I, the Jury (1953)

Dectective Mike Hammer is determined to catch and kill the person who shot his close friend dead, so he follows clues that lead to a beautiful, seductive woman.

Director:

Harry Essex

Writers:

Harry Essex, Mickey Spillane (novel)

Stars:

Biff Elliot, Preston Foster, Peggie Castle

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Biff Elliot	...	Mike Hammer
Preston Foster	...	Police Captain Pat Chambers
Peggie Castle	...	Charlotte Manning
Margaret Sheridan	...	Velda
Alan Reed	...	George Kalecki
Mary Anderson	...	Eileen Vickers
Tom Powers	...	Milt Miller
Frances Osborne	...	Myrna Devlin
Bob Cunningham	...	Hal Kines (as Robert Cunningham)
Tani Guthrie	...	Esther Bellamy (as Tani Seitz)
Dran Hamilton	...	Mary Bellamy (as Dran Seitz)
Joe Besser	...	Pete - Elevator Operator
Paul Dubov	...	Marty
John Qualen	...	Dr. R.H. Vickers
Nestor Paiva	...	Manuel

Storyline

It's nearly Christmas, but Mike Hammer is on the vengeance trail when Jack, his wartime buddy, is murdered. Hotheaded Hammer sets out to find the killer, working his way through an increasingly large pile of suspects (and corpses). Along the way, he meets a new love interest, psychologist Charlotte Manning, a treacherous Santa, a gangster named Kalecki, and two weird sisters, the Bellamy twins.

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Plot Keywords:

christmas | psychotronic film | mike hammer | twin | hard boiled | 

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Taglines:

Now! His first motion picture blasts you out of your seat with its naked fury!

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Genres:

Crime | Drama | Film-Noir | Thriller

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Certificate:

Approved

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

14 August 1953 (USA)

Also Known As:

J'aurai ta peau

Filming Locations:

Los Angeles, California, USA

Box Office

Gross USA:

$1,400,000

Company Credits

Production Co:

Parklane Pictures Inc.

Technical Specs

Runtime:

87 min

Sound Mix:

3 Channel Stereo (Western Electric Recording)

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Originally filmed in 3D; but, by the time it opened, 3D had lost favor among audiences, and many first run engagements, as well as most second run engagements, opted to offer it in the standard 2D version.

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Quotes

Mike Hammer: So long baby
[after he shoots her before she shoots him]
Charlotte Manning: How could you
[as she slowly and sultrily crumples to the floor]
Mike Hammer: It was easy

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Connections

Followed by The Girl Hunters (1963)

User Reviews

Biff Elliot doesn't cut the mustard.

This 1953 film is the first screen depiction of Mickey Spillanes famous detective character Mike Hammer and the only "film noir" I know of that was filmed in 3D. Other than that and the films memorable closing and opening scenes, this film isn't much. Most the cast is good, but the problem lies with the totally mis-cast Biff Elliot as Mike Hammer. He is to young and boyish looking. Ideally, Mike Hammer should be played by someone in their mid thirties or forties; old enough to have grown jaded and world weary, but still young enough to woo the babes and take the punches. Biff Elliot looks and acts like he just got out of detective school. Parklane productions blew it by casting Elliot, who not only wasn't the right type but an actor who never had any screen presence. No wonder he mostly never got more than bit parts after this. Being the first actor to play Mike Hammer is about the only role anyone recalls when his name comes up. Parklane did right in the next Mike Hammer film by casting Ralph Meeker. Even Robert Bray (MY GUN IS QUICK) made a more convincing Mike Hammer. In fact, even Armand Asante was better.