NEVER TRUST A GAMBLER
US, 1951, minutes, Black-and-white.
Dane Clark, Cathy O’ Donnell, Tom Drake, Jeff Corey Rhys Williams.
Directed by Ralph Murphy.
This is a small supporting feature of the early 1950s. However, in its way, it is quite effective, San Francisco and Los Angeles settings, ordinary streets, suburban homes and stores, police precincts.
The focus is on Dane Clark has Steve Garry, an inveterate gambler, his not wanting to be called as a witness to defend his friend on the charge of murdering his wife, escaping to Los Angeles and going to his former wife, Virginia, played by Cathy O’ Donnell (Best Years of Our Lives, Detective Story, Ben Hur). There is an accident with the death of an aggressive policeman, the disposal of his body, covering up the bullet hole in the roof. Virginia wants to go to the police, Garry wants her to stay.
There is disposal of the body, the clues about the body, footprints, witness of the bus driver, identification from a photo. The detective in charge, a sympathetic Tom Drake, interrogates Virginia, as well as taking her to dinner. Tension builds up, Garry takes Virginia to San Diego, to the waterfront to get a boat, but the police pursue and there is a very effective climax, filmed on location, with very tall cranes and action on the height at the waterfront.
Effective of its kind.
1. A crime drama, set in suburbia, so ordinary characters, the police, but the central criminal, the gambler?
2. The title? Straightforward? And accurate advice?
3. San Francisco, Los Angeles, the ordinary streets, stores, suburban homes? The countryside, the cliff and the accident? The road to San Diego? The waterfront? The huge cranes? The musical score?
4. Introduction to Steve Garry, packing, the police arriving, his escape? Coming to Virginia’s house? Their being divorced, his relying on her, his more gentle tone with her? Wanting to stay? Phoebe, the neighbouring busybody? The aggressive policeman, flirting, coming to the house, the drinking, molesting Virginia, Steve attacking him, the fight, his death? The decision to remove the body, in the car, the crash down the cliff? Steve, walking away, getting the bus back? Leaving clues, the body falling out of the car and not burnt, his footsteps and prints, the recognition by the bus driver? His photo?
5. The contrast with Virginia, falling in love with Steve, his gambling, the divorce? In separate cities? Her response, wanting him gone? Allowing him to stay, going to the store, the flirtatious policeman, the bottle of whiskey, her escaping in her car, his coming to the door, aggressive, attacking her, the fight? The shot, patching the hole in the roof, later the rain falling? Steve persuading her to support him? The car in the body? Steve protesting his innocence, the bank book, the honest money, rather than gambling?
6. The police, Los Angeles, Donovan, the case of Steve Garry, not wanting to pursue it, a San Francisco case? His being available to testify to defend his friend from killing his wife? And the irony later revealed that he had killed the wife? Absconding with the money? Donovan and his partner, the dead man, at the accident site, the examination of the body, the wound, the footprints, the bus driver and his cantankerous wife condemning him?
7. Donovan, interrogating Virginia, the covering for Steve? The noise of the shot, the radio program? Phoebe’s testimony? Donovan taking Virginia to dinner, the questions, her covering them? The further investigations, Phoebe, the storekeeper, identification?
8. Steve, upset, the escape, taking Virginia in the car? Her wanting to inform the police? Stopping for petrol? The credit card, her note for the police?
9. Driving to the wharf, trying to hire the boat, pulling the gun, shooting the boat keeper? The police, his escaping, Virginia as hostage, Donovan pursuing, Garry pushing her away, climbing the crane, Donovan pursuing, the police below and the guns? Garry holding the gun on Donovan, Donovan holding his leg, Garry falling to his death?
10. The happy ending – and the partner discreetly not looking into the mirror and moving it!
