Did you people see the same film I saw?

The story, direction, characters, and writing/dialogue is akin to taking a tranquilizer shot to the neck, but everything else was so well done.

One of the worst ways to make a cult movie is to set out to make a cult movie.

A terrific literary drama and character piece that shows how the process of creating art can be seen differently by those doing it and those looking at it from the outside.

Great noir thriller. William Talman excels as the crime boss Purvis. The plot shoots at us with a relentless pace. The heist happens early on, with its inevitable complications leading to the end of the line for Talman.Adele Jergens nailed down her role as a burlesque dancer, girlfriend to Talman, and sometimes wife to the unlucky Douglas Fowley's Benny. Despite the short running time, Armored Car Robbery packs in plenty of scenes. The grungy dock area absorbs a lot of the movie, but we're nonetheless sent around to police headquarters, the sleazy nightclub and seedy bar, and the dark rainy streets and alleys of L.A.Talman's hyper demeanor maintains tension; we never know who he's going to strike out at next. His character's lack of sensitivity epitomizes the narcissistic criminal personality. His only value is a pay-off; "Here's to money" is his toast with Jergens. In the brilliant runway scene he's whacked by an incoming plane, his useless cash tumbling down around him like so much garbage. McGraw, as the tough police Lieutenant, isn't not nearly as entertaining as Talman. He does warm up a bit to his new rookie partner, but he's almost robotic for most of the film. A strong personality projects power. Since we know a Robert Mitchum character is tough, he can have nuances; McGraw has to pile it on so much he comes off as one-dimensional. His performance isn't bad at all, just not up to Talman's excellence.Very rewarding experience on many levels. Worth watching just for Talman and Jergens; not to mention for the atmosphere, plot, and supporting cast. Not to be missed.

The old Wrigley Field in Los Angeles becomes the setting for a heist of the armored car by a group of crooks who then shoot it out with the police. One officer is sent to the hospital with a bullet wound, while one of the crooks is seriously wounded yet manages to make it past the officers who search each car passing through their barricade. This riveting crime drama/film noir examines both the thieves' plans to how the investigators take each clue they receive to identify the culprits. Add in a burlesque queen (married to one of the robbers), some thrilling car chases and a finale that will have you dropping your jaw, and you've got a fun-filled "B" feature that shows once again if crime does pay, it comes at a cost.You've seen all of these character types in movies before, and how the gangsters all seem to be in sync until the bottom falls out. Betrayal always follows, and some will live, but a few will most likely die. These films don't shirk on action, and with mostly a cast of unknowns, seem grittier than some of the "A" features of similar themes. This 1950 RKO movie is pretty much the same theme as 1955's low-budget noir, "The Killing" (set at a race track rather than a ball game). You can pretty much predict how everything is going to turn out, but it is so much fun watching it all unfold. Adele Jergens, one of the great brassy blondes of the golden age of Hollywood, is memorable as the burlesque queen the cops question and who may or may not lead them to the bandits. Crackling dialog, rough action and a no-holds barred and unapologetic atmosphere of grit make this a must for crime/film noir lovers.

A good early killer crime flick from director Richard Fleischer, who really hit his straps 20 years later with the classic sci-fi "Soylent Green" (1973).This film noir is well plotted, has a great storyline and is interesting and absorbing throughout. At 67 minutes it achieves its required result with very little padding.Brisk performances from the gravel voiced Charles McGraw who had made it big in TV in the mid-50's with "The Adventures of Falcon".Tough blonde Adele Jergen, who had a tragic life off screen, is great as the lover of gangland leader William Talman who made a career as the District Attorney who always lost to Perry Mason.If it ever comes on one of the movie channels do yourself a favour and see it.7/10

Great B-movie cast with many nice touches. Everybody's favorite 50's psycho William Talman heads the heist gang, looking almost suave and sleek at times. He even gets to kiss the girl, probably the only time in his career. Too bad he turned legit on the old Perry Mason show. That fine utility actor Steve Brodie has some good moments too, along with a sneering Douglas Fowley and a blue-collar Gene Evans. And, oh yes, mustn't forget the great cheap blonde of the era, Adele Jergens, all decked out in her best Victoria's Secret finery. Her strip show may be on the tame side, but we get the idea. And in dogged police pursuit, the ever-forceful Charles McGraw who could play either side of the legal fence with jut-jawed persuasion. There's a thousand slices of A-grade thick ear wrapped up in this hard-boiled assembly.Then too, director Fleischer makes all the deft moves-- the balky car, the gruesome corpse. Maybe somebody forgot the utility bill, but there's a real change of mood half-way through, when the screen shifts from high-key daylight to low-key noir as the shadows and bodies pile up. Yeah, you've probably seen it all before, but rarely done this well and with an Oscar night of B-movie all-stars. Too bad, Stanley Kubrick didn't acknowledge this modest programmer when he lifted the caper film to artistic heights in The Killing (1956). As he learned, prop washes make a superb visual blender for loose dollar bills, along with a lasting note of dramatic irony. Acknowledged or not, this little potboiler has all the earmarks of RKO's golden age of take-no-prisoners noir.