99 RIVER STREET

US, 1953, 95 minutes, Black and white.
John Payne, Evelyn Keyes, Brad Dexter, Peggy Castle, Frank Faylen.
Directed by Phil Karlson.

99 River Street has a strong reputation as a film noir of the 1950s, a high point in the long career of director Phil Karlson. It has a tough boxing opening where the protagonist, John Payne, has an eye injury and has to retire, driving a taxi. His wife, a former showgirl, had Broadway ambitions but is angry at how she finds herself with a man she considers a loser. She teams up with a diamond robber which leads to her death.

There is an assorted group of characters in the criminal world, especially diamond robbers, fences, makers of false passports.

John Payne is strong and vigorous in the central role. He is matched by Evelyn Keyes as an actress who wants to star on Broadway as well, and there is a quite persuasive scene, with a twist, where she engages Payne’s help because she has killed a producer. However, this is a stunt to prove that she really has acting talent and the audience is surprised when it turns out this way.

In the meantime, Payne’s anger overflows as he confronts a diamond thug, a suave robber, but he needs him alive as a witness to his innocence of his wife’s death.

This film noir stands up well in comparison with others of its time.

1. A film noir of the 1950s? Its strong reputation?

2. The work of the director, tough films? Black and white photography, the American city? The boxing world, the gyms? Apartments? Taxes and headquarters? Restaurants? The theatre? Realism? The musical score? The strong cast?

3. The complexity of the plot?

4. The introduction to Ernie, the desperate about, his eye, the injury, his being banned from fighting? Years passing, his anger? His love for Pauline? Her complaints about her life? Driving the taxi? His discovery of the relationship between Pauline and Rawlins? His rigid with Linda, her request, the story of the murder, going to the theatre, his desperate response, his anger at the truth, her apology? The theatre people and their exploiting his lines and his reaction? His friendship with Stan, advice, work with the taxis? Going to the apartment for Rawlins, the man with the gun, the bashing? Getting the information, some Detective work as to where Rawlins was? Christopher and his plan? The role of the police? His fighting the thug, Pauline’s body on the taxi? The fight with Rawlins, wanting him as a witness for his innocence? His decision not to fight after his visit to the gym, owning the garage, calm, with Linda and Stan? The future?

5. Pauline, a show girl, her hopes, her marriage, Ernie as famous, the years after, her verbal attack, going to work, the affair with a woollens, the plane, the diamonds, Christopher and his disdain, anti-women, Rawlins killing her, putting her body in the car, trying to frame Ernie?

6. Linda, her friendship, her hopes of the theatre, going to the interview, the return, the story of the murder, Ernie responding? Her performance? Her getting the part? The company wanting publicity from Ernie?

7. Christopher, the diamonds, his thug associate, anti-women? The plan, with Ernie? The police and the shootouts?

8. Rawlins, smooth, his plan, with Pauline, the diamonds, going to the restaurant, getting his passport, going to the ship, the fight with Ernie?

9. Stan, friendly, his support?

10. 1950s noir slice of life?