.) . More help comes from Sam Malko (Tom D'Andrea) an old associate who owes Walt a favor. The plot is full of coincidence and easy solutions, but there is plenty of action, not least of which is a night-time chase that ends with Walt and Roper battling on a rooftop. Everyone in the cast is good, with Mayo, Scott, Westcott (excellent in her brief role) standing out. The ever-dependable Cook is really terrific as small-time hood treated like an idiot by both Hap and Walt ("Go back to sixth grade!") and who wants his revenge. See it for the cast and the crazy plot.

Lawyer Thinking With His Male Member

[bkoganbing · 6/10 · 30 November 2011]

A really good cast puts over a noir feature from Warner Brothers that's undone by an incredibly, unbelievable plot component. As another Warner Brothers star used to say, "what a maroon".

Zachary Scott plays a criminal attorney who gets off mob hit man Elisha Cook, Jr. on some perjured testimony by Helen Westcott. When Scott finds out about the perjury he fears bar association sanctions and determines to break with mob boss Douglas Kennedy. But Kennedy has other plans that involve Scott's girl friend Virginia Mayo who is in the title role of Flaxy Martin.

Mayo's trading up and she goes to Scott with a tearful story about how she's suspected in the murder of Westcott. So what does this brilliant lawyer do who is now thinking with his male member? He offers to confess and says he's so good at his job that he can win acquittal at trial. But not against some perjured eye witness testimony that Kennedy gets to help the prosecution along.

Of course Scott escapes and starts looking for more than vindication. In that he's aided by friend Tom D'Andrea and farm girl Dorothy Malone who feels sorry for him.

After that horrible premise, the film does pick up and ends rather well. If you've seen Virginia Mayo in White Heat you know how it ended for her there. Ends even worse for her here, but similarly. In fact I'm sure Mayo was cast in Flaxy Martin on the strength of White Heat.

As for Zachary Scott the part he has is one I think might have been written with Humphrey Bogart in mind, but Bogey left Warner Brothers the year before.

Though it's rather unbelievable Flaxy Martin is good display of the talents of both Virginia Mayo and Zachary Scott.

Another episode of Bad Decision Theatre...

[AlsExGal · 7/10 · 20 December 2021]

... as almost everybody in this noir makes terrible choices that make no sense. It seems to be the grand champion of bad decisions in noir, just like The Big Sleep is the undisputed champion of indecipherable plots.

The plot is involved but inane but I'll try to explain. Lawyer Walter Colby (Zachary Scott) represents mobster Hap Richie (Douglas Kennedy) and is in love with the titular Flaxy Martin (Virginia Mayo). But Flaxy is just using Colby so she can get information for Hap. Flaxy's only true love will always be money. Colby gets tired of the illegal dealings of Hap - just what was he expecting? - and tells Hap he is quitting AND going to the police about some perjury that ocurred.. Bad decision number one. The mob doesn't like people who quit or inform. When Flaxy is implicated in a murder -because she was involved AND allowed herself to be seen - she goes to Colby. Colby foolishly decides to confess to the killing himself but claim it was self defense. The mob can't believe the beauty of its situation and pays off another witness to say he saw Colby kill the girl and that it was not self defense.

On the way to prison, Colby knocks the cop accompanying him unconscious and hopes he actually has the key to the handcuffs on him - he does - and then escapes. A mousy woman sees Colby unconscious on the side of the road (Dorothy Malone as Nora Carlson) and, knowing he is an escaped prisoner convicted of murder, just thinks he has such a darned honest face that she takes him home and shields him anyways. Can you count all of the bad decisions here? From that point I'd say watch and find out if you want to know how it ends. But just let me say that the ending depends on being able to lock somebody INSIDE of their own apartment from the outside. I can't believe that the fire marshal would be OK with this.

I don't know why this film was named after character Flaxy Martin since she actually is not on the screen that much of the time. It's rather ironic that it is Dorothy Malone who is the real lead actress, still with her brown hair and playing the nice girl. Because Malone will later transition to blonde and play the kind of characters in the 50s that Mayo played in the 40s. Actually, Elisha Cook Jr. Is probably on camera just as much if not more than Mayo, and that is fine because he is a joy to watch, playing a very determined homicidal maniac who seems to love his work.

In spite of the goofy plot, this really is fun to watch with lots of good noir atmosphere, themes, and action.

Not Subtle But Gripping

[Handlinghandel · 8/10 · 19 December 2004]

The real stars of this are Dorothy Malone as a good girl, Tom D'Andrea as a shady decent guy, Helen Wetcott as a very bad girl . Of course Elisha Cook Jr is always a plus in any sort of dark story, as he is here. And in the title role, Virginia Mayo. She was far from the greatest actress in Hollywood history or the greatest beauty. Here, though, she gives a chilling performance as a voracious, two-timing bitch.

The little smile that comes over her face when others are arrested or convicted is truly chilling. Is the character nuanced? No. Is the plot a deep psychological study? No. But it's a highly effective noir. We dislike Flaxy intensely and can't wait for her to get what's coming to her, as we know she will (this being a major-studio production.) Malone is very convincing as the country girl who seems to to be a backwoods type living improbably close to Manhattan. She's touching, though. Wetcott is a very plausible tramp. Everyone is good, even Zachary Scott, though he seems not to be trying very hard and to be phoning in his performance at times.

This one will chill you and you'll want to watch it again.

Slumdog Film Noir

[DKosty123 · 6/10 · 30 November 2015]

This Warner Brothers double feature under card has some good points. A poor script totally undermines some good acting and decent directing. Virginia Mayo and Dorothy Malone are fine in the lead female roles. Zachery Scott is okay in the male lead.

The plot is often lost and more than a little confusing at points. The cops look stupid throughout the movie. It is one of these where the lead (Scott) is innocent and too nice a guy to be guilty. Mayo is given a moll role and Malone a romance role to balance the moll.

I note the Director here, Richard L Bare, because he became a really good sit-com director later when he did Green Acres on CBS. There are scenes here where he sets up a great film noir atmosphere, but they are too few and far between to save this one.

Fans of the cast members get many treats here. As a whole, the film is not a classic.

Weird chase film

[mls4182 · 5/10 · 17 December 2021]

This film starts with overconfident Scott foolishly taking the fall for Virginia Mayo. He ends up in prison and subsequently escapes. He ends up on the run and virtual stranger Dorothy Malone decides to upend her life and follow him.

Strange plot, strange character motivations make this unbelievable, yet it is still entertaining as a B noir.

later moidah noir.

[ksf-2 · 7/10 · 6 July 2023]

Virginia mayo, zach scott, dorothy malone. At the open, there's a dead body on the floor, and now we're in flashback to see how we got to this point. Doug kennedy is hap richie, leader of the hoods. Colby and roper (zach scott and elisha cook) are his crew. When colby threatens to go to the cops with what he knows, flaxy and hap try to stop him from talking. After tricking him into confessing to another murder. Some twists and turns in this one, so pay attention. This one goes all around the mulberry bush, as grandma used to say. It's a pretty good noir. Gangs, killers, lying witnesses, escapes. Bus rides. Even a train ride. Some similarities to the big sleep, which had come out a few years before. And they both had malone, the innocent bystander, helping someone in need. Good stuff. Directed by richard bare. He was married six times! Story by david lang. Kennedy died pretty young at 57. Scott died even younger at 51.

Walter is dumb

[SnoopyStyle · 3/10 · 15 December 2021]

Mobster Hap Richie needs a pliable defense lawyer for his thug facing a murder charge. He recruits manipulative showgirl Flaxy Martin (Virginia Mayo) to find him a sucker. Walter Colby (Zachary Scott) is a sincere lawyer desperate to marry Flaxy. She gets him to take the crooked case. He wins it without knowing that Hap had bought in lying witness Peggy Farrar. When Peggy goes to Walter demanding $10k more, he informs Hap who rubs her out. All the while, Flaxy is closely involved in every crime but Walter is still trying to help her. He comes up with a crazy idea to keep her out of prison.

This is a crazy idea. Blackmail does not excuse killing as self-defense. Walter's scheme is ridiculous. He admits to killing her which is a half step from a murder conviction. He has to prove self-defense which is very difficult at the best of situations. He's either the stupidest man or the dumbest guy. He has to foresee that a gangster like Hap would get somebody to lie on the stand again. After all, Hap already did it before. Walter is an utter idiot.

Glam Virginia Mayo Is One Bad Babe

[drednm · 2 December 2005]

Odd little noir film with Virginia Mayo as the title character, a total conniving bitch! This must surely be Mayo's most unsympathetic character and shows that she was a better actress than we remember. She played so many "glamour" parts that we forget she could act.

Here she plays a moll working both sides of the fence. She's with a local racketeer (Douglas Kennedy) but also plays his lawyer (Zachary Scott) for a chump. Lots of murders here and there and plot twists aplenty.

Dorothy Malone plays the nice country girl, Tom D'Andrea is Sam the mechanic, Helen Westcott is the hapless Peggy, Elisha Cook plays the gunsel again, Marjorie Bennett is the nosy neighbor, Douglas Fowley is the detective, and Bill McLean is the hotel desk clerk.

Scott actually gets the most screen time because Mayo disappears while he has his country adventure and meets Malone. But everyone is good and works well together. While Malone is stuck in frilly frocks and aprons, Mayo does the glam bit and looks just great.

Aside from solid work from the trio of stars--Mayo, Scott, and Malone--D'Andrea and Westcott are very very good as well. For those of us who remember D'Andrea as the neighbor on The Life of Riley it's always pleasant to see what a good supporting actor he was. I'm not that familiar with Westcott but she is solid here as Peggy. And I always enjoy seeing Marjorie Bennett!!

Mayo disappears for 45 minutes!

[JohnHowardReid · 6/10 · 29 March 2018]

Director: RICHARD L. BARE. Original screenplay: David Lang. Photography: Carl Guthrie. Dialogue director: John Maxwell. Art director: Ted Smith. Music: William Lava. Film editor: Frank Magee. Producer: Saul Elkins.

Copyright 12 February 1949 by Warner Bros. Pictures, Inc. No New York opening. U.S. release: 12 February 1949. U.K. release: 3 May 1949. Australian release: 13 April 1950. 7,790 feet. 86 minutes.

SYNOPSIS: A crime melodrama, involving blackmail, theft and murder.

COMMENT: Director Richard Bare certainly opens this film at a fast pace. But the construction of this film is rather similar to that of "Impact", with Miss Malone looking very demure as the sub-heroine and Miss Mayo disappearing from the film altogether for a 45-minute stretch.

However, David Lang's script has a fair share of suspense and Elisha Cook gives yet another of his sterling characterizations.

Flaxy Martin

[CinemaSerf · 7/10 · 12 December 2023]

It's not often you see Virginia Mayo play an unsavoury character but she does it quite well here as the eponymous and rather duplicitous character. She's the girlfriend of "Colby" (Zachary Scott). He is a lawyer. Deep down a decent one, but for most of the time he's in the pocket of the crooked "Hap" (Douglas Kennedy). When one of his gang is killed, "Flaky" looks like she's going to have to take the rap - but her paramour thinks he has the legal wits to argue himself out of the chair, so takes the blame himself. It's only when he is being tried that his erstwhile "friends" move the goalposts and he is set for twenty years. Not happy, he escapes his police guard on the train only to nearly be run down by "Nora" (Dorothy Malone) who nurses him back to health and who buys into his story of being framed and seeking lawful retribution. Now he has to get back to the city and, armed with a little more information, set things straight. Mayo is around at the start and the end, with the slightly soporific Malone filling the sandwich for the rest of the film, Elisha Cook Jr. Is quite effective as the marauding henchman "Roper" and Scott, some dark photography and a decently paced drama work well to keep this interesting until a suitably fitting - if a little convenient - denouement.

Atmospheric and prophetic role for Dorothy Malone.

[luvly_ducks · 7/10 · 29 August 2018]

Entertaining little film noir gem handled with skill and style. The cast make the film quite bearable along with the direction, soundtrack and lighting. What I thought so very striking was that Dorothy Malone's character had some pretty amazing ties to her role as Constance MacKenzie in the TV series, "Peyton Place" nearly two decades later. In the series, she had a bookshop. In the film, she works in a library. In the TV series, she marries ex-con Elliot Carson and in the movie her last name is Carson. Finally, in the TV series she waits for her lover to get out of prison as she does here in the movie with her soon to be lover, Zachary Scott.

I liked it .... I liked it a lot! A must watch for Film Noir fans.

[Ed-Shullivan · 7/10 · 25 July 2023]

A very sultry and believable vixen in Virginia Mayo plays the title role of Flaxy Martin who steals the heart of the goo goo eyed savvy criminal lawyer Walt Colby played by Zachary Scott who unwittingly frames himself to take the heat off of the two timing Flaxy Martin, with the end result landing his smart a$$ in prison for a crime (a murder) he never committed.

In my view as much as Virginia Mayo is easy on the eyes as Flaxy Martin and she plays her part incredibly well, I thought the real scene stealer was the innocent librarian Nora Carson played by Dorothy Malone who finds the escaped convict lawyer Walt Colby in the middle of the road, and like a bird with a broken wing she takes the injured Walt Colby in to revive and nourish him.

The plot moves along nicely and the acting is top notch. I have watched this 1949 crime/ film noir twice and I am sure to watch it a third time possibly when there is a colorized 4K version released in the next few years.

I give this excellent film a deserving 7 out of 10 IMDb rating. A must watch for Film Noir fans.

Convoluted Contrived Complicated...Zach Scott is Slimy Good-Bad...Mayo & Cook Sizzle

[LeonLouisRicci · 7/10 · 10 October 2023]

Strange Film-Noir at the Peak of Popularity...1949...Before the 1950's Exorcised the Soul of Cinema's Post-War Dark-Turn.

Despite its Many Story Flaws, this Oddly Titled Noir is Riddled with Compelling Flourishes.

Virginia Mayo is a Dirty-Dame Femme Fatale that Oozes "Bad-Girl". Always Playing, Manipulating, and Using Her Smoldering Appeal to Make Sure She Gets What She Wants.

Elisha Cook Jr. Has a Bigger Role than Usual, as a "Gunsel" who Talks, Bullies, and Pushes People Around that Require More than His 5'5" Stature and a 6th Grade Education would Allow.

Zachary Scott is the "Fall-Guy" Lawyer (Shamus) who Collapses at the Whims of Mayo, makes Awful Decisions to Protect Her and is Sent "Up the River" for His Efforts.

But is Rescued by "Good-Girl" Dorthy Malone, a Librarian, who Comes to the Aid of a Lost and Wounded Scott. Her Role is Minimal and Not Up to Her Glamorous Potential.

Ignore the Ridiculous Plot Development and "B" Production Short-Comings.

Come for the Game Cast of "Pulp" Characters Delivered by Above Average Actors and a Fast-Paced Picture that Engages.

It will Have Your Head in a Spin.

Dumb and dumber

[michaelprescott-00547 · 4/10 · 21 December 2021]

Others have pointed out the inane decisions made by Zachary Scott throughout this movie, as well as the questionable choices made by Dorothy Malone. I'd like to provide equal time for Elisha Cook Jr.'s character, who is no less deficient in the brains department.

Cook plays a professional hit man, but I'm not sure how "professional" he really is. While kidnapping his two intended victims, he leaves a police officer locked in a closet, apparently not realizing that the cop can easily identify him. He plans to bury their bodies in the hope that police will think the pair simply evaded the law and disappeared, but why would anyone believe this when they were last seen being led away at gunpoint by a mob killer?

Later, he tracks down his quarry, Zachary Scott, to an apartment building; rather than simply ambushing him, Cook thoughtfully phones the apartment to tell Scott he's waiting outside. Naturally this pointless move puts Scott on the alert and allows him to outmaneuver the bumbling assassin, who proves no more adept with a gun (it's out of bullets) or a knife (he drops it).

Maybe they should have hired Lou Costello to play Cook's role. Come to think of it, this lamebrain noir would probably have worked better as a comedy all around.

B-grade Warners programmer for the double features market...

[moonspinner55 · 5/10 · 30 November 2009]

Tough-talking crime drama convoluted with bad guys. Zachary Scott plays a rather naïve New York lawyer covering tracks for his girlfriend, a double-crosser in-cahoots with mobsters who's also involved in the killing of a paid witness in a criminal trial; he's framed for the murder and takes it on the lam, meeting a lovestruck librarian along the way. Virginia Mayo's devious Flaxy Martin takes a backseat to all the low-life male characters in the picture (who amusingly refer to each other as "Baby" and "Sweetheart"), and even runs a distant second to Dorothy Malone as the nice girl who believes in happy endings. Malone helps ground the heady proceedings in a form of movie-reality, even though the Warner Bros. back lot looks terribly phony and the hotheads who dot the supporting cast overact shamelessly. ** from ****

B-list Script Sinks Noir With A-list Cast

[Turfseer · 4/10 · 30 June 2023]

While "Flaxy Martin" may not reach the heights of its A-list cast, the film manages to entertain with its B-list noir appeal, albeit with some notable shortcomings.

One of the film's main drawbacks lies in the weak characterization of Walter Colby (Zachary Scott), the mob lawyer protagonist who unrealistically decides to sever ties with the notorious crime boss, Hap Richie (Douglas Kennedy). It becomes hard to believe that Walter, fully aware of the danger posed by Hap, would openly challenge him and threaten to expose his criminal activities without fearing severe retribution.

Additionally, the film struggles to explain why Walter fails to see through the shallow and materialistic Flaxy (Virginia Mayo). Her true motivations, centered on financial gain, are glaringly obvious to the audience, raising questions about Walter's infatuation with her.

As the story progresses, Walter's makes a decision to remain in the organization after Flaxy dissuades him. She is having an affair with Hap, who pressures Walter into defending Caesar (Jack Overman), Hap's enforcer, when he faces murder charges.

Caesar is eventually acquitted through the organization's manipulation of Peggy Farrar (Helen Westcott), who commits perjury to secure his freedom. However, Peggy's ill-conceived attempt to blackmail Hap leads to her demise at the hands of Caesar, aided by Flaxy.

In an unexpected turn, Walter takes the fall for Flaxy, even though witnesses have placed her at the crime scene. During the trial, Walter fails to anticipate that Hap would coerce a witness (a cabdriver) into incriminating him. Given that Walter was aware of Hap's previous tampering with witnesses, his failure to recognize this possibility seems implausible.

Furthermore, Walter's overall plan remains unclear. By confessing to Peggy's murder, even without the cabdriver's perjured testimony, he seemingly believes that a lack of evidence would lead the jury to overlook his confession. This aspect raises questions about the character's judgment and logical consistency.

Following Walter's improbable escape on a train, he encounters the compassionate Nora Carson (Dorothy Malone), who selflessly helps him recover. Nora, unlike the morally dubious Flaxy, presents a stark contrast as a virtuous character.

However, the sudden appearance of Hap's underling Roper (Elisha Cook Jr.), who manages to track down Walter, feels contrived and lacks proper explanation. The newly minted couple's escape following Roper's attempt to bury them alive in a remote location further stretches the boundaries of plausibility.

While Nora advocates for Walter to turn himself in, his decision to seek out Caesar as a potential source of exoneration raises further doubts. The film fails to establish a clear motive for Walter's belief in Caesar's ability to help him. Presumably, it's Walter's intention to forcibly extract a confession from Caesar, but how does he intend to carry this out?

Subsequently, Walter discovers Caesar's murder, evidently at the hands of Roper, leading to a climactic rooftop confrontation. The expected showdown between Roper and Walter concludes predictably, with the latter emerging victorious.

Flaxy Martin's final act sees Flaxy reemerge after her absence, confronting both Hap and Walter. In a poorly lit room, Flaxy ends up killing Hap, firing her gun erratically.

Regrettably, the denouement fails to provide a satisfying conclusion. Walter, who had previously upheld moral integrity, abruptly decides to run off with $40,000 stolen from Hap. However, Nora convinces him to reconsider and ultimately turn himself in. The film leaves the audience wondering about Walter's fate, as he still faces the prospect of imprisonment for murder.

Despite the film's shortcomings, Zachary Scott delivers a commendable enough performance despite being hindered by a role that paints him as naïve and gullible. Virginia Mayo's unsympathetic portrayal of Flaxy coupled with her comeuppance feels predestined, leaving little room for surprise or depth.

Dorothy Malone, on the other hand, shines as Nora, portraying her as a genuinely good-hearted character who elicits the audience's empathy. While Nora emerges as the most likable character among the principal cast, some may argue that her depiction borders on being excessively virtuous.

In the end, "Flaxy Martin" struggles to transcend its B-list script, even with the inclusion of A-list actors. While the film offers moments of intrigue within the noir genre, it falls short in terms of character development and plot execution, preventing it from achieving its full potential.

Doesn't Gel

[dougdoepke · 13 September 2009]

Catch that great scene where Flaxy (Mayo) beats up a blackmailing Peggy, (Westcott) with the timid hotel clerk hovering outside the door. Big-eyed Westcott really delivers in spades. Too bad the rest of the movie fails to reach that intense level. Looks to me like Warner Bros. used the film as an A-team try-out for cast principals and director. Now, Scott, for one, comes through perfectly as the lawyer with a wobbly compass— I'm just sorry this fine, exotic actor never got the recognition his talent deserved. The material, however, with its nifty double- cross, really merited an A-team director, like Walsh or Curtiz. Instead, the studio gave featurette director Richard Bare a shot, and the result shows he had little feel for the dark material.

Unfortunately, the movie is inferior grade noir, lacking in both style and edge. Take the early scene where Walt (Scott) and Hap (Kennedy) iron out wrinkles in the plot to free Caesar (Overman) from a murder rap. They're standing stock still in Hap's living room, talking, and that's the trouble: they stand stock still for about two minutes doing little more than delivering their lines. Thus, a potentially dramatic scene of rivalry calling for an expressive dynamic falls flat, drained of needed energy and tension.

But Bare seems most at sea in directing the lead actresses. Mayo looks lost in her key scenes with Scott— the second side of Flaxy's devious personality, the calculating side, fails to appear, and thus we're left with a very pretty girl speaking the lines, but without the necessary depth. Catch Malone too in the graveside scene. She's an unsophisticated librarian staring into the open pit of her own doom, but judging from the absence of needed emotion, she might as well be reading a book. Now, Malone later proved a fine actress of many dimensions, (e.g. Written on the Wind {1955}). Here, however, she's stuck in a thankless good girl role, so likely director Bare is at fault for not giving her the necessary cues. I suspect the movie would have improved had actresses Malone and Mayo switched roles.

Then too, Walt's sudden turn-around with 40 grand in his pocket is awkwardly handled. Even an A-grade filmmaker would have trouble making this bit of Production Code hokum believable, but in Bare's hands it comes across as little more than a clumsily developed happy ending. Thus, it's not surprising that the studio returned the director to making the humorous shorts he was so good at following this failed experiment. I also better understand why editors Silver and Ward omitted this entry from their highly successful tome Film Noir. Unfortunately, the movie may have all the trappings of the genre, but like bread dough in the hands of a neophyte baker, the loaf simply fails to gel.

They forgot to tell Zachary Scott this was a film, not a radio play

[ArtVandelayImporterExporter · 4/10 · 3 January 2022]

Zachary Scott yells his dialogue like he's in one of those old radio plays, Plus, right from the beginning we realize he's a first-class sap. Therefore it is difficult to sympathize with his petulant dimbulb lawyer character. Nobody could possibly buy into a plot that hinges on Scott, um, framing himself for murder while expecting to talk his way out of the electric chair. Plus, any time your Plan B is to escape by throwing yourself down a mountainside from a moving train, you're not smart enough to even be a TV lawyer.

Also, Scott's voice timbre grates me. I'm a little surprised a guy with a voice like that had a movie career.

On the other hand, Virginia Mayo as the icy two-timer really nails it. She comes across as very natural. If she was selling all those lies in my own apartment I'd probably buy it and throw in a generous tip.

Doug Kennedy as the mob boss also underplays it nicely. He's a long way from the, ''you're gonna get it, see" mob bosses popularized by Cagney and EdwardG.

And then there is Dororthy Malone as a wholesome brunette librarian. She became a lot more interesting as a blonde and lived until 2018. But here, just before she took a break from acting, she just gets treated like dirt by a pouting Scott. That makes TWO beautiful dames he didn't know how to deal with. Hmmm.....

Frankly, every time Scott was talking I was hoping he'd get shot by a character off-screen and the movie would pivot to Mayo's character. I mean, they were surely writing the script as they shot it, right? So just write Scott out and make the movie about Mayo and all her double-crossing.

Lead actor with ZERO social skills

[AAdaSC · 5/10 · 27 May 2013]

Lawyer Zachary Scott (Walter Colby) is fed up of defending gangster boss Douglas Kennedy (Hap). He agrees to one last case before he intends to collect payment and start a new life with girlfriend Virginia Mayo (Flaxy Martin). Uh-oh. Not a good idea. Mayo is also Gangster boss Kennedy's girl. She's two-timing him and she will go with whoever is the more successful. It's not Scott.

The story has a ridiculous premise in that lawyer Scott puts himself up as a murderer in a crime he did not commit so that he can get himself off with his lawyer self-cleverness and then be with Mayo forever. However, Virginia Mayonaise has no loyalty to him whatsoever. The film follows Scott as he realizes what has been going on and we discover whether or not he can receive the justice he deserves.

Or doesn't! What a knobhead he is. The film is made interesting by the female roles - Mayonaise, and Dorothy Malone (Nora) as the librarian love interest for Scott once he escapes from custody and sets out to prove his innocence. These 2 women show strength of character to be applauded with Mayo getting the juicy nasty role to play - and she plays it well. The men don't fare so well. I'm afraid Zachary Scott is completely unlikeable as demonstrated by his reactions to both Mayo (I just don't believe his stupidity) or Dorothy Malone (he's just an obnoxious you-know-what to her). The film also contains that ultimate pipsqueek hard-man Elisha Cook Jr (Roper). He is as annoying and unconvincing as always. He really must have been well connected to get the amount of work that he did!

I liked the way that enemies Douglas and Scott had to work together at the end to try and get the better of bad girl Mayo when all 3 were in the same room at the film's end. A high point in an otherwise disappointing effort. Started well, but no real significance anywhere with a lead who isn't easy to relate to. The film is called Flaxy Martin - maybe we should have concentrated more on her and less on the very poor Zachary Scott.