CLAY PIGEON
US, 1949, 63 minutes, Black and white.
Bill Williams, Barbara Hale, Richard Quine, Richard Loo, Martha Hyer.
Directed by Richard Fleischer.
Clay Pigeon is a very brief hardboiled thriller, directed by Richard Fleischer when he was establishing his career in Hollywood after making many successful B-budget movies. At this time he made The Narrow Margin. This was to be the beginning of a varied career, perhaps a journeyman director, but very skilful in storytelling and the range of films from biblical (Barabbas), Disney (20,000 Leagues Under the Sea), psychological dramas (Boston Strangler, Compulsion, The Strangler of Rillington Place and action adventure (The Vikings, Conan the Destroyer, Red Sonja).
This film highlights, rather unexpectedly, a scheme of collaboration between American criminals with Japanese, especially concerning counterfeit money made by the Japanese in anticipation of the invasion of California.
The film highlights torture in the prisoner-of-war camps during the war and the deals made afterwards.
Bill Williams isn't the greatest of screen heroes but had a long career. Here he appears with his wife of forty-six years, Barbara Hale, who was making comedies at this time but, of course, came to fame as Della Street in the Perry Mason series and between 1985 and 1995 made thirty of these telemovies. Director Richard Quine (The Notorious Landlady) appears as the expected villain. The film was written by Carl Foreman who was blacklisted in the early 50s but wrote such films as High Noon, The Victors, Young Winston.
1. Brief drama? Characters, issues, action?
2. The Californian settings, the black and white photography? Apartments, the roads, hotels? Trains? Police and navy precincts? Authentic atmosphere? Musical score?
3. The title and the setting up of Jim Fletcher as scapegoat, as clay pigeon?
4. The story of Jim Fletcher, his coming to in the hospital, the coma, the blind sailor attacking him, the hostility of the nurse? His overhearing the information about his court-martial? His escaping from the hospital, the headlines and the torture of Mark Gregory? His making his way to Martha Gregory’s house, intimidating her, tying her up? His trying to get time to think? Getting in touch with Ted, his friend from the concentration camp, advice from him? The decision to go to Los Angeles to find the information, Martha going with him, her wanting to be caught, the roadblock and sounding the horn? The attempt on their lives on the road? Her believing him? His regaining some memories, the collapse, the doctor, his having a week at the beach, recuperating, Martha believing in him? The phone call to Ted, going to Los Angeles? The hotel, the restaurant and his seeing the Weasel from the prisoner-of-war camp? His pursuit, the narrow escape from the killers at the hotel? Ted and his asking Martha to come to his apartment, getting the information? Jim and his going to the company, getting the address of the Japanese – and his being set up, his being pursued, the kindly Japanese woman hiding him? His shrewdness in breaking the baby’s toy and getting the baby to cry and cover his presence? His return, the information about the railway, his going, his being trapped by the Japanese and by Ted? Martha and her going to the apartment, getting the information, the navy intelligence arriving, their believing her, stopping the train, Ted and the clash with Jim, the fight? The arrests? Vindicated – and wedding bells at the end?
5. The situation, the concentration camp, scrounging food, Mark as the leader, his being betrayed by Ted, beaten to death? Jim and his beatings? Ted and his doing the deals, the counterfeit money and its being laundered? The navy pursuit, the arrests?
6. Martha, strength of character – and the very vigorous fight at the beginning (between real-life husband and wife on-screen)? Her trying to get Jim caught, believing in him, working with him, falling in love?
7. Ted, the obvious villain, suave and smooth? The Japanese and his role in the prisoner-of-war camp?
8. A neat action thriller, succinct – and raising issues criticising American society, especially in the post-war years?
