This is one of those extravagantly stylized late-period noirs, one which palpitates with flamboyant cinematic technique. It belongs in the same club as those other exaggerated, self-consciously arty noirs of the late 50s/early 60s, like Touch of Evil, Kiss Me Deadly, Blast of Silence and Sam Fuller's contemporaneous contributions to the genre. Wendkos directs like a recent A+ film school graduate showing off every Hitchcock and Welles trick he's learned -- there are many stunning edits (he is also credited as the film's editor), several strikingly composed shots, and a suitably seedy background (the fact that the crooks' hideout is right next to a railway line full of speeding streamliners is a boon). At the same time, he toes the studio line of narrative clarity and cohesive action scenes enough to make this suitable viewing for the non-buff (one can see why he spent most of his years in television, but at the same time could dazzle with over-the-top effects in The Mephisto Waltz.) Fans of Atlantic City's Steel Pier are in for a treat in the film's climax (which owes a bit too much to The Lady from Shanghai) -- we even get to see the diving horse. But notably, we also see the soggy marshes that border the city and reflect the protagonists' own situational quagmire. It may not have the integrity of the more subtly devastating noirs of the Siodmak 40s, but it has its own postmodern tradition to uphold. It's worth picking this one up even on the third-generation dupes that are now in circulation; a wide-screen dvd restoration is definitely in order.
37 Reviews
Dan Duryea -- Honorable Thief
alonzoiii-122 February 2011
A showy medium has a set of fancy jewels. Dan Duryea, THE BURGLAR, intends to steal them with the help of gang member Jayne Mansfield. Will the stresses and strains of the criminal lifestyle wreck their lives, or will the gang finally make the big score that will let them all retire?
This is one of those movies, following in the wake of the Asphalt Jungle, that shows how the tiny character flaws of the criminals involved in a caper all work to mess up their enterprise. If you like the genre, you'll like this. If you are not a noir/crime movie enthusiast, you might determine that all this seems pretty derivative from better movies. The director has definitely seen his Orson Welles movies (Citizen Kane and Lady from Shanghai are sampled here), but he only has a B-movie plot to drive the action. Later in the movie, this becomes a problem when the mechanics of inevitable doom require Duryea to show an implausible lack of judgment.
Nevertheless, Dan Duryea, who plays his role without an ounce of his usual scuzzy smarm, responds quite well to being cast somewhat against type. Jayne Mansfield, who had not yet developed her inflatable sex doll persona (this movie was shot well before Will Success Spoil Rock Hunter?), does well with a fairly nuanced part that makes use of her looks, but does not require her to be either stupid or sleazy. The movie, when not being overly showy with its visuals, gets in some great location shooting in both Philadlphia and Atlantic City.
This is worth seeing, if you like crime movies. But you will get the feeling there was a lot of potential that went unfulfilled here.
This is one of those movies, following in the wake of the Asphalt Jungle, that shows how the tiny character flaws of the criminals involved in a caper all work to mess up their enterprise. If you like the genre, you'll like this. If you are not a noir/crime movie enthusiast, you might determine that all this seems pretty derivative from better movies. The director has definitely seen his Orson Welles movies (Citizen Kane and Lady from Shanghai are sampled here), but he only has a B-movie plot to drive the action. Later in the movie, this becomes a problem when the mechanics of inevitable doom require Duryea to show an implausible lack of judgment.
Nevertheless, Dan Duryea, who plays his role without an ounce of his usual scuzzy smarm, responds quite well to being cast somewhat against type. Jayne Mansfield, who had not yet developed her inflatable sex doll persona (this movie was shot well before Will Success Spoil Rock Hunter?), does well with a fairly nuanced part that makes use of her looks, but does not require her to be either stupid or sleazy. The movie, when not being overly showy with its visuals, gets in some great location shooting in both Philadlphia and Atlantic City.
This is worth seeing, if you like crime movies. But you will get the feeling there was a lot of potential that went unfulfilled here.
Jayne's a legacy
bkoganbing2 May 2015
For a chance to look at Atlantic City in the Fifties before the casinos moved in The Burglar is the film for you. Dan Duryea stars in this small B film from Columbia as a professional burglar looking to make a big score with a necklace robbed from a fake spiritualist.
Duryea's team consists of Peter Capell jewelry expert, Mickey Shaughnessy muscle and hormones, and Jayne Mansfield who gives his hormones their exercise. Jayne's kind of a legacy for Duryea, if you can believe he thinks of her as kind of a kid sister. Duryea was raised by Jayne's father who was also a burglar and taught him the trade.
The robbery goes, but Duryea is spotted by cop Stewart Bradley who's on the take. So he has real police as well as this crooked one looking to get in on the score.
You'll note the similarities between The Burglar and The Asphalt Jungle. Both Duryea here and Sterling Hayden in the John Huston classic seem to be drawn inexorably to disaster. The difference is that Huston had that MGM shine to his film and this is a routine B film that's a cut above average.
Usually when a film is held up for a couple of years for release that spells problems. But The Burglar shot in 1955 and released in 1957 is moody and atmospheric and a nifty noir feature. Jayne Mansfield gets some competition in the sex pot department from Martha Vickers best remembered as Lauren Bacall's psychotic sister in The Big Sleep. She's working with Bradley who's working on Mansfield. All I can say is nice work if you can get it.
Around this time there was an attempt to make a lead of Dan Duryea, but he never really transitioned into that category. But The Burglar represents a fine bit of work from him and the rest of the cast.
Duryea's team consists of Peter Capell jewelry expert, Mickey Shaughnessy muscle and hormones, and Jayne Mansfield who gives his hormones their exercise. Jayne's kind of a legacy for Duryea, if you can believe he thinks of her as kind of a kid sister. Duryea was raised by Jayne's father who was also a burglar and taught him the trade.
The robbery goes, but Duryea is spotted by cop Stewart Bradley who's on the take. So he has real police as well as this crooked one looking to get in on the score.
You'll note the similarities between The Burglar and The Asphalt Jungle. Both Duryea here and Sterling Hayden in the John Huston classic seem to be drawn inexorably to disaster. The difference is that Huston had that MGM shine to his film and this is a routine B film that's a cut above average.
Usually when a film is held up for a couple of years for release that spells problems. But The Burglar shot in 1955 and released in 1957 is moody and atmospheric and a nifty noir feature. Jayne Mansfield gets some competition in the sex pot department from Martha Vickers best remembered as Lauren Bacall's psychotic sister in The Big Sleep. She's working with Bradley who's working on Mansfield. All I can say is nice work if you can get it.
Around this time there was an attempt to make a lead of Dan Duryea, but he never really transitioned into that category. But The Burglar represents a fine bit of work from him and the rest of the cast.
Why doesn't this quite work?
deschreiber15 November 2011
This film has a lot going for it. The opening few minutes are imaginative. Dan Duryea's acting is excellent, good enough to carry him through patches of hokey dialogue. Jayne Mansfield is nice to look at, with a pretty face, and curvaceous in a 50s sort of way before feminine beauty became thin as a rake (But what was the make-up department thinking giving her those outlandish eyebrows?). Never mind that she couldn't act. You have to enjoy the noirish atmosphere, and there are lots of outdoor scenes that catch the eye. The original music, by Sol Kaplan, is superb, or at least it would be on its own; as background it's a little too intrusive and occasionally over the top emotionally. The climax, with a deadly chase in an amusement park is a nice Hitchcock touch. Yet the movie doesn't quite work. It's hard to say exactly why. One big problem is the writing. Both the plot and the dialogue seem to have the same major flaws: at times hokey, at other times seeming to stall, leaving awkward silences or clumsy transitions. I think The Burglar might have been excellent if the studio had given more resources to developing the script, instead of leaving it in the hands of the man who wrote the novel the movie is based on.
heavy psychological noir starring Dan Duryea
blanche-27 September 2019
From 1957, "The Burglar" is a psychological noir starring Dan Duryea, Jayne Mansfield, Martha Vickers, Mickey Shaughnessy, Phoebe McKay, Peter Capell.
The beginning of the film is action-oriented, with Gladden (Mansfield) appearing at the door of a famous medium, Sister Sara and being invited in for lunch. She's there to case the joint aor her guardian Nat (Duryea) and find where Sister stores her gorgeous sapphire necklace.
The crew, led by Nat (Duryea) has fifteen minutes, during which time Sister watches a news show, to rob her bedroom safe. Nat does it, but not before the police see him and his car.
Tensions mount immediately. Nat thinks the best thing to do is wait for things to "cool down." Baylock (Capell) is hyper to get out as fast as possible, and Dohmer (Shaughnessy) keeps leering at Gladden until finally, Nat has to send her to Atlantic City.
However, it's not just the police after the necklace, and soon real problems develop.
Paul Wendkos directed this - it was his first feature, and his editing and camera technique attracted immediate attention and won him a contract at Columbia.
Dark and depressing, "The Burglar" focuses on Nat's psychological issues stemming from his love and loyalty to a man who took him in - Gladden's father - and his promise to take care of her. It's heavy going.
The film is very well done, even if it's not the most exciting thing you'll ever see. Dan Duryea gives a wonderful performance as a man with a conscience. Mansfield is deglamorized as the young Gladden. Though she's obviously beautiful and has a great figure, she appears to wear very little makeup and does not push her sex appeal.
Very Hitchcockian ending.
The beginning of the film is action-oriented, with Gladden (Mansfield) appearing at the door of a famous medium, Sister Sara and being invited in for lunch. She's there to case the joint aor her guardian Nat (Duryea) and find where Sister stores her gorgeous sapphire necklace.
The crew, led by Nat (Duryea) has fifteen minutes, during which time Sister watches a news show, to rob her bedroom safe. Nat does it, but not before the police see him and his car.
Tensions mount immediately. Nat thinks the best thing to do is wait for things to "cool down." Baylock (Capell) is hyper to get out as fast as possible, and Dohmer (Shaughnessy) keeps leering at Gladden until finally, Nat has to send her to Atlantic City.
However, it's not just the police after the necklace, and soon real problems develop.
Paul Wendkos directed this - it was his first feature, and his editing and camera technique attracted immediate attention and won him a contract at Columbia.
Dark and depressing, "The Burglar" focuses on Nat's psychological issues stemming from his love and loyalty to a man who took him in - Gladden's father - and his promise to take care of her. It's heavy going.
The film is very well done, even if it's not the most exciting thing you'll ever see. Dan Duryea gives a wonderful performance as a man with a conscience. Mansfield is deglamorized as the young Gladden. Though she's obviously beautiful and has a great figure, she appears to wear very little makeup and does not push her sex appeal.
Very Hitchcockian ending.
This should pass some time quite well
tlloydesq1 April 2014
Let's break this film into 3 scenes: the intro and robbery – good. The ending – good. The wordy bit in the middle – awful.
There is a reasonable (not brilliant) story in there and the cast make a good fist of that but the overly emotional scenes which bind the story together just don't work. That the score is overpowering doesn't help.
But this film could have been so much better if it was tightened up. There are some decent jazz rhythms humming away in the background which could have been worked on and the dramatisation I refer to in the middle could also have been better arranged.
On the plus side, the seedy setting suits the film and I appreciate the straightforward action – no need for choreographed martial arts when a few decent punches (carefully played in the background) do the job.
I wouldn't go out of my way to watch this film again but...if you have 90 minutes to kill it is worth persevering with.
There is a reasonable (not brilliant) story in there and the cast make a good fist of that but the overly emotional scenes which bind the story together just don't work. That the score is overpowering doesn't help.
But this film could have been so much better if it was tightened up. There are some decent jazz rhythms humming away in the background which could have been worked on and the dramatisation I refer to in the middle could also have been better arranged.
On the plus side, the seedy setting suits the film and I appreciate the straightforward action – no need for choreographed martial arts when a few decent punches (carefully played in the background) do the job.
I wouldn't go out of my way to watch this film again but...if you have 90 minutes to kill it is worth persevering with.
DURYEA IN FINE FORM...!
masonfisk14 December 2020
Dan Duryea & Jayne Mansfield star in this film noir from 1957. A lengthy jewel heist is at the core of this caper as its pulled off at the film's start w/the remainder of the film having the thieves wait for the hand-off so they can get paid. Mansfield, Duryea's half sister, is sent away while they wait where she meets a guy & carries on a mini romance while Duryea does the same w/a woman, played by Martha Vickers, but what the thieves don't know is that they're being played from both ends leading up to a taut but satisfying conclusion. Made almost w/a European sensibility of action & release (the long waiting period that takes up the bulk of the narrative), this film's plot has a weird time signature to it & it works giving Duryea a good part to sink his teeth into (he usually favors the cackling villain roles) where he's at the end of his rope & suffers for it. Mansfield (mother of Law & Order: SVU's Mariska Hartigay) shows she's more than a pretty face giving nuance & detail to her small but pivotal role.
"You Took Off?" "Jet-Propelled"
davidcarniglia13 December 2020
Warning: Spoilers
Strange, uneven, later '50s noir. Dan Duryea heads a motley crew of thieves: antsy Baylock (Peter Capell), doltish Dohmer (Michael Shaughnessy), and adventurous Gladden (Jayne Mansfield). After a jewelry heist, first Gladden, then the rest of them split Philadelphia for Atlantic City. Dohmer gets killed along the way in a shootout with police. A bit of a complication is that the guy that picks up on Gladden at the beach is a cop--a dirty one at that. Also, Della (Martha Vickers) picks up on Nat--she's the cop's accomplice.
That's Charlie (Stewart Bradley); he knows about the heist, so he figures to get a piece of the action. Well, first bit of action is that he kills Baylock, and confronts Nat--where's the $100k necklace? Wisely, Nat's given it to Gladden. Della's ready to sell-ouf Charlie, if Nat will leave with her. Can he warn Gladden in time? Just. We're set for one of the better noir backdrops for the climax: the amusement rides and attractions at the Atlantic City boardwalk. In the funhouse, Charlie hunts Nat and Gladden. To s of cops show up.
A weird meeting of the three of them, and a deal: the necklace for Gladden. As expected, though, Charlie shoots Nat. The Captain (Warren K. Phillips) knows something isn't right; Della shows up to finger Charlie for the necklace. So he's arrested. The end. Very tragic outcome; Charlie's comeuppance hardly squares Nat's death, but at least Gladden survives.
There's a lot more emotional turmoil (mostly centered around Nat) than in most noirs. In this sense, its halfway to being a thriller. The constant arguing among the heist team is builds so much tension that it's surprising they don't all kill each other in that woebegone house. Duryea dominates the screen, but Baylock chews it up. Although Charlie has ties to both women, they obviously are in Nat's corner.
Were it not for a flat spot in the middle--Nick's flashback, which explains his relationship with Gladden, might've been just done better by a few asides--this would come together very well. As it is, there's a wild thread running through it that's worth following to the dramatic finish.
That's Charlie (Stewart Bradley); he knows about the heist, so he figures to get a piece of the action. Well, first bit of action is that he kills Baylock, and confronts Nat--where's the $100k necklace? Wisely, Nat's given it to Gladden. Della's ready to sell-ouf Charlie, if Nat will leave with her. Can he warn Gladden in time? Just. We're set for one of the better noir backdrops for the climax: the amusement rides and attractions at the Atlantic City boardwalk. In the funhouse, Charlie hunts Nat and Gladden. To s of cops show up.
A weird meeting of the three of them, and a deal: the necklace for Gladden. As expected, though, Charlie shoots Nat. The Captain (Warren K. Phillips) knows something isn't right; Della shows up to finger Charlie for the necklace. So he's arrested. The end. Very tragic outcome; Charlie's comeuppance hardly squares Nat's death, but at least Gladden survives.
There's a lot more emotional turmoil (mostly centered around Nat) than in most noirs. In this sense, its halfway to being a thriller. The constant arguing among the heist team is builds so much tension that it's surprising they don't all kill each other in that woebegone house. Duryea dominates the screen, but Baylock chews it up. Although Charlie has ties to both women, they obviously are in Nat's corner.
Were it not for a flat spot in the middle--Nick's flashback, which explains his relationship with Gladden, might've been just done better by a few asides--this would come together very well. As it is, there's a wild thread running through it that's worth following to the dramatic finish.
An Arty Thriller That Works
telegonus2 April 2001
I saw this film a long time ago and was tremendously impressed, almost hynotized, by its technique. It was directed by Paul Wendkos, who's since gone on to a successful career in television, but who was for a while considered an up and coming director of movies. The stars, Dan Duryea and Jayne Mansfield, never quite achieved the kind of success many had envisioned for them. Duryea's career was sidetracked by Richard Widmark, and Mansfield never replaced Marilyn Monroe. Part of the charm of this film is watching small timers play small timers in a small movie that didn't cost a lot of money and which few people saw or want to see because no one connected with it is famous (though Jayne has her fans I guess). To make matters worse, the film is arty, full of offbeat camera angles and strange lighting that sometimes makes people look startled, as if they're continually having their picture taken. It's a tawdry tale about little people with big problems, and it works. For all I know it could be a work of art. The story is mostly about a jewel robbery, but it's also about the strange, almost incestuous relationship between Dan and Jayne, which both does and doesn't have a whole lot to do with jewels. There is a very bad guy involved who comes across like a young Senator Joe McCarthy. There are scenes in an amusement park; and more scenes in an empty stadium. I'm not sure why. The films is dazzling and ambitious and pretentious, so much so that it's beyond mere film noir as such; it's more like art noir.
Stylised Burglarizations.
hitchcockthelegend21 April 2013
The Burglar is directed by Paul Wendkos and adapted to screenplay by David Goodis from his own novel of the same name. It stars Dan Duryea, Jayne Mansfield, Martha Vickers, Peter Capell, Micky Shaughnessy and Stewart Bradley. Music is by Sol Kaplan and cinematography by Don Malkames.
Nat Harbin (Dan Duryea) is the leader of a small gang of crooks who burgle a necklace from the home of a famous spiritualist. One of Nat's gang is Gladden (Mansfield), the daughter of the man who took Nat under his wing when Nat was an orphan. In return Nat has always looked after Gladden. But once the necklace is in their hands, the group begins to come apart, and with outside forces muscling their way in, it's probably not going to end well
It sat on the shelf for two years, where no buyer could be found, but then Jayne Mansfield became one of the "it" girls and The Burglar saw the light of day. Long out of circulation it became a film that noir enthusiasts greatly courted over the years, but now it's widely available was it worth the wait?
Well it has proved to be a very divisive entry in the film noir universe. Undoubtedly it has style to burn, director Wendkos has observed some of his film noir peers and dripped their influences all over his movie; and not in a subtle way either. Sweaty close-ups, shock cutting, oblique angled frames and shadow adorned sequences attempt to put oomph in the narrative, while the newsreel opening and amusement park finale scream out that the film wants to be loved by the noir crowd.
It's all very neatly constructed, and with Kaplan's bold brassy score laid over the top, it deserves its noir badge. But it does feel like art for arts sake at times, like Wendkos is working over time visually to compensate for a weak screenplay. It becomes evident that it wasn't a great idea to let Goodis adapt from his own novel, it needed a screenplay writer capable of putting more emotional carnage into the characterisations.
There is no flow to the story and the actors often look lost and not sure where to take the source material to. Even the ever reliable noir hero Duryea is straining to make his character work, a victim of extraneous nonsense that doesn't seem to serve any purpose to plotting. Mansfield's performance is one of the hot topic divisive points, but I don't see how, it's awkward and her limitations as an actress are evident, no matter how foxy she looks. While Stewart Bradley in a key role just flat out can't act, something that draws some of the sting from the finale.
The visual smarts and some nice location photography in Philly and Atlantic City ensure it's not a dead loss, while if you prepare yourself for a character study rather than a pulpy noir pot-boiler then that sets expectation levels correctly. But it's not one to recommend with confidence; even if Marty Scorsese is a fan! 5/10
Nat Harbin (Dan Duryea) is the leader of a small gang of crooks who burgle a necklace from the home of a famous spiritualist. One of Nat's gang is Gladden (Mansfield), the daughter of the man who took Nat under his wing when Nat was an orphan. In return Nat has always looked after Gladden. But once the necklace is in their hands, the group begins to come apart, and with outside forces muscling their way in, it's probably not going to end well
It sat on the shelf for two years, where no buyer could be found, but then Jayne Mansfield became one of the "it" girls and The Burglar saw the light of day. Long out of circulation it became a film that noir enthusiasts greatly courted over the years, but now it's widely available was it worth the wait?
Well it has proved to be a very divisive entry in the film noir universe. Undoubtedly it has style to burn, director Wendkos has observed some of his film noir peers and dripped their influences all over his movie; and not in a subtle way either. Sweaty close-ups, shock cutting, oblique angled frames and shadow adorned sequences attempt to put oomph in the narrative, while the newsreel opening and amusement park finale scream out that the film wants to be loved by the noir crowd.
It's all very neatly constructed, and with Kaplan's bold brassy score laid over the top, it deserves its noir badge. But it does feel like art for arts sake at times, like Wendkos is working over time visually to compensate for a weak screenplay. It becomes evident that it wasn't a great idea to let Goodis adapt from his own novel, it needed a screenplay writer capable of putting more emotional carnage into the characterisations.
There is no flow to the story and the actors often look lost and not sure where to take the source material to. Even the ever reliable noir hero Duryea is straining to make his character work, a victim of extraneous nonsense that doesn't seem to serve any purpose to plotting. Mansfield's performance is one of the hot topic divisive points, but I don't see how, it's awkward and her limitations as an actress are evident, no matter how foxy she looks. While Stewart Bradley in a key role just flat out can't act, something that draws some of the sting from the finale.
The visual smarts and some nice location photography in Philly and Atlantic City ensure it's not a dead loss, while if you prepare yourself for a character study rather than a pulpy noir pot-boiler then that sets expectation levels correctly. But it's not one to recommend with confidence; even if Marty Scorsese is a fan! 5/10
Deserves a DVD release
hilljayne30 October 2005
Warning: Spoilers
This is a suspenseful and actually a pretty popular movie with Dan Duryea, femme fa-tale Martha Vickers, and a young, baby faced little starlet named Jayne Mansfield (a month before her Broadway triumph). Pure 1950s film noir here. The only copies available are poor VHS copies that sell for $25.00 or $30.00 on Ebay. It's ashame because it is a good film with all around impressive performances. Definitely needs an official DVD release. Filmed in 1955 but released in 1957 to cash in on Jayne's fame. Filmed in Philadelphia about 1 hour from where Jayne lived until she was 6, and is buried at, Pen Argyl. The plot line: Petty thief Duryea and his gang of 'thugs' go on a big heist at a local wealthy woman's mansion. In comes little 'sister' to Duryea Jayne, to help size the place up and get a feel for where the jewels are. Chaos ensues and Duryea ends up sending Jayne to Atlantic City (after the heist has been pulled off) only to find out she is having an affair with (MAJOR SPOILER) the policeman investigating the robbery! Good plot line and a great nostalgic look at Baby Jayne before she went Hollywood.
Torture in the minds of the troubled and for the viewer.
mark.waltz30 September 2023
Warning: Spoilers
It's obvious to me that this is going to have mixed reactions and must be seen when in the right frame of mind for something very bizarre. On the surface, it's pretty generic, the tale of a heist and everybody involved, from the victim to the person who got the goods on the place to which the burglar will break in to the anguish of everyone involved in the burglar's circle. The nightmare pasts of everyone involved, told coldly with cynicism and bitterness and regret, through a lense of the disturbed souls further diminishing as their lives swirl the drain. It's poetic, it's confusing, and it's wonderful.
The camera is a piece of work in this one, and the story is soon secondary as all of the dark characters stare blankly into the abyss, never sure of where they're going or if they even want to see tomorrow. I'd describe each of the characters, but my writing would become more twisted than the plot. Leads Dan Duryea, Jayne Mansfield, Martha Vickers and Mickey Shaugnessy are characters who are poison to everyone around them, including themselves, and the supporting characters are all unattractive in looks, in essence and in mentality. They are destroying themselves as they destroy others, and the camera seems to be capturing something that even a psychiatrist couldn't. Peter Capell in particular is jarringly ugly in all these ways.
So being entirely mesmerized yet no less confused, I adapted to the methods of the film's structure, fascinated by the disturbing narrative. This is one of those films that may be considered superb in every way by conosieurs of the film noir genre, but like me, they'll be unable to put into words why it ends up being one of the few completely excellent and gripping examples of the genre during its later years. The editing is another major element of why this works so well, but some will find that aspect extremely cumbersome. Director Paul Wendkos has created a masterpiece that boggles the mind and one that could create discussion in film classes that would require a second viewing almost immediately after viewing it.
The camera is a piece of work in this one, and the story is soon secondary as all of the dark characters stare blankly into the abyss, never sure of where they're going or if they even want to see tomorrow. I'd describe each of the characters, but my writing would become more twisted than the plot. Leads Dan Duryea, Jayne Mansfield, Martha Vickers and Mickey Shaugnessy are characters who are poison to everyone around them, including themselves, and the supporting characters are all unattractive in looks, in essence and in mentality. They are destroying themselves as they destroy others, and the camera seems to be capturing something that even a psychiatrist couldn't. Peter Capell in particular is jarringly ugly in all these ways.
So being entirely mesmerized yet no less confused, I adapted to the methods of the film's structure, fascinated by the disturbing narrative. This is one of those films that may be considered superb in every way by conosieurs of the film noir genre, but like me, they'll be unable to put into words why it ends up being one of the few completely excellent and gripping examples of the genre during its later years. The editing is another major element of why this works so well, but some will find that aspect extremely cumbersome. Director Paul Wendkos has created a masterpiece that boggles the mind and one that could create discussion in film classes that would require a second viewing almost immediately after viewing it.
For a movie about crime...this is amazingly dull.
planktonrules10 April 2019
"The Burglar" is a film that sat on the shelf for two years before they released it. This is an indication that the film was poor and the studio had no faith in it. So why did they finally release it? Most likely because in the interim....the co-star, Jayne Mansfield, hit it big...and that made the film more marketable. Take a look at Mansfield in the picture...she is a much plainer and less platinum lady in "The Burglar" as her nw familiar image hadn't yet been created.
The story is a noir thriller...with essentially no thrills. While you'd normally think a lot of energy and time in the movie would be about the burglarly, it wasn't. The crime seems too easy...almost anticlimactic. Instead, the film is about what happens after...and most of it is incredibly dull. Perhaps realistic at times...but dull.
You would think with the plot and cast the film would have had a lot of exciting moments...well, this isn't so. Sadly....not so.
The story is a noir thriller...with essentially no thrills. While you'd normally think a lot of energy and time in the movie would be about the burglarly, it wasn't. The crime seems too easy...almost anticlimactic. Instead, the film is about what happens after...and most of it is incredibly dull. Perhaps realistic at times...but dull.
You would think with the plot and cast the film would have had a lot of exciting moments...well, this isn't so. Sadly....not so.
Great Film and Family link
wmhwilson-114 October 2004
My Dad, William G. Wilson (not sure if you list him as Bob) filmed many of the shots in the Burglar. I remember seeing it with my folks. Dad also had the bit part as the TV director who says "You're On..." to newscaster John Facenda. Facenda, a Philadelphia legend, is best known as the voice of NFL Films which was born in Philadelphia. Strangely, Lou Kellman created TeleSports Digest which covered college and pro football (as well as other sports) before NFL Films. It's sad when when one searches for this film you get Whoopie's title. This film is fun to watch and my VHS is almost dead. Would appreciate hearing from anyone who knows where to get a legit copy. Thanks Bill Wilson
Darn fine yarn
jellopuke8 May 2021
Visually wow
skinnybert9 September 2021
All the characters seem believable, if occasionally overwrought, and Mansfield seems refreshingly like a human being. Many interesting edits keep up the pacing, and the angles are rarely less than exceptional. Easy to see why Marty Scorsese likes this one, and so do we.
Plot OK, script not so.
claudius13112 April 2015
As others have noted, the script is not well written.
It's a good example of what can happen when a novelist adapts his own work for the screen. When it comes to editing, authors just hate having to kill their darlings, and so it was with Goodis leaving in those numerous dreadfully long monologues, which might be acceptable in a novel where the plot plays out in the reader's mind, but are inexcusable in a movie where the rule is 'show it, don't tell it'.
Unless dialog moves the plot forward it needs to be excised.
Goodis gave the director some real challenges, and what we end up with are characters not able to look at each other but instead stare without emotion while they babble on interminably about themselves, stopping the action dead.
Otherwise the plot, apart from some logic holes, is a good one, and typical of Goodis.
Casting is another problem for me. Mansfield's acting is simply atrocious.
Durea is a fine performer but having to act like and say that his age is 36, when in fact he is and looks almost 50, jars.
Peter Capell chews the scenery trying to depict Baylock.
Stewart Bradley (Charlie) personifies evil. I enjoyed his performance. I think Goodis writes best when he's writing for the villain of the piece.
It's a good example of what can happen when a novelist adapts his own work for the screen. When it comes to editing, authors just hate having to kill their darlings, and so it was with Goodis leaving in those numerous dreadfully long monologues, which might be acceptable in a novel where the plot plays out in the reader's mind, but are inexcusable in a movie where the rule is 'show it, don't tell it'.
Unless dialog moves the plot forward it needs to be excised.
Goodis gave the director some real challenges, and what we end up with are characters not able to look at each other but instead stare without emotion while they babble on interminably about themselves, stopping the action dead.
Otherwise the plot, apart from some logic holes, is a good one, and typical of Goodis.
Casting is another problem for me. Mansfield's acting is simply atrocious.
Durea is a fine performer but having to act like and say that his age is 36, when in fact he is and looks almost 50, jars.
Peter Capell chews the scenery trying to depict Baylock.
Stewart Bradley (Charlie) personifies evil. I enjoyed his performance. I think Goodis writes best when he's writing for the villain of the piece.
Violence on the run
TheLittleSongbird17 April 2020
Really liked the idea for 'The Burglar', despite the title sounding pretty generic in my view, and do love films that have the tense and suspenseful approach that this film sounded like it would do on paper. Paul Wendkos was a cult favourite and went on to have a good career in television later. My main reason for seeing 'The Burglar' was the cast. Have always liked Dan Duryea particularly, who was often cast in villain roles and was extremely good at that type of role.
'The Burglar' had a good deal of things going for it and has a lot of great things. For all of that promise and good things, it is also heavily flawed and doesn't really gel. Loved the style, direction and Duryea's performance. Sadly the pace in the middle act, the script and the lacking acting of early-career Jayne Mansfield (beautiful if fairly limited actress, who suffered a horrific death in a car accident just ten years later) really bring the side down very badly.
Beginning with what is good here, which is a lot actually, 'The Burglar' is beautifully and inventively shot, with plenty of style and grit. Enhancing the atmospheric and never cheaply used locations. The bold music score adds a lot too, the brassiness not being intrusive. Wendkos directs with panache, while the film starts promisingly with a lot of suspense and visual invention. And ends on a tense and gritty note.
Furthermore, there are a few good lines. One of the best being Dellas' "she tried to sit on my lap when I was standing up". Enough of the performances are good. Duryea shows that he was as good at playing tormented characters, the type he plays here, as he was with playing villains. Martha Vickers and Stewart Bradley are terrific support.
On the other point of view, there are a fair few big shortcomings and do feel bad saying this. The middle act is really dull, from a sluggish pace and next to no tension. The flow in the story and script also is very stop start. The script is a major flaw, it's too wordy, has too much extraneous fat, is very heavy-handed and can be too over-explanatory.
Mansfield is the cast's weak link. She has the beauty for the role but her limitations as an actress badly shows, bringing practically nothing to it other than good looks and not really seeming properly engaged.
In summation, above average with many good things but could have been a lot better. 6/10
'The Burglar' had a good deal of things going for it and has a lot of great things. For all of that promise and good things, it is also heavily flawed and doesn't really gel. Loved the style, direction and Duryea's performance. Sadly the pace in the middle act, the script and the lacking acting of early-career Jayne Mansfield (beautiful if fairly limited actress, who suffered a horrific death in a car accident just ten years later) really bring the side down very badly.
Beginning with what is good here, which is a lot actually, 'The Burglar' is beautifully and inventively shot, with plenty of style and grit. Enhancing the atmospheric and never cheaply used locations. The bold music score adds a lot too, the brassiness not being intrusive. Wendkos directs with panache, while the film starts promisingly with a lot of suspense and visual invention. And ends on a tense and gritty note.
Furthermore, there are a few good lines. One of the best being Dellas' "she tried to sit on my lap when I was standing up". Enough of the performances are good. Duryea shows that he was as good at playing tormented characters, the type he plays here, as he was with playing villains. Martha Vickers and Stewart Bradley are terrific support.
On the other point of view, there are a fair few big shortcomings and do feel bad saying this. The middle act is really dull, from a sluggish pace and next to no tension. The flow in the story and script also is very stop start. The script is a major flaw, it's too wordy, has too much extraneous fat, is very heavy-handed and can be too over-explanatory.
Mansfield is the cast's weak link. She has the beauty for the role but her limitations as an actress badly shows, bringing practically nothing to it other than good looks and not really seeming properly engaged.
In summation, above average with many good things but could have been a lot better. 6/10
Quietly outstanding noir
oOgiandujaOo_and_Eddy_Merckx27 May 2012
Henry Hathaway's movie The Black Rose concerns a Saxon squire who travels to China and back again during the Middle Ages encountering marvels, romance and adventures along the way. It's a pretty and fun Technicolor movie containing a soupçon of rapture. On an intellectual level it can be fairly piffling until close to the end when the Norman King of England refuses to persecute the rebel Walter any longer, recognising that his animosity towards Normans is far from treason, but just a political manifestation of something very personal, conflict with his father. It was an eye opener to me at the time, how much Freudian issues play a subliminal part in our politics. This sort of mature perspective is to be found in The Burglar. It represents an opening up, an efflorescence of noir, typical of the late era (Mickey One, Blast of Silence). In noir authority is often an oppressive force, but in The Burglar, there's the suggestion that it's not the authorities and the system that pre-figure our doom, but our upbringing. It's up to you though, there's leeway for you to see it either way. Who's the enemy is it dad or Big Brother?
In one scene, seemingly totally unconnected from the rest of the film, Nat (The Burglar - Dan Duryea) mooches around the precincts of the Philadelphia Museum of Art, and is seen sitting directly below the statue of John Barry, the first head of the United States Navy, in Independence Square, three miles away, just moments before. In sight is Independence Hall where the Declaration of Independence was signed. The locations are deserted and he's watched over by some sort of passant sculptural beastie and towered over by fluted columns. Are these relics of the past or an overarching system and structure in which he's alternately powerless and hounded or irrelevant? Does the beastie see him, or is it just a charming piece of stone and is the indelible stain of Dad the issue he can't rub off? I saw a film Paul Wendkos made decades later, Hell Boats, and there was a general ambivalence there as well, which I find very stimulating and mature. There are no easy answers to The Burglar. Although I've mentioned Freud, The Burglar isn't one of those annoying movies that are dogmatically Freudian snoozers; the conversations surrounding the past all come off as extremely natural in effect.
A little tardily, onto the plot! A bunch of small time burglars figure they can up the ante and go for some sparklers. It doesn't take a genius to work out that fate's cosh is waiting for each of them in the shadows one way or the other. Dan Duryea's lead is the standout, but you gotta feel sorry for Peter Capell's hyperactive pop-eyed lookout Baylock. Scared of his own shadow he dreams of owning a plantation in Central America, he hysterically calls it buying "ground", as if what he stands on the rest of the time is something that might open up and swallow him at any time. It's just so clever how this movie grinds out a noir atmosphere with slight tricks of vocabulary.
Even loving this movie with all my heart, I must admit that a relevant criticism for many genre fans wondering if they should watch The Burglar or not is that it lacks thrill in the middle section of the film, principally because Nat has a death wish and isn't putting up much of a fight. Things pick up for the finale on the famous Atlantic City Steel Pier, which comes off as a merging the skews of Lady From Shanghai and Mickey One.
Wendkos' film should have lead to a glittering career, but more meretricious aesthetics triumphed.
In one scene, seemingly totally unconnected from the rest of the film, Nat (The Burglar - Dan Duryea) mooches around the precincts of the Philadelphia Museum of Art, and is seen sitting directly below the statue of John Barry, the first head of the United States Navy, in Independence Square, three miles away, just moments before. In sight is Independence Hall where the Declaration of Independence was signed. The locations are deserted and he's watched over by some sort of passant sculptural beastie and towered over by fluted columns. Are these relics of the past or an overarching system and structure in which he's alternately powerless and hounded or irrelevant? Does the beastie see him, or is it just a charming piece of stone and is the indelible stain of Dad the issue he can't rub off? I saw a film Paul Wendkos made decades later, Hell Boats, and there was a general ambivalence there as well, which I find very stimulating and mature. There are no easy answers to The Burglar. Although I've mentioned Freud, The Burglar isn't one of those annoying movies that are dogmatically Freudian snoozers; the conversations surrounding the past all come off as extremely natural in effect.
A little tardily, onto the plot! A bunch of small time burglars figure they can up the ante and go for some sparklers. It doesn't take a genius to work out that fate's cosh is waiting for each of them in the shadows one way or the other. Dan Duryea's lead is the standout, but you gotta feel sorry for Peter Capell's hyperactive pop-eyed lookout Baylock. Scared of his own shadow he dreams of owning a plantation in Central America, he hysterically calls it buying "ground", as if what he stands on the rest of the time is something that might open up and swallow him at any time. It's just so clever how this movie grinds out a noir atmosphere with slight tricks of vocabulary.
Even loving this movie with all my heart, I must admit that a relevant criticism for many genre fans wondering if they should watch The Burglar or not is that it lacks thrill in the middle section of the film, principally because Nat has a death wish and isn't putting up much of a fight. Things pick up for the finale on the famous Atlantic City Steel Pier, which comes off as a merging the skews of Lady From Shanghai and Mickey One.
Wendkos' film should have lead to a glittering career, but more meretricious aesthetics triumphed.
stay in the house
SnoopyStyle13 December 2020
A crew of burglar set out to rob wealthy clueless socialite Sister Sarah. The leader Nat Harbin (Dan Duryea) use his ward Gladden (Jayne Mansfield) to case the mansion. Nat, Baylock (Peter Capell), and Dohmer (Mickey Shaughnessy) are able to grab the expensive neckless but it's too hot to sell it. It's not a perfect heist and the police are on their trail. Nat orders the crew to stay in the hideout but Baylock is desperate to make a run for it.
Mansfield's acting is a little too broad but she is every bit the blonde bombshell. It's a noir which uses all the exteriors and hard-boiled style that it can grab a hold on. It's not trying to be a subtle crime drama. There is a kind of fun in the movie's deliberate stylized way. I would have wanted the four of them to stay in the hideout. It's more compelling for them to bounce off each other and raise the tension in their conflicts. They could be interrupted by the police and other people in that house. Once she leaves the group, the movie loses a bit of its intensity among the various flashbacks. It's not like the police side is that compelling. This is good but not that great.
Mansfield's acting is a little too broad but she is every bit the blonde bombshell. It's a noir which uses all the exteriors and hard-boiled style that it can grab a hold on. It's not trying to be a subtle crime drama. There is a kind of fun in the movie's deliberate stylized way. I would have wanted the four of them to stay in the hideout. It's more compelling for them to bounce off each other and raise the tension in their conflicts. They could be interrupted by the police and other people in that house. Once she leaves the group, the movie loses a bit of its intensity among the various flashbacks. It's not like the police side is that compelling. This is good but not that great.
Despair!
rmax3048234 July 2013
Warning: Spoilers
As others have observed, Paul Wendkos' "The Burglar" owes something to "The Asphalt Jungle" (the armature of the plot), "The Lady From Shanghai" (the Fun House sequence), and Alfred Hitchcock (the use of landmark locations in Philadelphia and Atlantic City).
It has many extraordinarily arty shots and edits, from between somebody's legs, sometimes a POV of someone getting punched in the face, close ups galore, strange camera angles, stark lighting, and all the rest of it.
And none of it hangs together. Three hoodlums and a dame burgle the mansion of a phony swami in Philadelphia and steal an emerald necklace. Before pulling off the heist they sit around in this shabby flat, sweating and arguing. After they have the fortune in their hands, they sit around the same flat, sweating and arguing. There's not a smile in a cartload, and little enthusiasm. Peter Capell, as Baylock, is the jewelry expert. He's been hijacked by his adrenal medullas. He sweats a bath tub. And he overacts to the point at which, had he gestured, shouted, and rolled his eyes more often, I'd have joined him in his irretrievable insanity.
The young Jayne Mansfield is attractive enough in a flashy way and is as generously proportioned as ever. Wendkos has shot her silhouette in profile once or twice and she's unmistakable. Her bosom precedes her by a quarter of a mile. But she can't act, and when she's being pursued by a murderer in a shadowy House of Horrors she minces hurriedly and her high heels clack a tattoo along the floor that sounds like some kind of monstrous Japanese getas gone berserk.
I appreciate the effort that went into the production, and some of the location shooting was agreeable, but overall it was dull and depressing.
It has many extraordinarily arty shots and edits, from between somebody's legs, sometimes a POV of someone getting punched in the face, close ups galore, strange camera angles, stark lighting, and all the rest of it.
And none of it hangs together. Three hoodlums and a dame burgle the mansion of a phony swami in Philadelphia and steal an emerald necklace. Before pulling off the heist they sit around in this shabby flat, sweating and arguing. After they have the fortune in their hands, they sit around the same flat, sweating and arguing. There's not a smile in a cartload, and little enthusiasm. Peter Capell, as Baylock, is the jewelry expert. He's been hijacked by his adrenal medullas. He sweats a bath tub. And he overacts to the point at which, had he gestured, shouted, and rolled his eyes more often, I'd have joined him in his irretrievable insanity.
The young Jayne Mansfield is attractive enough in a flashy way and is as generously proportioned as ever. Wendkos has shot her silhouette in profile once or twice and she's unmistakable. Her bosom precedes her by a quarter of a mile. But she can't act, and when she's being pursued by a murderer in a shadowy House of Horrors she minces hurriedly and her high heels clack a tattoo along the floor that sounds like some kind of monstrous Japanese getas gone berserk.
I appreciate the effort that went into the production, and some of the location shooting was agreeable, but overall it was dull and depressing.
When I pull the trigger nobody is gonna call it murder. It's gonna be called law enforcement.
sol121815 June 2013
Warning: Spoilers
***SPOILER*** Comes across the screen much like the Orson Wells' 1948 Film Nior classic "The Lady from Shanghai" the film "The Burgler" has to do with a jewel or diamond necklace robbery that goes wrong in the robbers not being able to fence the stolen and expensive merchandise. Having to lay low until he heat's off head burglar Nat Harbin, Dan Duryea, has to placate his two associates Baylock & Dohmer, Peter Capell & Mickey Shaughnessy, in not going off the handle and mess up the entire operation. There's also Nat's half-sister Gladden, Jayne Mansfield, who want's to get out of this criminal racket and spend her time on the beach at Atlantic City and get a nice tan as well as fill her very ample lungs with the fresh and healthy salt water air that's there.
What the gang of burglars don't realize is that they've been tagged or figured out by Charlie the Cop, Stewart Bardley, who was on the scene of crime and is now intent to get the piece of hot ice or jewelry off their hands. Tracking the quartet from their home base in Philadelphia to the seaside town of Atlantic City Charlie and his girlfriend Della, Martha Vickes, plan to rob them of the necklace before they can get it, by having the necklace fenced, off their hands. Charlie feels in that him being a member of law enforcement he can murder the entire bunch and still get away with it by claiming self-defense on his part.
***SPOILERS*** With Nat hiding the necklace in Gladden's hotel room in the Oceanview Hotel in Atlantic City Charlie who's been romancing her in order to find it now has no choice but to keep Nat as well as Gladden alive in order for them to lead him to it. Wih Dohmer gunned down by state dropper's and Baylock murdered by Charlie it's now down to three, Charlie Gadden & Nat, who know where the necklace is and with the exception of Gladden, who's far more interested in getting a suntan, are determined at all cost to find it. Downbeat ending with Nat risking and losing his life in having his step-sister Gladden get out of harms or Charlie's way. Charlie himself who thought he's gotten away with murder, the murder of both Baylock and Nat, ends up cuffed and with his jaw broken when his girlfriend Della, who he's been cheating on, ratted him out in him having the stolen necklace on him just when it looked like he was home free.
What the gang of burglars don't realize is that they've been tagged or figured out by Charlie the Cop, Stewart Bardley, who was on the scene of crime and is now intent to get the piece of hot ice or jewelry off their hands. Tracking the quartet from their home base in Philadelphia to the seaside town of Atlantic City Charlie and his girlfriend Della, Martha Vickes, plan to rob them of the necklace before they can get it, by having the necklace fenced, off their hands. Charlie feels in that him being a member of law enforcement he can murder the entire bunch and still get away with it by claiming self-defense on his part.
***SPOILERS*** With Nat hiding the necklace in Gladden's hotel room in the Oceanview Hotel in Atlantic City Charlie who's been romancing her in order to find it now has no choice but to keep Nat as well as Gladden alive in order for them to lead him to it. Wih Dohmer gunned down by state dropper's and Baylock murdered by Charlie it's now down to three, Charlie Gadden & Nat, who know where the necklace is and with the exception of Gladden, who's far more interested in getting a suntan, are determined at all cost to find it. Downbeat ending with Nat risking and losing his life in having his step-sister Gladden get out of harms or Charlie's way. Charlie himself who thought he's gotten away with murder, the murder of both Baylock and Nat, ends up cuffed and with his jaw broken when his girlfriend Della, who he's been cheating on, ratted him out in him having the stolen necklace on him just when it looked like he was home free.
Dull, Dreary Crime Saga
zardoz-1325 June 2017
Warning: Spoilers
Paul Wendkos made his directorial debut with the Columbia Pictures release of "The Burglar" (1957) which was based on the David Goodis novel of the same name. Goodis penned the screenplay, too! This gritty, claustrophobic, black & white suspense thriller opens strongly during its stunning first half-hour before it degenerates into a lackluster crime-doesn't-pay yarn. Remember, before the liberated 1960s brought about change, most crime films belonged to the 'crime doesn't pay' variety. A gang of thieves burglarizes the Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, mansion of a wealthy spiritualist, Sister Sara (Phoebe Mackay of "Splendor in the Grass"), late one evening, while the old dame is seated downstairs watching her favorite television news program. Nate Harbin (Dan Duryea of "Black Bart") steals a priceless necklace but gets sloppy and leaves the safe open. He scaled the wall of the mansion, entered a second-floor window, cracked a wall safe, and make away with the goods. Harbin is the leader of a gang that included two hoodlums-Baylock (Peter Capell of "Son of Hitler") and Dohmer (Mickey Shaughnessy of "From Here to Eternity")-along with a young woman, Gladden (Jayne Mansfield of "Female Jungle") who he has known all his life. Ironically, Nate and Gladden were both orphans raised by a compassionate thief, Gerald (one-time-only actor Sam Elber), who made Nate swear he would always look after Gladden. Initially, Nate dispatched Gladden to case the place, and Sister Sara gave her the grand tour.
The night the guys break into Sister Sara's mansion, they leave their jalopy parked on the street. Two uniformed officers in a prowl car stop to check out the abandoned vehicle. Fearless Nate pauses in the middle of cracking the safe, climbs back down the building from the second-floor window, and saunters back to the two cops nosing around his ride. Nate complains audaciously about the shortage of mechanics up at that time in the evening. The two cops accept Nate's story about his car stalling out, so they leave him to sleep it off in the back seat until dawn. Stealthily, Nate returns to the mansion, opens the safe, and snatches the diamonds. Unfortunately, after he rifled the wall safe, Nate forgot to lock it up. Not long after Nate and his accomplices have left, Sister Sara discovers she has been burglarized because she found the safe door ajar.
Worse, unknown to Nate, one of the two policemen who questioned him about his car parked along the side of the street is the corrupt flatfoot who wants to take the necklace off Nate's hands. Meantime, Nate and his accomplices sweat it out in a shack until Dohmer makes such a fuss about Gladden that Harbin packs her off to somewhere else. Eventually, they pull up stakes and head to Atlantic City. The corrupt uniformed patrolman, Charlie (Stewart Bradley of "Cool Breeze"), is hot on their trail, and he has been dating Gladden secretly before the guys arrive. Things get really tense after Nate learns about Charlie and Gladden. Although the second half-hour is tedious with the gang riling each other up, the third half-hour is a fireball. Suffice to say, everything that happens here afterward is exciting but the ending is a downer. The cast is first-rate, and Wendkos' direction is strong, but the material is predictable because we know the thieves are doomed from the get-go. The French remake proved much more entertaining, but by the 1970s, crooks would get away with their crimes and/or suffer less complications if they lost the loot.
The night the guys break into Sister Sara's mansion, they leave their jalopy parked on the street. Two uniformed officers in a prowl car stop to check out the abandoned vehicle. Fearless Nate pauses in the middle of cracking the safe, climbs back down the building from the second-floor window, and saunters back to the two cops nosing around his ride. Nate complains audaciously about the shortage of mechanics up at that time in the evening. The two cops accept Nate's story about his car stalling out, so they leave him to sleep it off in the back seat until dawn. Stealthily, Nate returns to the mansion, opens the safe, and snatches the diamonds. Unfortunately, after he rifled the wall safe, Nate forgot to lock it up. Not long after Nate and his accomplices have left, Sister Sara discovers she has been burglarized because she found the safe door ajar.
Worse, unknown to Nate, one of the two policemen who questioned him about his car parked along the side of the street is the corrupt flatfoot who wants to take the necklace off Nate's hands. Meantime, Nate and his accomplices sweat it out in a shack until Dohmer makes such a fuss about Gladden that Harbin packs her off to somewhere else. Eventually, they pull up stakes and head to Atlantic City. The corrupt uniformed patrolman, Charlie (Stewart Bradley of "Cool Breeze"), is hot on their trail, and he has been dating Gladden secretly before the guys arrive. Things get really tense after Nate learns about Charlie and Gladden. Although the second half-hour is tedious with the gang riling each other up, the third half-hour is a fireball. Suffice to say, everything that happens here afterward is exciting but the ending is a downer. The cast is first-rate, and Wendkos' direction is strong, but the material is predictable because we know the thieves are doomed from the get-go. The French remake proved much more entertaining, but by the 1970s, crooks would get away with their crimes and/or suffer less complications if they lost the loot.
Without Duryea it would be a total disaster
BILLYBOY-1015 December 2013
Warning: Spoilers
It coulda been a contender, but the sloppy direction ruined it. Duryea is good as the tormented soul keeping watch over Jayne Mansfield,in one of her signature "endowed" roles, as the kind hearted love-sick (for Duryea) e. She's dreadful. There are three in this crooks "organization" who steal a flashy emerald necklace from a dippy woman living in a mansion. Now, how do they dispose of it since it's so hot it will burn their hands if they touch it. Finally, after much drama and over-acting, they head for New Jersey to find Mansfield who is involved with some dude she met while on her back on the beach with her qualities showing "up". Dead cop, dead member of the organization, la dee dah, etc, etc. Finally Jayne and Dan end up on the boardwalk (I guess Atlantic City?) being pursued by her dude who happens to be a cop they know who is after the necklace, blah, blah, blah. Previously, the 2nd member of the organization gets beaten to death by the dude. The boardwalk scenes are corny and horribly directed. Jayne goes free, Duryea gets it in the back and front by about 27 bullets from the bad cop dude's six shooter, the real cops show up, the cop-dude is exposed and the movie ends. This was thrilling and exciting but so terribly directed it misses being very good, so, as it is, its OK. Would only recommend it because of the ever interesting Duryea. Incidentally: Martha Vicers who play the hot Carmen Sternwood in "The Big Sleep" eleven year earlier is equally hot in a pivotal role here also.
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