From the Title Echoing the Excellent and Seminal Anthony Mann Film-Noir "T-Men" (1947), this Low-Budget Production is Riding the Noir Zeitgeist.
Few Films of this Low-Budget (Laurel Films) Pedigree that Tried to Capitalize on the Film-Noir of the Post-War (1945-49), would Attain such an Artistic Ambience that this Highly Underrated Hidden Gem Delivered.
While it is For-Sure Indebted to Previous Noir it Pays Homage with Surprising Results.
Not the Least is the Avant-Garde Jazz Experiment by Composer (Mr.) Gail Kubik. Awarded the Pulitzer Prize for the Composition Birthed in this "Unknown" Movie.
Kubik was awarded the Pulitzer Prize for this Music in 1952.
The committee wrote: "The Symphony Concertante is brilliant and exuberant, full of rhythmic vitality, the orchestration both original and skillful."
The piece is based on his score for "C-Man".
WOW...The Prestigious Prize is Usually Drained of Every Scintilla Concerning Recognition. The Resulting Attachment to this Movie...Not So.
The Music, Editing, and Montage are Frenetic and the Story is Somewhat more Sprawling.
The Film, if You can Believe it, is in the Public Domain Languishing there Brutalized by Time and Indifference, Ignored by Film Scholars and Historians.
Where are You Martin Scorsese?...or even More Relevant...Where are You Film-Noir Promoter and Usually Astute Historian of the Genre, Eddie Muller?
"C-Man" has more to Offer Lovers of Film-Noir, the Score is just the Start of the Outrage Due this Forgotten Noir.
The Look of this Gritty Underworld Movie is Pure Noir that is an Artistic Commitment Fully Understood an Applied by the Producers...
So there's the Atmosphere and Ambience...
The Script by Berne Giler is Filled with Noir Influence and is Flourished with...
Voice Over, Cynicism, Subversive Behavior, Brutal Sadistic Thugs, Greedy Upper Crust Criminals with Zero Empathy, an Alcoholic Disgraced Doctor.
The Music, Editing, and Montage are Frenetic.
The Street Level Cinematography is Impeccable and Relentless.
The Actors, Led by Dean Jagger are Good.
Jagger at First seems Miscast, but the Character is Unwavering, Willing to Take a Beating to Ferret Out Information.
He Eventually is an Iconic Noir Hero and Jagger Wins Our Tip of the Fedora.
Another Character that is Unforgettable, Displaying Sadistic Glee and is Always Chomping to Dole Out Punishment at the Drop of a Fedora is an Iconic Noir Henchman.
Played by an Unknown Harry Landers, Owney Shor is in Short a Short Pipsqueak Making Up for a Lack of Stature with No Lack of Physical Violence by way of a Psycho Personality.
Overall, an Unsung, Ignored, Little Film with a Big Payoff.
Few Films of this Low-Budget (Laurel Films) Pedigree that Tried to Capitalize on the Film-Noir of the Post-War (1945-49), would Attain such an Artistic Ambience that this Highly Underrated Hidden Gem Delivered.
While it is For-Sure Indebted to Previous Noir it Pays Homage with Surprising Results.
Not the Least is the Avant-Garde Jazz Experiment by Composer (Mr.) Gail Kubik. Awarded the Pulitzer Prize for the Composition Birthed in this "Unknown" Movie.
Kubik was awarded the Pulitzer Prize for this Music in 1952.
The committee wrote: "The Symphony Concertante is brilliant and exuberant, full of rhythmic vitality, the orchestration both original and skillful."
The piece is based on his score for "C-Man".
WOW...The Prestigious Prize is Usually Drained of Every Scintilla Concerning Recognition. The Resulting Attachment to this Movie...Not So.
The Music, Editing, and Montage are Frenetic and the Story is Somewhat more Sprawling.
The Film, if You can Believe it, is in the Public Domain Languishing there Brutalized by Time and Indifference, Ignored by Film Scholars and Historians.
Where are You Martin Scorsese?...or even More Relevant...Where are You Film-Noir Promoter and Usually Astute Historian of the Genre, Eddie Muller?
"C-Man" has more to Offer Lovers of Film-Noir, the Score is just the Start of the Outrage Due this Forgotten Noir.
The Look of this Gritty Underworld Movie is Pure Noir that is an Artistic Commitment Fully Understood an Applied by the Producers...
So there's the Atmosphere and Ambience...
The Script by Berne Giler is Filled with Noir Influence and is Flourished with...
Voice Over, Cynicism, Subversive Behavior, Brutal Sadistic Thugs, Greedy Upper Crust Criminals with Zero Empathy, an Alcoholic Disgraced Doctor.
The Music, Editing, and Montage are Frenetic.
The Street Level Cinematography is Impeccable and Relentless.
The Actors, Led by Dean Jagger are Good.
Jagger at First seems Miscast, but the Character is Unwavering, Willing to Take a Beating to Ferret Out Information.
He Eventually is an Iconic Noir Hero and Jagger Wins Our Tip of the Fedora.
Another Character that is Unforgettable, Displaying Sadistic Glee and is Always Chomping to Dole Out Punishment at the Drop of a Fedora is an Iconic Noir Henchman.
Played by an Unknown Harry Landers, Owney Shor is in Short a Short Pipsqueak Making Up for a Lack of Stature with No Lack of Physical Violence by way of a Psycho Personality.
Overall, an Unsung, Ignored, Little Film with a Big Payoff.