THREE STEPS NORTH
US, 1951, 84 minutes, Black-and-white.
Lloyd Bridges, Lea Padovani, Aldo Fabrizi, William Tubbs.
Directed by W.E Wilder.
Three Steps North is a brief film made in location in Italy, so many American companies having to use up European finances by making their films in Europe. This film takes advantage of the Italian south, the city of Amalfi, the local countryside.
Lloyd Bridges does one of his typical roles as an American GI who gets caught up with black market activities at the end of the war, buries his money near a tree and three steps North, serving his prison sentence and returning to Italy to recover the money.
There are all kinds of complications, his previous girlfriend played by Italian actress Lea Padovani, a sinister Greek, American criminals in the city, the investigations and suspicions by the local police, by a large detective. There is also Pietro (Aldo Fabbrizi) who is the caretaker of the cemetery and the key to what happened to the money (which, towards the end of the film audience will realise what actually has happened).
Touches of romance and betrayal, American criminals in Italy, police investigations, shootouts.
1. A World War II and post-World War II drama? American military? American support forces? Black market? Criminal activity, prison? The aftermath?
2. The Italian settings, Amalfi, the coast, the roads, the countryside? The town, hotels, the police, the cemetery? The American prison? The musical score?
3. Frank, his story, in the military, driving the truck’s, the black market, the money, the local dealers? His past relationships? Elena?
4. Hiding the money, the tree, three steps north? The authorities, his arrest, the sentence?
5. The decision to return to Italy, associates, the money, passports and documents? Sailing to Naples? Going to Amalfi?
6. His character, covering his tracks, the contacts in the town, suspicions? Meeting Elena again, her anger with him, the response, her contacts?
7. The American criminals in the town, the connections, the threats to Frank? People trying to get money from him? The murders?
8. The police, the investigations, interrogations, Frank and his cover, Elena giving him an alibi? The Greek and his sinister presence?
9. Frank, going to recover the money, the tree, discovering the cemetery? The money gone? His meeting with Pietro, Pietro and his work at the cemetery, the building of the Church? His being interrogated?
10. Frank, his dismay, Pietro and the money, spending an on building the church? Frank’s reaction?
11. The confrontations, the police, the Greek, the shootings, the American criminals?
12. Frank, resigned to his money in the church, meeting up with Elena, a future?
