The Lineup (1958)

In San Francisco, a psychopathic gangster and his mentor retrieve heroin packages carried by unsuspecting travelers.

Director:

Don Siegel

Writer:

Stirling Silliphant

Stars:

Eli Wallach, Robert Keith, Richard Jaeckel

1 nomination.

Cast

Cast overview:
Eli Wallach	...	Dancer
Robert Keith	...	Julian
Richard Jaeckel	...	Sandy McLain
Mary LaRoche	...	Dorothy Bradshaw
William Leslie	...	Larry Warner
Emile Meyer	...	Insp. Al Quine
Marshall Reed	...	Insp. Fred Asher
Raymond Bailey	...	Philip Dressler
Vaughn Taylor	...	The Man
Cheryl Callaway	...	Cindy Bradshaw
Robert Bailey	...	Staples
Warner Anderson	...	Lt. Ben Guthrie

Storyline

In San Francisco, two police inspectors are on the case when a rogue taxi driver, with the help of a rogue porter, manages to steal the suitcase of an antiques collector before running down a cop, who shoots the perp dead before dying himself. Police discover that a statuette in the suitcase contains heroin. Meanwhile, a psychopathic gangster, his malignant mentor, and their dipsomaniac driver have the job of picking up the other heroin shipments, hidden in the luggage of unsuspecting travelers. All goes well until they attempt to retrieve the heroin stuffed in a Japanese doll. A little girl and her young mother have the doll, but when the crooks get possession of it, they find that the heroin has mysteriously vanished.

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Plot Keywords:

bagman | phone booth | line up | crime boss | assignment | 

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Taglines:

The big, new lineup of thrills comes to the BIG movie theatre screen.

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Genres:

Crime | Drama | Film-Noir

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Certificate:

Approved

Did You Know?

Trivia

The movie features a scene in the old Steinhardt Aquarium in Golden Gate Park. The aquarium (also featured in The Lady from Shanghai (1947)) was built in 1923. It was torn down in 2003 and replaced with a new, modern aquarium. An outdoor scene in the park shows the old De Young Museum, which was torn down in 2008 and replaced with a new museum.

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Goofs

In the scene where the passengers are disembarking the ship, Staples gives Dancer the address of the couple as "9020 Jackson." Dancer then relays it to his driver, McLain, as "2090 Jackson." McLain then drives to the correct house on 2090 Jackson Street, which was then being used as the headquarters of the California Historical Society.

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Quotes

Lt. Ben Guthrie: [Sarcastically as he looks around Jenkins' cheap, unkempt apartment] Jenkins certainly had a great spot here for a Halloween party.
Insp. Al Quine: [Laconically] Yeah, no self-respectin' witch would bring a broom into this trap.

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Connections

Remake of The Lineup (1954)

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Soundtracks

Polly Wolly Doodle
(uncredited)
Song first published Harvard student songbook in 1880.
Heard on calliope in museum

User Reviews

Hard-assed, violent little flick

This was a breezy, fast-paced little piece of noir that crosses the time barrier pretty efficiently. Each of the three main villains, driving through the sun-lit streets of San Francisco, delivering violence and death, leave up with strongly etched character studies. The locations are wonderful, particularly the ice rink. It's a privilege to sit back, follow, a simple, well-woven plot and travel back in time to a place you never been, yet know pretty intimately anyways. Films that flow with such ease are becoming rare items

This would be a great double bill with Bullitt or Dirty Harry. Heck, it would be a great double bill with anything.

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

11 June 1958 (USA)

Also Known As:

The Lineup

Filming Locations:

Nob Hill, San Francisco, California, USA

Company Credits

Production Co:

Pajemer Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

86 min

Sound Mix:

Mono (Westrex Recording System)

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1