Quicksand (1950)

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.

Director:

Irving Pichel

Writer:

Robert Smith (original screenplay)

Stars:

Mickey Rooney, Jeanne Cagney, Barbara Bates

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Mickey Rooney	...	Dan
Jeanne Cagney	...	Vera
Barbara Bates	...	Helen
Peter Lorre	...	Nick
Taylor Holmes	...	Harvey
Art Smith	...	Mackey
Wally Cassell	...	Chuck
Richard Lane	...	Lt. Nelson
Patsy O'Connor	...	Millie
John Gallaudet	...	Moriarity
Minerva Urecal	...	Landlady
Sidney Marion	...	Shorty
Jimmie Dodd	...	Buzz (as Jimmy Dodd)
Lester Dorr	...	Baldy
Kitty O'Neil	...	Madame Zaronga

Storyline

Motor mechanic Dan Brady lacks funds for a heavy date with new waitress Vera, the type whose life's ambition is a fur coat; so he embezzles twenty dollars from his employer. To make up the shortage, he goes in debt for a hundred. Thereafter, every means he tries to get out of trouble only gets him deeper into crime, while everyone he meets is out for what they can get.

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Plot Keywords:

auto mechanic | waitress | embezzlement | garage | stolen car | 

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Taglines:

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

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Genres:

Crime | Drama | Film-Noir | Mystery

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Certificate:

Approved

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

24 March 1950 (USA)

Also Known As:

Sables mouvants

Filming Locations:

Santa Monica Pier, Santa Monica, California, USA

Company Credits

Production Co:

Samuel H. Stiefel Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

79 min

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Recording)

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Also, at about 24 minutes, in the bar scene, there are cases of Pepsi in the background. The ditty Shorty sings on the way to his car is the Pepsi jingle of the era with different lyrics.

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Quotes

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

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Connections

References The Lucky Stiff (1949)

User Reviews

Never trust a blond dame or a guy named Buzz

Hi, Everyone, Drama hogs... that's an anagram for Peter Lorre's character name in this excellent old movie. Peter plays the part of Nick Dramoshag.

Lots of drama from all the cast. Best bad guys here are the car dealer, Oren Mackey, played by Art Smith, and the landlady, played by Minerva Urecal. They are so rotten, but they are not in any trouble with the law.

If you are a fan of the classic cars of the 40s and 50s, there are some delightful motor carriages awaiting you in this movie. Mickey works at a garage which apparently is a dealership also. There is a line of Studebaker pickup trucks parked just behind Mickey's old jalopy when we first see his car. I believe his car is a '31 Chevy. In front of his car is a Studebaker Starlight Coupe' from about 1949.

Mickey makes one mistake in this movie. He loans $20 to a guy named Buzz who is a future Mousketeer (Jimmie Dodd). Dodd is in no rush to pay it back. Naturally Mickey has to steal some money to take the new dish out on a date. $20 for a date seems a little high when the lunch costs 40 cents. A brand new car is $3000 list price. It looks like a 1949 Mercury. I think they actually were only about $1800. Why does the Studebaker dealer sell Mercurys? It could happen.

The lunch is only 40 cents because you have to look at Jack Elam with his hair slicked down while you are eating. Jack has only one line here, but you can tell he will someday make it big when he is allowed to be less beautiful.

Mickey is very agile in this. He was about 30 when he made this film, but his character is only 26. Mickey does his own slide down a fire escape and he runs around with great speed and agility under the Santa Monica Pier. I remember him dancing in many movies and he was obviously in great physical condition.

Peter Lorre is so good just looking at someone. He had the voice of a guy who enjoyed raising bats.

Peter was very good in Casablanca.

Mickey Rooney was excellent in Bridges at Toko Ri. I bet you've never seen that. He of course was superb in Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World.

The car that drives off with Mick at the end of the movie is a Packard. It is probably also a 1949 model. Packard was an expensive automobile. It was a competitor with Cadillac.

It is also fun to watch this now, especially with a teen ager, so you can see what life was like before credit cards.

Tom Willett