Enjoyed this B Film from 1956 which involves a locksmith named Tommy Dancer, (William Campbell) who lives a very average life and one night in his favorite bowling alley a man named Willis Trent, (Berry Kroeger) makes his acquaintance. Willis invites Tommy to a party he is having and a young gal named Betty Turner, (Karen Sharpe) catches Tommys eye and a romance starts to bloom. The film gets interesting when Tommy decides to take a job making special keys which will provide him with five thousand dollars but things change and Tommy decides to take more of the cash than he expected to receive. This is a low budget film, but I always enjoy seeing veteran actors who have a long career of appearing in many films over the years. Berry Kroeger gave a great performance along with William Campbell and Karen Sharpe who made this film very entertaining.
14 Reviews
The Moralist Ending Ruins This Film-Noir
claudio_carvalho1 April 2009
Warning: Spoilers
The mobster Willis Trent (Berry Kroger) is informed by one of his gangsters that the locksmith Tommy Dancer (William Campbell) is efficient and fast in his work. Willis befriends Tommy in a bowling alley and invites him to open a trunk at his home. Tommy accepts the job and then he is invited by Willis to stay in a party at his house, where he meets the wealthy Betty Turner (Karen Sharpe). Later they go to his place and Betty forgets her stole when she goes home. On the next morning, Tommy returns the fur to Betty and they date at night. Then Willis offers five thousand dollars to Tommy to make the keys of the safe deposit box no. 315 in the Hollywood Bank that belongs to the rival criminal and head of gambling Paul De Camp (James Seay) and has two hundred thousand dollars of illegal money. Tommy turns down the offer, but Willis threatens to harm Betty's face to achieve his goal.
"Man in the Vault" is a good film-noir but unfortunately the moralist ending ruins the story. The romance between Tommy and Betty is dated, but acceptable for a movie of the 50's. But the conclusion with Tommy giving the stolen money to a police officer is ridiculous even in those years. My vote is seven.
Title (Brazil): "Domínio dos Homens Sem Lei" ("Domain of the Men Without Law")
"Man in the Vault" is a good film-noir but unfortunately the moralist ending ruins the story. The romance between Tommy and Betty is dated, but acceptable for a movie of the 50's. But the conclusion with Tommy giving the stolen money to a police officer is ridiculous even in those years. My vote is seven.
Title (Brazil): "Domínio dos Homens Sem Lei" ("Domain of the Men Without Law")
"Let The Chips Fall Where They May"
zardoz-1317 June 2008
Warning: Spoilers
John Wayne's production company Batjac footed the bill on director Andrew V. McLaglen's sophomore effort "Man in the Vault, and RKO Studios released it in 1956. This threadbare, black & white, quasi-noir crime thriller about a one-man bank heist provides some tense moments, an adequate cast, but it's strictly a minor item. Actually, "Man in the Vault" foreshadows director Richard Brooks' Warren Beatty heist thriller "Dollars" where the stakes were higher, the villains more menacing, and the rewards greater.
Actors and actresses that had appeared in many of John Wayne's movies fleshed out the cast of "Man in the Vault," with contract labor serving behind the cameras. For example, Wayne later gave McLaglen a chance to direct him in "McLintock" in 1964, while co-writer Burt Kennedy wrote and directed a couple of Wayne's top 1960s westerns. Of course, cinematographer William H. Clothier had been on Wayne's payroll even before "Man in the Vault." Unfortunately, McLaglen, Kennedy, and Clothier cannot salvage this lackluster, low-stakes movie.
A sleazy, small-fry mobster Willis Trent (Berry Kroeger of "Seven Thieves")approaches locksmith Tommy Dancer (William Campbell of "The High and the Mighty") at a bowling alley one night with a job to open an old footlocker back at his house. Tommy grabs his tools and rides with Trent to the hoodlum's house. Tommy has no problem opening the footlocker, but he smells a rat when Trent invites him to have some liquor at the party he's hosting with several good looking dames. One of them even sings the song "Let the chips fall where they may" to him. A pampered, single, 23-year-old doll in a mink stole, Betty Turner (Karen Sharpe of "The High and the Mighty"), arouses Tommy's curiosity as she stands alone in the middle of the party. Betty gets into an argument with her attorney boyfriend Earl Farraday (Robert Keys of "The High and the Mighty") while Tommy stands between them. As it turns out, Farrady has been fooling around with Paul De Camp's torpedo-breasted mistress, Flo(voluptuous Anita Ekberg of "La Dolce Vita"), but he has other reasons for attaching himself to her than her well-endowed upper torso. Primarily, he wants the number and the location of a safety deposit box in Paul De Camp's name that contains $200-thousand in cash that Trent and he want to steal.
Betty doesn't know about the conspiracy between Farraday and Trent. Anyway, Tommy leaves Trent's party, finds boo-hooing Turner outside, and she lets him drive her over to his place. Eventually, Tommy gets fresh with Turner and kisses her. Turner slaps him and storms out, forgetting her mink. Later, Tommy suspects that Trent is leading him on when he asks him to make two keys to open De Camp's safety deposit box. At first, Tommy refuses to take the job despite the $5-thousand dollars tax-free that Trent is offering. "More than I make in a whole year," Tommy observes. Our clean-scrubbed protagonist initially rejects Trent's offer. "You know, Mr. Trent, I've been half expecting this since the first time I met you at the bowling alley." He adds, "The footlocker was the clincher. You didn't need a key to open it, it was already open." Finally, he points out, "You know I may do a lot of things that I shouldn't, but breaking into safety deposit boxes isn't one of them."
Later, Tommy realizes that he is out of his class and income as a lowly locksmith around wealthy Betty, so the $5,000 gives him second thoughts. Reluctantly, later, Tommy takes the job because Trent threatens to turn his gargantuan, club-fisted, ex-prizefighting bodyguard Louie, Mike Mazurki, loose on Betty. In other words, if Tommy doesn't do the job, Betty won't have enough of a face to sip soup through a straw. Meanwhile, De Camp wants Trent out of town. "I'm far from an honest man," he assures Trent. "I worked by way up to the curb, you've never been able to get out of the gutter."
The Duke's younger brother, Robert E. Morrison, received credit as the producer for "Man in a Vault." Scenarist Burt Kennedy adapted novelist Frank Gruber's novel is oddly structured and occasionally weirdly convoluted, as if a scene or two of important exposition were cut (it crams a lot of story into its 73-minute running time), or maybe some footage was shuffled around. Most of the film centers around Tommy Dancer, but the story opens with a long scene involving Trent that isn't really necessary. Both Betty and Trent are connected to Tommy via their association with Farraday, and mistress Flo likewise ties Farraday to the safety deposit box, own by Flo's husband, the semi-reformed gangster Paul De Camp (James Seay of "The Buccaneer"). Added to all this is Herbie (Paul Fix), yet another crook trying to muscle in on the action.
"Man in a Vault" contains only a modicum of action. Perennial heavy Mike Mazurki wields his club-like fists on our hero, but nothing big happens in the way of action set-pieces. The best scenes are with Campbell when he is inside the vault, keeping his eye on the vault clerk outside while he jiggles the keys a safe deposit box. The storyline catches Tommy at a turning point in his life. He has found the woman of his dreams and he is prepared to stick his neck out for her, even if it means becoming a criminal. Ultimately, however, our conscientious protagonist decides to face the music so that he can help out his new girl friend.
Campbell and Sharpe make an attractive couple. Meanwhile, the cigar-chewing Kroeger emerges as an unsavory villain, and Mexican-American Pedro Gonzales-Gonzales makes the most of his comic relief bit part as Tommy's pal who clears the fallen ten-pins at the bowling alley. Beautiful Anita Ekberg has little to do except display her feminine pulchritude.
"Man in the Vault" qualifies as a tolerable potboiler.
Actors and actresses that had appeared in many of John Wayne's movies fleshed out the cast of "Man in the Vault," with contract labor serving behind the cameras. For example, Wayne later gave McLaglen a chance to direct him in "McLintock" in 1964, while co-writer Burt Kennedy wrote and directed a couple of Wayne's top 1960s westerns. Of course, cinematographer William H. Clothier had been on Wayne's payroll even before "Man in the Vault." Unfortunately, McLaglen, Kennedy, and Clothier cannot salvage this lackluster, low-stakes movie.
A sleazy, small-fry mobster Willis Trent (Berry Kroeger of "Seven Thieves")approaches locksmith Tommy Dancer (William Campbell of "The High and the Mighty") at a bowling alley one night with a job to open an old footlocker back at his house. Tommy grabs his tools and rides with Trent to the hoodlum's house. Tommy has no problem opening the footlocker, but he smells a rat when Trent invites him to have some liquor at the party he's hosting with several good looking dames. One of them even sings the song "Let the chips fall where they may" to him. A pampered, single, 23-year-old doll in a mink stole, Betty Turner (Karen Sharpe of "The High and the Mighty"), arouses Tommy's curiosity as she stands alone in the middle of the party. Betty gets into an argument with her attorney boyfriend Earl Farraday (Robert Keys of "The High and the Mighty") while Tommy stands between them. As it turns out, Farrady has been fooling around with Paul De Camp's torpedo-breasted mistress, Flo(voluptuous Anita Ekberg of "La Dolce Vita"), but he has other reasons for attaching himself to her than her well-endowed upper torso. Primarily, he wants the number and the location of a safety deposit box in Paul De Camp's name that contains $200-thousand in cash that Trent and he want to steal.
Betty doesn't know about the conspiracy between Farraday and Trent. Anyway, Tommy leaves Trent's party, finds boo-hooing Turner outside, and she lets him drive her over to his place. Eventually, Tommy gets fresh with Turner and kisses her. Turner slaps him and storms out, forgetting her mink. Later, Tommy suspects that Trent is leading him on when he asks him to make two keys to open De Camp's safety deposit box. At first, Tommy refuses to take the job despite the $5-thousand dollars tax-free that Trent is offering. "More than I make in a whole year," Tommy observes. Our clean-scrubbed protagonist initially rejects Trent's offer. "You know, Mr. Trent, I've been half expecting this since the first time I met you at the bowling alley." He adds, "The footlocker was the clincher. You didn't need a key to open it, it was already open." Finally, he points out, "You know I may do a lot of things that I shouldn't, but breaking into safety deposit boxes isn't one of them."
Later, Tommy realizes that he is out of his class and income as a lowly locksmith around wealthy Betty, so the $5,000 gives him second thoughts. Reluctantly, later, Tommy takes the job because Trent threatens to turn his gargantuan, club-fisted, ex-prizefighting bodyguard Louie, Mike Mazurki, loose on Betty. In other words, if Tommy doesn't do the job, Betty won't have enough of a face to sip soup through a straw. Meanwhile, De Camp wants Trent out of town. "I'm far from an honest man," he assures Trent. "I worked by way up to the curb, you've never been able to get out of the gutter."
The Duke's younger brother, Robert E. Morrison, received credit as the producer for "Man in a Vault." Scenarist Burt Kennedy adapted novelist Frank Gruber's novel is oddly structured and occasionally weirdly convoluted, as if a scene or two of important exposition were cut (it crams a lot of story into its 73-minute running time), or maybe some footage was shuffled around. Most of the film centers around Tommy Dancer, but the story opens with a long scene involving Trent that isn't really necessary. Both Betty and Trent are connected to Tommy via their association with Farraday, and mistress Flo likewise ties Farraday to the safety deposit box, own by Flo's husband, the semi-reformed gangster Paul De Camp (James Seay of "The Buccaneer"). Added to all this is Herbie (Paul Fix), yet another crook trying to muscle in on the action.
"Man in a Vault" contains only a modicum of action. Perennial heavy Mike Mazurki wields his club-like fists on our hero, but nothing big happens in the way of action set-pieces. The best scenes are with Campbell when he is inside the vault, keeping his eye on the vault clerk outside while he jiggles the keys a safe deposit box. The storyline catches Tommy at a turning point in his life. He has found the woman of his dreams and he is prepared to stick his neck out for her, even if it means becoming a criminal. Ultimately, however, our conscientious protagonist decides to face the music so that he can help out his new girl friend.
Campbell and Sharpe make an attractive couple. Meanwhile, the cigar-chewing Kroeger emerges as an unsavory villain, and Mexican-American Pedro Gonzales-Gonzales makes the most of his comic relief bit part as Tommy's pal who clears the fallen ten-pins at the bowling alley. Beautiful Anita Ekberg has little to do except display her feminine pulchritude.
"Man in the Vault" qualifies as a tolerable potboiler.
Trelane Does Noir
ferbs548 August 2011
A tough choice for nice-guy assistant locksmith Tommy Dancer: to continue plodding on with his $80/week, go-nowhere job, OR to give in to the demands of petty hood Willis Trent, and get paid $5,000 for using his skills to break into the safety-deposit box of top-dog criminal De Camp and steal $200,000. This ethical conundrum becomes a no-brainer, however, when Trent turns the screws by kidnapping and threatening Tommy's newest girlfriend, Betty Turner. Anyway, that's the setup for Andrew V. McLaglen's "Man in the Vault," a compact little film noir from 1956 that, despite its "B movie" status--and despite the "Maltin Film Guide"'s assertion that it is "drab" and only deserving of one of its lowest ratings--still offers much. Though surely made on the cheap, the film looks just fine, and features at least two highly suspenseful sequences: the heist that Tommy carries out inside a crowded bank, and a nighttime game of cat and mouse between Tommy and one of Trent's thugs inside a deserted bowling alley. Plus, with a running time of only 73 minutes, the picture is lean and fast moving, with little in the way of flab (excepting, perhaps, that three-minute song "Let the Chips Fall Where They May," warbled by a chantootsie early on at Trent's house party).
And then there is the film's single best element: a surprisingly excellent performance by William Campbell as Tommy Dancer, who does indeed get to "dance" all over L.A. while embroiled in this film's shenanigans. Campbell, who is perhaps best known for his appearances in three "Star Trek" episodes (as Trelane in "The Squire of Gothos" and the wimpiest Klingon ever, Koloth, in "The Trouble With Tribbles," both from the original series, and then toughening up Koloth considerably, many years later, in "Deep Space 9"'s "Blood Oath"), is immensely likable and sympathetic here. The late actor (he passed away on 4/28/11, at the age of 84) easily carries this film. Karen Sharpe (not to be confused with Karen Steele, as I did going in) is cute and appealing as Betty, Berry Kroeger is memorable as the smarmy Trent, and former heavyweight wrestler Mike Mazurki adds his always welcome, menacing presence. Oh...how could I forget the main reason for my rental of this film in the first place: Anita Ekberg, Miss Sweden 1951, playing the part of De Camp's moll, Flo Brant? Sadly, Anita is only given perhaps 10 minutes of screen time in all to make an impression, but looks so stunning that, yes, an impression is most certainly made. Anita would have to wait another four years before really making the world sit up and take notice, in 1960's "La Dolce Vita," but is still fairly riveting here, despite her small part. Throw in some nice location photography of 1950s Los Angeles (including the Hollywood Bowl and Hollywood Blvd., replete with a Rexall Drugstore!), some well-done, naturalistic dialogue, efficient direction from McLaglen and a highly satisfactory denouement and you've got a little film that's a lot more than merely "drab"!
And then there is the film's single best element: a surprisingly excellent performance by William Campbell as Tommy Dancer, who does indeed get to "dance" all over L.A. while embroiled in this film's shenanigans. Campbell, who is perhaps best known for his appearances in three "Star Trek" episodes (as Trelane in "The Squire of Gothos" and the wimpiest Klingon ever, Koloth, in "The Trouble With Tribbles," both from the original series, and then toughening up Koloth considerably, many years later, in "Deep Space 9"'s "Blood Oath"), is immensely likable and sympathetic here. The late actor (he passed away on 4/28/11, at the age of 84) easily carries this film. Karen Sharpe (not to be confused with Karen Steele, as I did going in) is cute and appealing as Betty, Berry Kroeger is memorable as the smarmy Trent, and former heavyweight wrestler Mike Mazurki adds his always welcome, menacing presence. Oh...how could I forget the main reason for my rental of this film in the first place: Anita Ekberg, Miss Sweden 1951, playing the part of De Camp's moll, Flo Brant? Sadly, Anita is only given perhaps 10 minutes of screen time in all to make an impression, but looks so stunning that, yes, an impression is most certainly made. Anita would have to wait another four years before really making the world sit up and take notice, in 1960's "La Dolce Vita," but is still fairly riveting here, despite her small part. Throw in some nice location photography of 1950s Los Angeles (including the Hollywood Bowl and Hollywood Blvd., replete with a Rexall Drugstore!), some well-done, naturalistic dialogue, efficient direction from McLaglen and a highly satisfactory denouement and you've got a little film that's a lot more than merely "drab"!
A minor but enjoyable noir cheapie from John Wayne's company.
Hey_Sweden30 September 2018
The Dukes' production company Batjac did occasionally turn out films that didn't star the American icon, but they were typically low budget affairs. William Campbell, an actor who bounced back and forth between A and B films throughout the 50s and 60s, stars as Tommy Dancer, an average guy earning meagre wages as a locksmith. But a two-bit hoodlum named Willis Trent (Berry Kroeger) wants to hire Tommy for a job: make a set of keys for a safety deposit box that contains a substantial payday. Tommy refuses at first - he's no angel, but he's a basically good man - but the bad guys will naturally figure out ways to manipulate him into doing the job.
While Leonard Maltins' paperback review guide has always dismissed this one, in truth it's a fairly entertaining crime / noir programmer with some good acting. Campbell is okay, but is outshone by top character actors like Kroeger, Mike Mazurki (cast to type as Trents' thug), Paul Fix, Pedro Gonzalez Gonzalez, and James Seay. It also features very nice eye candy in the form of the lovely Karen Sharpe, who plays Tommy's love interest, and delectable Anita Ekberg, the mistress of big time mob boss Seay. A lady named Vivianne Lloyd gets fairly prominent billing, but her main purpose is to take a few minutes belting out the number "Let the Chips Fall Where They May".
"Man in the Vault" is given competent guidance by director Andrew V. McLaglen, who subsequently graduated to bigger movies, a number of them with The Duke. A truly special film it's not, but it entertains reasonably for a trim 74 minutes, and features two standout suspense sequences: one, inside a bank vault, where Tommy doesn't stand much chance of not being witnessed, and two, inside a bowling alley where Tommy is pursued by an unseen assailant.
Co-star Gonzalez had earlier appeared on TV's 'You Bet Your Life', which is where The Duke had first noticed him. This little factoid is echoed as part of the movies' story (scripted by future director Burt Kennedy, based on a novel by Frank Gruber).
Seven out of 10.
While Leonard Maltins' paperback review guide has always dismissed this one, in truth it's a fairly entertaining crime / noir programmer with some good acting. Campbell is okay, but is outshone by top character actors like Kroeger, Mike Mazurki (cast to type as Trents' thug), Paul Fix, Pedro Gonzalez Gonzalez, and James Seay. It also features very nice eye candy in the form of the lovely Karen Sharpe, who plays Tommy's love interest, and delectable Anita Ekberg, the mistress of big time mob boss Seay. A lady named Vivianne Lloyd gets fairly prominent billing, but her main purpose is to take a few minutes belting out the number "Let the Chips Fall Where They May".
"Man in the Vault" is given competent guidance by director Andrew V. McLaglen, who subsequently graduated to bigger movies, a number of them with The Duke. A truly special film it's not, but it entertains reasonably for a trim 74 minutes, and features two standout suspense sequences: one, inside a bank vault, where Tommy doesn't stand much chance of not being witnessed, and two, inside a bowling alley where Tommy is pursued by an unseen assailant.
Co-star Gonzalez had earlier appeared on TV's 'You Bet Your Life', which is where The Duke had first noticed him. This little factoid is echoed as part of the movies' story (scripted by future director Burt Kennedy, based on a novel by Frank Gruber).
Seven out of 10.
The Keys to the Kingdom
sol12188 November 2007
Warning: Spoilers
**SPOILERS** Decent 1950's film noir crime drama despite the very contrived and, due to the restrictive Hayes Commission, unconvincing ending.
In an attempt to screw his former partner in crime, the head of West Coast illegal gambling racket, Paul De Camp, James Seay, L.A racketeer Willis Trent, Barry Kroeger, needs someone to makes him a set of safe deposit keys in order to break into and loot De Camp's box of some $200,000.00 in ill gotten gains.
The Trent mobs gets totally innocent locksmith Tony Dancer, William Campbell, to do it's dirty work for it. Trent first has Tony's girlfriend Betty Turner (Karen Sharpe Kramer), whom he accentually met a cocktail party thrown by Trent,threatened to have her face worked over by his bodyguard the 6 foot five inch ex professional boxer Louie, Mike Mazurki. Tony goes along with Trent's demands but just as he's about to get his hands, in the banks safe deposit vault, on De Camp's cash he has a sudden change of mind and takes off with the money himself leaving both De Camp and Trent empty-handed.
With De Camp finding out that his cash was heisted right under his nose he realizes that his sexy and well endowed girlfriend Flo Randell, Anita Ekberg, had two-timed him and beats the truth out of her. Flo had been having an affair behind De Camp's back with his lawyer the very handsome but almost always drunk Earl Farraday, Robert Keys. Farraday secretly working for Trent had used the beautiful Flo to get the number of De Camp's safe deposit box, as well as the bank where it's at, with the promise that he'll split half the loot that's in it with her.
The suspenseful ending in an empty and darkened L.A bowling alley was as good as anything you'd see in an Alfred Hitchcock thriller. Tony, who stashed the stolen money in a locker at the bowling alley, is constantly hounded by this unseen and shadowy assassin. The man in the shadows is trying to knock Tony off with a combination of bowling balls and bullets as he tries to make his getaway together with, the then held hostage by Trent's henchman Louie, Betty Turner. The final ending is a bit too pat and unbelievable to really take seriously and is about the only thing that spoiled the movie for me. But up until then "Man in the Vault" was about as good a movie, or film noir, as I would have expected and for that reason alone well worth watching up until the last two minutes.
P.S I just couldn't get over the strong resemblance of actor William Campbell to Tony Curtis. Campball in fact was even better looking, in a pretty boy sort of way, then Curtis ever was. On top of all that Campbell didn't have that very thick Bronx accent, "Younder lies the castle of my Fattdaa", that Tony Curtis had when he first started out in films. That unintentionally comical accent was to become the butt of so many jokes about Tony Curtis among both movie goers and critics as well as stand up comedians back in the 1950's.
In an attempt to screw his former partner in crime, the head of West Coast illegal gambling racket, Paul De Camp, James Seay, L.A racketeer Willis Trent, Barry Kroeger, needs someone to makes him a set of safe deposit keys in order to break into and loot De Camp's box of some $200,000.00 in ill gotten gains.
The Trent mobs gets totally innocent locksmith Tony Dancer, William Campbell, to do it's dirty work for it. Trent first has Tony's girlfriend Betty Turner (Karen Sharpe Kramer), whom he accentually met a cocktail party thrown by Trent,threatened to have her face worked over by his bodyguard the 6 foot five inch ex professional boxer Louie, Mike Mazurki. Tony goes along with Trent's demands but just as he's about to get his hands, in the banks safe deposit vault, on De Camp's cash he has a sudden change of mind and takes off with the money himself leaving both De Camp and Trent empty-handed.
With De Camp finding out that his cash was heisted right under his nose he realizes that his sexy and well endowed girlfriend Flo Randell, Anita Ekberg, had two-timed him and beats the truth out of her. Flo had been having an affair behind De Camp's back with his lawyer the very handsome but almost always drunk Earl Farraday, Robert Keys. Farraday secretly working for Trent had used the beautiful Flo to get the number of De Camp's safe deposit box, as well as the bank where it's at, with the promise that he'll split half the loot that's in it with her.
The suspenseful ending in an empty and darkened L.A bowling alley was as good as anything you'd see in an Alfred Hitchcock thriller. Tony, who stashed the stolen money in a locker at the bowling alley, is constantly hounded by this unseen and shadowy assassin. The man in the shadows is trying to knock Tony off with a combination of bowling balls and bullets as he tries to make his getaway together with, the then held hostage by Trent's henchman Louie, Betty Turner. The final ending is a bit too pat and unbelievable to really take seriously and is about the only thing that spoiled the movie for me. But up until then "Man in the Vault" was about as good a movie, or film noir, as I would have expected and for that reason alone well worth watching up until the last two minutes.
P.S I just couldn't get over the strong resemblance of actor William Campbell to Tony Curtis. Campball in fact was even better looking, in a pretty boy sort of way, then Curtis ever was. On top of all that Campbell didn't have that very thick Bronx accent, "Younder lies the castle of my Fattdaa", that Tony Curtis had when he first started out in films. That unintentionally comical accent was to become the butt of so many jokes about Tony Curtis among both movie goers and critics as well as stand up comedians back in the 1950's.
Even though he's not stuck inside, he's still trapped!
mark.waltz11 April 2022
Warning: Spoilers
This enjoyable film noir really doesn't have time to develop character, but it's still intriguing as it follows the blackmailing of locksmith William Campbell to aide a group of thieves and breaking into a safe and stealing the loot. It's obvious from the start that the people going out of their way to charm him and make him feel comfortable in their circle have an agenda for him, and they use his romance with troubled Karen Sharpe as leverage to get him in line to do their biding. Anita Ekberg has a small role, while Berry Kroeger and Paul Fix are at their absolute sleaziest as the crooks.
The amusing Pedro Gonzalez Gonzalez has a funny bit, singing a comic song, and it's too bad he didn't have more to do. In a bit of amusing self-promotion, he mentions he's going to be on "You Bet Your Life" which he had done in real life to great acclaim and admiration from Groucho Marx. The film does take its time in developing the plot, culminating into nail biting, seat grabbing conclusion where Pedro shows up again for brief involvement in the plot.
The amusing Pedro Gonzalez Gonzalez has a funny bit, singing a comic song, and it's too bad he didn't have more to do. In a bit of amusing self-promotion, he mentions he's going to be on "You Bet Your Life" which he had done in real life to great acclaim and admiration from Groucho Marx. The film does take its time in developing the plot, culminating into nail biting, seat grabbing conclusion where Pedro shows up again for brief involvement in the plot.
Keys, keys, and more keys
blanche-219 July 2016
Warning: Spoilers
William Campbell, in my youth, appeared on a TV show called Cannonball that had a very catchy theme song. So catchy that we made up new lyrics to it that were about our school principle.
He has several other distinctions, some as an actor, and he earned his place in the JFK saga by being married to one of JFK's girlfriends, Judith Campbell Exner.
Campbell plays a locksmith, Tommy Dancer. He often hangs out at a bowling alley. One night he meets a man, Willis Trent (Berry Kroeger) who invites him to a party. After we hear the song "Let the Chips Fall Where They May" sung by Viviane Lloyd, Dancer meets Betty Turner (Karen Sharpe). They begin dating.
Tommy is offered a job for $5000 if he will rent a safe deposit box, and while in the vault, make impressions for two keys to box 315. He doesn't know it at the time, but the box has $200,000 in it that Trent wants stolen. He refuses to do it until Mike Mazurki beats him up and then Betty is threatened. In a suspenseful scene, he makes impressions of the keys.
Then he finds out about the money from a man named Herbie (Paul Fix) tips him off about the money and suggests that they split it.
Familiar faces here, including Fix, Kroeger, Mazurki, and of course Campbell. Karen Sharpe, who played Betty, married Stanley Kramer and became a producer as well as an actress. Anita Ekberg, looking gorgeous, is on hand as Earl Farraday's (Robert Keys) girlfriend - it's Farraday who owns the safe deposit box.
Despite the film being low budget, there are several interesting things about it. First, being low budget, it's filmed on the streets of Los Angeles. The sections they were in were familiar to me and made it so much fun, seeing a large Rexall Drugs, Dutch Paint, the whole ambiance of old Hollywood.
The other thing is one starts to notice keys everywhere. Dancer works in a key-making establishment. He's called on by Trent to open a trunk, so he makes an impression of the lock; he makes keys for the safe deposit box, later he uses the keys to get into it - he is constantly using keys. Finally you're noticing them every time he pulls one out.
Lastly, parts of the film are very Hitchcockian - one is the ordinary man in extraordinary circumstances; the other is danger in landmarks or familiar places not known for danger, as Dancer first escapes being hit by a bowling ball and then attempts escape by traversing pin-setting machines. Really terrific. Unfortunately, today we're all too familiar with danger in familiar places.
Not bad for a low budget film.
He has several other distinctions, some as an actor, and he earned his place in the JFK saga by being married to one of JFK's girlfriends, Judith Campbell Exner.
Campbell plays a locksmith, Tommy Dancer. He often hangs out at a bowling alley. One night he meets a man, Willis Trent (Berry Kroeger) who invites him to a party. After we hear the song "Let the Chips Fall Where They May" sung by Viviane Lloyd, Dancer meets Betty Turner (Karen Sharpe). They begin dating.
Tommy is offered a job for $5000 if he will rent a safe deposit box, and while in the vault, make impressions for two keys to box 315. He doesn't know it at the time, but the box has $200,000 in it that Trent wants stolen. He refuses to do it until Mike Mazurki beats him up and then Betty is threatened. In a suspenseful scene, he makes impressions of the keys.
Then he finds out about the money from a man named Herbie (Paul Fix) tips him off about the money and suggests that they split it.
Familiar faces here, including Fix, Kroeger, Mazurki, and of course Campbell. Karen Sharpe, who played Betty, married Stanley Kramer and became a producer as well as an actress. Anita Ekberg, looking gorgeous, is on hand as Earl Farraday's (Robert Keys) girlfriend - it's Farraday who owns the safe deposit box.
Despite the film being low budget, there are several interesting things about it. First, being low budget, it's filmed on the streets of Los Angeles. The sections they were in were familiar to me and made it so much fun, seeing a large Rexall Drugs, Dutch Paint, the whole ambiance of old Hollywood.
The other thing is one starts to notice keys everywhere. Dancer works in a key-making establishment. He's called on by Trent to open a trunk, so he makes an impression of the lock; he makes keys for the safe deposit box, later he uses the keys to get into it - he is constantly using keys. Finally you're noticing them every time he pulls one out.
Lastly, parts of the film are very Hitchcockian - one is the ordinary man in extraordinary circumstances; the other is danger in landmarks or familiar places not known for danger, as Dancer first escapes being hit by a bowling ball and then attempts escape by traversing pin-setting machines. Really terrific. Unfortunately, today we're all too familiar with danger in familiar places.
Not bad for a low budget film.
Cheap little flick
sergepesic27 March 2007
If "Man in the Vault" was made today it would go straight to the video. In the old days it was probably shown as a first feature before the real thing. I am a big fan of the film - noir movies. The dark atmosphere, sharply drawn characters, daring look at the humankind and of course' some of the greatest stars of all times. This little flick has none of the above. It looks extremely cheap and tawdry, the acting belongs to the Ed Wood school of movie making( especially William Campbell who is absolutely frightful), there is no sense of humor or snappy dialog. Even my penchant for nostalgia doesn't hide the fact that this is, sadly a dreadful little picture.
Passable "B" Potboiler!
bsmith555217 August 2018
Warning: Spoilers
"Man in the Vault" was produced by John Wayne's Batjac company and was directed by up and coming director Andrew V. McLaglan.
Small time crook Willis Trent (Barry Kroeger) has a plan. With the help of his womanizing lawyer Earl Faraday (Robert Keys) and gofer Herbie (Paul Fix), Trent hopes to break into the safe deposit box of gangster Paul DeCamp (James Seay) and steal the $200,000 therein. to accomplish this, he needs the service of a reliable locksmith.
Herbie provides Trent with the name of Tommy Dancer (William Campbell) who had just done some work for him. Trent begins to stalk Dancer to the point of showing up at the bowling alley where he is bowling. He lures Dancer to his home to open a foot locker. There just happens to be a party going on at the time. Young , rich and spoiled Betty Turner (Karen Sharpe) shows up looking for Faraday who is playing up to DeCamp's girlfriend Flo (Anita Ekberg.). She becomes angry and storms out.
As he is leaving the party, Dancer strikes up a friendship with Betty. Later Trent offers Dancer $5,000 to make keys to break into DeCamp's safe deposit box. He refuses. After being worked over by Louie (Mike Mazurki), Trent's body guard, he reluctantly agrees. He makes the keys but is approached by Herbie to steal the $200,000 and split the proceeds. Dancer refuses and takes the money for himself..
Realizing that Dancer has the money, Trent begins to apply pressure. He threatens to kill Betty if the money is not brought to him. Meanwhile as Dancer goes to retrieve the loot from his locker at the bowling alley, Herbie begins to stalk him. Dancer escapes and Herbie is arrested by the police after Dancer set off the burglar alarm.
Before Dancer can reach Trent with the money, DeCamp enters the picture and.....................................................................................
Many familiar faces from the "John Wayne Stock Company" appear in this film. First there is Director McLaglan the son of Wayne's long time friend Victor McLaglan. Paul Fix, Mike Mazurki, Karen Sharpe and Pedro Gonzolez-Gonzolez who plays Pedro the bowling alley pin boy and James Mitchum brother of Robert were also under contract to Batjac.
The bowling alley sequence where Campbell tries to elude Fix is very well done and creates an atmospheric sort of suspense. The ending leaves a few unanswered questions such as what happens to Dancer, who actually did rob the bank and Betty Turner who is also taken away for questioning.
Anita Ekberg whose star was rising at the time has little to do except look voluptuous and Karen Sharpe, long one of my favorites has an early leading role and looks just marvelous.
Small time crook Willis Trent (Barry Kroeger) has a plan. With the help of his womanizing lawyer Earl Faraday (Robert Keys) and gofer Herbie (Paul Fix), Trent hopes to break into the safe deposit box of gangster Paul DeCamp (James Seay) and steal the $200,000 therein. to accomplish this, he needs the service of a reliable locksmith.
Herbie provides Trent with the name of Tommy Dancer (William Campbell) who had just done some work for him. Trent begins to stalk Dancer to the point of showing up at the bowling alley where he is bowling. He lures Dancer to his home to open a foot locker. There just happens to be a party going on at the time. Young , rich and spoiled Betty Turner (Karen Sharpe) shows up looking for Faraday who is playing up to DeCamp's girlfriend Flo (Anita Ekberg.). She becomes angry and storms out.
As he is leaving the party, Dancer strikes up a friendship with Betty. Later Trent offers Dancer $5,000 to make keys to break into DeCamp's safe deposit box. He refuses. After being worked over by Louie (Mike Mazurki), Trent's body guard, he reluctantly agrees. He makes the keys but is approached by Herbie to steal the $200,000 and split the proceeds. Dancer refuses and takes the money for himself..
Realizing that Dancer has the money, Trent begins to apply pressure. He threatens to kill Betty if the money is not brought to him. Meanwhile as Dancer goes to retrieve the loot from his locker at the bowling alley, Herbie begins to stalk him. Dancer escapes and Herbie is arrested by the police after Dancer set off the burglar alarm.
Before Dancer can reach Trent with the money, DeCamp enters the picture and.....................................................................................
Many familiar faces from the "John Wayne Stock Company" appear in this film. First there is Director McLaglan the son of Wayne's long time friend Victor McLaglan. Paul Fix, Mike Mazurki, Karen Sharpe and Pedro Gonzolez-Gonzolez who plays Pedro the bowling alley pin boy and James Mitchum brother of Robert were also under contract to Batjac.
The bowling alley sequence where Campbell tries to elude Fix is very well done and creates an atmospheric sort of suspense. The ending leaves a few unanswered questions such as what happens to Dancer, who actually did rob the bank and Betty Turner who is also taken away for questioning.
Anita Ekberg whose star was rising at the time has little to do except look voluptuous and Karen Sharpe, long one of my favorites has an early leading role and looks just marvelous.
Batjac noir
bkoganbing8 January 2019
John Wayne's Batjac Productions produced this average and cheap potboiler noir and the cast and credits look like they could have come from a Wayne film. With
Andrew McLaglen directing, Burt Kennedy doing the script and William Clothier
behind the camera it sure looks like a Wayne western.
But it's a modern noir film that Batjac has given us. I think John Wayne was trying to launch William Campbell's career with a lead and while Campbell had a good career, he sure never became box office.
Campbell plays a locksmith who Berry Kroeger wants to employ to make a duplicate key for a safety deposit box that contains $200,000.00 in cash. Kroeger is one ruthless dude and has many ways of persuasion including capturing and threatening to torture Karen Sharpe who Campbell has recently been seeing. He's got Mike Mazurki for the rough stuff on his payroll.
It's a real pickle Campbell is in, but he's a plucky soul
A lot of money sure wasn't spent on this given the folks associated with this one. All I can say is that in this average noir film, a whole lot of people did this one as a favor to the Duke.
But it's a modern noir film that Batjac has given us. I think John Wayne was trying to launch William Campbell's career with a lead and while Campbell had a good career, he sure never became box office.
Campbell plays a locksmith who Berry Kroeger wants to employ to make a duplicate key for a safety deposit box that contains $200,000.00 in cash. Kroeger is one ruthless dude and has many ways of persuasion including capturing and threatening to torture Karen Sharpe who Campbell has recently been seeing. He's got Mike Mazurki for the rough stuff on his payroll.
It's a real pickle Campbell is in, but he's a plucky soul
A lot of money sure wasn't spent on this given the folks associated with this one. All I can say is that in this average noir film, a whole lot of people did this one as a favor to the Duke.
atmospheric 50's "B" crime-noir
django-112 June 2006
I had an old fuzzy copy-of-a-copy-of-a-copy of a TV broadcast of this 1956 crime-noir B programmer, but now that there's a new letter-boxed DVD out, I threw the old tape away and can finally enjoy this film for what it is: a solid "b" crime film with good performances, good pacing, and great Los Angeles location photography. The under-rated William Campbell plays an average guy working as a locksmith, who is approached by a gangster who wants to break into a safe deposit box. Campbell, like most people probably, initially tries to be polite, but turns down the offer. Gangsters don't like being turned down, so one can imagine where the plot goes. There's a woman involved, a shady lawyer, another gangster who has gone legit, Mike Mazurki as an ex-boxer turned enforcer, and the comedy of Pedro Gonzalez Gonzalez (a regular in Batjac Productions of this era). The main female role is played (well) by Karen Sharpe, who hails from here in San Antonio! Anita Ekberg is in a small role as the girlfriend of James Seay's character, the owner of the safe deposit box. Ekberg is not really given much to do. The film, an early directorial credit of Andrew V. McLaglen. legendary director of many classic westerns and action films, is very well-paced and has amazing location photography of 1950's Los Angeles. A few key scenes take place in a bowling alley, actually Art Linkletter's La Cienega Lanes, which is of great documentary value in itself. Wait until you see the climax inside the bowling alley! This probably deserves a "7" rating, but I'll give it one star more for the nice widescreen transfer on the DVD and the great location photography. This plays a lot like an Allied Artists low-budget 50's crime film, and for me that is a high compliment. Check it out...
Bowling for deposit boxes.
hitchcockthelegend17 April 2015
Adapted by Burt Kennedy from the Frank Gruber novel, The Lock and the Key, Man in the Vault is a minor 50s crime flick that has somehow been lumped into the film noir encyclopedias. Andrew V. McLaglen directs and William Campbell, Karen Sharpe, Anita Ekberg and Berry Kroeger star. Story has Campbell as a locksmith who gets coerced into a deposit box theft just as Sharpe turns his head romantically.
Amazingly, nothing much happens, there's a lot of talking and pouting, Campbell's teddy-boy quiff always holds court, while Kroeger tries to eat all the indoor scenery. William H. Clothier is utterly wasted on photography, only really getting to use his skills when the story enters out onto the real L.A. locations; which are actually the film's only saving grace. OK! The deposit box sequence has a modicum of suspense, the mystery element as Campbell tries to fathom out what's going on also works, but come the weak and cop-out finale you may well wish you had done the gardening instead. 5/10
Amazingly, nothing much happens, there's a lot of talking and pouting, Campbell's teddy-boy quiff always holds court, while Kroeger tries to eat all the indoor scenery. William H. Clothier is utterly wasted on photography, only really getting to use his skills when the story enters out onto the real L.A. locations; which are actually the film's only saving grace. OK! The deposit box sequence has a modicum of suspense, the mystery element as Campbell tries to fathom out what's going on also works, but come the weak and cop-out finale you may well wish you had done the gardening instead. 5/10
Suspenseful, but confusing low budget thriller.
youroldpaljim26 January 2002
Tommy Dancer is a locksmith whose skills do not go unnoticed by mobster Willis Trent. Trent wants Tommy to get into the safe deposit box of a rival mobster. Tommy refuses, despite being offered $5000 and later being roughed up by one of Trents goons. Tommy agrees when he his tipped off by one Trents men that the box contains $200,000 in cash. Tommy decides to go along with the plan, and keep the 200 grand for himself and run off with Trents moll, whom he has fallen in love with.
MAN IN THE VAULT is standard low budget crime thriller from the period made enjoyable by the presence of Berry Kroeger, Paul Fix and Mike Marsurki. William Campbell gives a good performance as Tommy. There are some good moments of suspense, but things get a bit confusing toward the end.
MAN IN THE VAULT is standard low budget crime thriller from the period made enjoyable by the presence of Berry Kroeger, Paul Fix and Mike Marsurki. William Campbell gives a good performance as Tommy. There are some good moments of suspense, but things get a bit confusing toward the end.
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