M Squad (TV Series) The Specialists (1957) User Reviews

Even Frank Can Mess Up Once In Awhile

[ccthemovieman-1 · 8/10 · 7 February 2010]

Gee, I couldn't believe it. Frank had these three criminals all dead-to-rights and let's himself gets knocked unconscious and the crooks get away...with all the loot, too. I've never seen "Ballinger" look so inept.....but you knew things would somehow get solved in the end.

What happened above actually is good and lends reality to this show. The hero is not always perfect and doesn't always succeed at everything. That uncertainty keeps the the suspense going in some of these stories.

Oh, you know Lee Marvin isn't going to get killed (especially in the first season!) but you never know how each particular case is going to go. Rarely does it go smoothly, even with a great cop like "Ballinger." Here, he's up against a very unique opponent: three older, intelligent guys all from different parts of the country who get together once a year to pull off a big heist. These guys are smart enough never to leave evidence and can get caught.

So what eventually does them in, even after they knock out our star? I'm dying to say, but I'll hold off. I'd rather you checked it out. If you can't find it on TV, there is a DVD set available with every M Squad episode. It's not cheap, but it's worth it if you are a fan of this show.

Undercover Job

[gordonl56 · 8/10 · 8 October 2013]

M-SQUAD – The Specialists -1957

This is episode twelve of the 1957 to 1960 Crime series, M-SQUAD. The series ran for 117 episodes and features Lee Marvin as the headliner. Marvin is a Lt with the elite M-Squad unit of the Chicago Police.

This episode has Police Lt Lee Marvin going undercover as a hired gunman. A gunsel, Kem Dibbs, is picked up on an assault beef and offers up some info for a get out of jail card. He has been hired to supply protection to a trio of out of town crooks coming to Chicago.

The trio meet once a year and pull off a high end score before melting back to their hometowns. They plan every detail of the score before they move. The hired muscle is brought along just in case.

Marvin makes the meet instead of Dibbs and soon convinces the trio, Douglas Evans, Jan Arven and Dave Barry he is their man. Marvin is to make contact with M-Squad when he gets the robbery details. That idea goes nowhere as Marvin is kept with the trio till heist time.

They hit the home of a wealthy, gone for the weekend, couple and start to crack their wall safe. Marvin now reveals himself as a Policeman, and orders the men to surrender. The one man gets in a lucky punch in on Marvin knocking him unconscious. The trio then finish the job and split.

Marvin comes to and calls in the incident as he rubs the back of his head. Marvin can identify the crooks by sight, so he hits the mug shot books for a look. No luck there, or with the fingerprint boys. The three crooks wiped the place clean before leaving.

M-Squad starts beating the bushes at all the local hotels on the chance they might get lucky. Marvin hits gold at one of the hotels and soon all three suspects are being questioned. All three deny ever seeing Marvin before and ask what proof the Police have. The Squad catches a break when the wife of Barry shows. The woman, Peg La Centra, just happens to be wearing one of the stolen rings.

Marvin and the Squad are all smiles as they pull out their cuffs.

The cast includes, Gil Perkins, Clark Howat, Charles Evans and in a non-villain role for a change, Richard Devon. (b/w)

Ballinger was here

[kapelusznik18 · 5/10 · 11 October 2014]

***SPOILERS*** Getting a tip from one of his underworld connections that a trio of safe crackers posing as out of town businessmen are in town to pull their annual heist Let. Det. Franbk Ballinger, Lee Marvin, decides to go undercover as strong-arm man Frank DeSantas to provide them with protection. At first everything goes like clockwork as the three plan their big job of ripping off $150,000.00 of jewelry in the exclusive Golden Coast section of Chicago. That's until Ballinger, totally alone without any back-up, pull out his revolver in attempting to arrest them only to get clobbered from behind by one of the crooks who all end up getting away with the stolen jewels.

Hurt & embarrassed in what happened Ballinger is now determined to capture the trio not just to have them pay for their crime but to repair his damaged ego as well as cracked skull. With the three safe crackers Berry Evens & Arvan, Richard Lowell Thomas Mennan & John Carrafee, covering their tracks Ballinger was still able to find out their names, by associating with them, and the hotel that their staying at and have them arrested or held for questioning.

***SPOILERS*** Just when everything look hopeless with the trio about to be released and leave town up pops Lowell's old lady, Peg De Centra, and as if on cue she's wearing one of the stolen items, a diamond ring, from the trio's latest safe cracking heist in the Gold Coast section of Chicago! This saved Det. Let. Ballinger from looking like an inept bozo as well as finally put the trio of safe crackers behind bars!