Zachary Scott yells his dialogue like he's in one of those old radio plays, Plus, right from the beginning we realize he's a first-class sap. Therefore it is difficult to sympathize with his petulant dimbulb lawyer character. Nobody could possibly buy into a plot that hinges on Scott, um, framing himself for murder while expecting to talk his way out of the electric chair. Plus, any time your Plan B is to escape by throwing yourself down a mountainside from a moving train, you're not smart enough to even be a TV lawyer.
Also, Scott's voice timbre grates me. I'm a little surprised a guy with a voice like that had a movie career.
On the other hand, Virginia Mayo as the icy two-timer really nails it. She comes across as very natural. If she was selling all those lies in my own apartment I'd probably buy it and throw in a generous tip.
Doug Kennedy as the mob boss also underplays it nicely. He's a long way from the, ''you're gonna get it, see" mob bosses popularized by Cagney and EdwardG.
And then there is Dororthy Malone as a wholesome brunette librarian. She became a lot more interesting as a blonde and lived until 2018. But here, just before she took a break from acting, she just gets treated like dirt by a pouting Scott. That makes TWO beautiful dames he didn't know how to deal with. Hmmm.....
Frankly, every time Scott was talking I was hoping he'd get shot by a character off-screen and the movie would pivot to Mayo's character. I mean, they were surely writing the script as they shot it, right? So just write Scott out and make the movie about Mayo and all her double-crossing.
Also, Scott's voice timbre grates me. I'm a little surprised a guy with a voice like that had a movie career.
On the other hand, Virginia Mayo as the icy two-timer really nails it. She comes across as very natural. If she was selling all those lies in my own apartment I'd probably buy it and throw in a generous tip.
Doug Kennedy as the mob boss also underplays it nicely. He's a long way from the, ''you're gonna get it, see" mob bosses popularized by Cagney and EdwardG.
And then there is Dororthy Malone as a wholesome brunette librarian. She became a lot more interesting as a blonde and lived until 2018. But here, just before she took a break from acting, she just gets treated like dirt by a pouting Scott. That makes TWO beautiful dames he didn't know how to deal with. Hmmm.....
Frankly, every time Scott was talking I was hoping he'd get shot by a character off-screen and the movie would pivot to Mayo's character. I mean, they were surely writing the script as they shot it, right? So just write Scott out and make the movie about Mayo and all her double-crossing.