Quicksand (1950)

Director:

Irving Pichel

Writer:

Robert Smith (original screenplay)

Release Date:

24 March 1950 (USA)

Genre:

Crime | Drama | Film-Noir | Mystery

Tagline:

A guy who yields to temptation just once...... ....and finds it's once too often!

Plot:

After borrowing $20 from his employer's cash register, an auto mechanic is plunged into a series of increasingly disastrous circumstances which rapidly spiral out of his control.

Plot Keywords:

Auto Mechanic | Waitress | Garage | Embezzlement | Window Shopping

Cast

Mickey Rooney	...	Daniel 'Dan' Brady
Jeanne Cagney	...	Vera Novak
Barbara Bates	...	Helen Calder
Peter Lorre	...	Nick Dramoshag
Taylor Holmes	...	Harvey
Art Smith	...	Oren Mackey
Wally Cassell	...	Chuck Davis
Richard Lane	...	Det. Lt. Nelson
Patsy O'Connor	...	Millie
John Gallaudet	...	Moriarity
Minerva Urecal	...	Landlady aka Old Snoop
Sidney Marion	...	Shorty McCabe (as Sid Marion)
Jimmie Dodd	...	Buzz Larson (as Jimmy Dodd)
Lester Dorr	...	Baldy, Jewelry Clerk
Kitty O'Neil	...	Madame Zaronga

Runtime:

79 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Recording)

Certification:

USA:Unrated | Canada:PG (Ontario) | Finland:K-16 | Finland:S | UK:PG (re-rating) (2004) | UK:A (original rating) | USA:Approved

Filming Locations:

Santa Monica Pier, Santa Monica, California, USA

Company:

Samuel H. Stiefel Productions

Trivia:

This film has one of the first examples of product placement with a box of Bit-O-Honey candy bars by Jeanne Cagney's cash register.

Quotes:

Daniel 'Dan' Brady: I had the right girl all along and I didn't know it.

Movie Connections:

References The Lucky Stiff (1949)

Rooney Shows His Talent

Here's an unusual film noir because it stars an actor that you wouldn't think would be in a crime film: Mickey Rooney.

But, like a lot of comedians, singers and other non-dramatic actors, Rooney could surprise you with his dramatic talents. He wasn't all Andy Hardy fluff.

Rooney was a fine, fine actor and he does a good job here in this role as a man who makes one mistake after another. Those mistakes compound into a major crime and Rooney winds up in major trouble. In fact, it's pretty amazing to watch this unfold as one small crime leads to one thing after another making things worse and worse as it goes along.

Jeanne Cagney is good as the typically-floozy blonde who is prevalent in so many of these film noirs. Barbara Bates is the wholesome good girl, but she really makes some stupid decisions late in the film, too. In other words, the three main characters are not evil people but they have major flaws.

Overall, it's an odd film of sorts and one that starts slowly but gets better and better as the story progresses. Definitely worth a look to see Rooney play this kind of role.