KANSAS CITY CONFIDENTIAL

US, 1953, 102 minutes, Colour.
John Payne, Preston Foster, Colleen Gray, Jack Elam, Lee van Cleef, Neville Brand.
Directed by Phil Karlson.

Kansas City Confidential is considered something of a classic amongst the crime films of the 1950s. Phil Karlson has a strong record of films in this vein, especially 99 River Street at the same time.

The opening indicates that this is a crime that has been concealed in files because it concerned the police.

Preston Foster appears at a window, noting movements at a bank, as well as a delivery truck for flowers. He then interviews, with a mask, three criminals whom he employs for a bank robbery, targeting the driver of the van as the fall guy. He is played by John Payne, star of 99 River Street. After he is released, he gets information and follows the trail of the robbers to Mexico, encountering each of them. Assuming the identity of one of them when he is killed at an airport.

The plot is complicated because the audience knows that the retired police chief, played by Preston Foster, is in fact the mastermind. Character actors of the period, Neville Brand, Jack Elam, and Lee van Cleef played the criminals. There is a romantic complication with Colleen Gray as the policeman’s daughter who is attracted by Payne.

There is a tense set up at the end, with the police chief collaborating with an active policeman, giving him the signal that three criminals were together and then claiming the reward for the restitution of the money from the robbery. Needless to say, the criminals don’t survive and there is a happy ending, a bit too pat, for the couple.

1. The classic status of this film? The work of the director? Police and heist genre the 1950s?

2. Kansas City, the bank, the streets, the police? Mexico, the towns, bars and hotels? Tourists? The sea, fishing…? The studio sets? The musical score?

3. The introduction, the written information, the crime? The confidentiality of the file? Foster and his checking the bank, the fan, the security, the money, the time? His interviews, wearing a mask, knowing the three criminals, the background, able to persuade them, control them?

4. The heist itself, the two florist trucks? Joe and his work, the arrest, the interrogation? His record? A tough man, the tough police and the interrogation? His being free, the newspaper headlines? Going to his friend, having saved his life on Iwo Jima, the help?

5. Joe, in himself, the decision to solve the crime, going to Mexico? The leads? Meeting Harris, the interactions, Harris and his fear, the information? The airport, Harris being killed, the police? Joe assuming his identity?

6. Going to the hotel, Helen and her company? The flirtatious woman at the desk, souvenirs? Her contact with Romano? Joe confronting him, the broken card, the gambling? Kane, their behaviour, ganging up on Joe, he is overcoming them, explaining the situation to them?

7. Foster, contacting the police? His plan, framing the three men, Helen and her reopening his case? With the cash in the boat and the van? Gathering the three, for the police to arrest them, for him to get the reward? Joe’s harm as collateral damage?

8. Foster, his relationship with his daughter, her studying law, coming to visit him, his warning her against Joe? Helen the attraction? Talking with Joe, the dinner, the swim, finding his gun?

9. Foster, his plan, the letters to the three, their meeting in the morning, offering them a lift, the boat, the signal to the police? Joe and Romano, talking, shooting Kane? The two, their struggle, Foster coming on board, shooting Romano, Foster being shot? Joe realising the truth?

10. Foster, getting Joe to promise not to tell Helen? His death? The insurance man? The reward, happiness the Joe and Helen? Perhaps too happy an ending? Too pat?