Bait (1954)

User Rating:

5.5/10   

Director:

Hugo Haas

Writers:

Hugo Haas (additional dialogue)
Samuel W. Taylor (writer)

Release Date:

24 February 1954 (USA)

Genre:

Drama

Tagline:

MEN GO FOR HER... (original ad - all caps)

Plot:

A beautiful blonde leads a man down the road to ruin.

Plot Keywords:

Blonde | Beautiful Woman | Satanism | Devil

Cast

Cleo Moore	...	Peggy
Hugo Haas	...	Marko
John Agar	...	Ray Brighton
Emmett Lynn	...	Foley
Bruno VeSota	...	Webb
Jan Englund	...	Waitress
George Keymas	...	Chuck
Cedric Hardwicke	...	Prologue Speaker (as Sir Cedric Hardwicke)

Runtime:

79 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

UK:X (cut)

Company:

Hugo Haas Productions

Soundtrack:

What Am I Gonna Do?

Hugo Haas At His Worst

*** This comment may contain spoilers ***

Renowned for frequently casting himself as aging innocents seduced and destroyed by conniving younger women, Haas slightly alters the formula here by casting himself as the aging schemer who uses a young tart as "bait" for his gold mining pardner in a decidedly convoluted scheme. Part TREASURE OF THE SIERRA MADRE, part romantic tragicomedy, and all cheese, BAIT has to be one of the weaker neo noir films in the canon.

Without delving too deeply, the nonsensical plot implodes early and often under the weight of illogical motivations, misguided interactions and a trio of miscast leads. Haas' unlikely sham quickie marriage to a girl his partner likes is the first in a series of unintentionally uproarious plot mis-steps. Does Haas really think he can manipulate his much younger, stronger partner into an affair, justifying Haas' shooting of him? Isn't it more likely his questionable partner will kill Haas and claim the girl (or take the girl and Haas' gold?) More to the point, by marrying the girl, isn't Haas adding another partner with a stake in the gold when his sole goal is to possess the gold all by himself?

The wacky ensuing close quarters love triangle interactions are painful to watch. Particularly poor is John Agar, who has a nice head of hair, but no discernible acting ability. Cleo Moore's one note performance matches the plot silliness (agreeing to marry a man and go live in a shack in the wilderness in the dead of winter for no other reason than to give her daughter a daddy (a man who hates her.) That Haas' acting is competent is high praise indeed for this film.

Suffice to say that from here things don't improve. Cheap set pieces (the cabin and wilderness are obviously a studio soundstage), weak dialogue and bad pacing all conspire to make this a colossal bore. Also, this isn't one of those "so bad that it's good" movies. Do yourself a favor and check out Haas' much better written, acted and produced PICKUP, which features a dynamite femme fatale and a much more coherent plot.