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Decoy (1946) is an ultra-low-budget offering from Monogram Pictures and a fascinatingly mixed bag of Poverty Row production values and flashes of directorial ambition (one night scene in a woods strongly suggests director Jack Bernhard had seen Sunrise). Its main attraction is a cold-hearted heroine who could pledge the same sorority as the dames from Double Indemnity, Gun Crazy, and The Lady from Shanghai. (Alas, British-born actress Jean Gillie appeared in only one subsequent film, dying at the age of 34.) Andre De Toth's Crime Wave (1954) places us in the awkward position of being grateful for the chance to see an exciting movie and obliged to disqualify it from the set: it's closer to the '50s police procedural (Dragnet et al.) than to film noir. Shot almost entirely on location, the picture virtually reeks of seedy L.A. nightlife and satisfyingly unreels without benefit of music score. Ted De Corsia, Nedrick Young, and Charles Buchinsky-soon-to-be-Bronson supply juicy villainy, with a characteristically unclean contribution late in the film from Timothy Carey. Gene Nelson plays an ex-con, resolved to go straight yet being forced to abet his newly escaped old cellmates, and the world-weary cop keeping tabs on all of them is Sterling Hayden. --Richard T. Jameson
Product Description
An ex-con who's trying to live a clean life becomes unwillingly involved with 3 crime-hungry jailbirds fresh from their escape from San Quentin. The manhunt is on in Crime Wave (Sterling Hayden. 1954/73 min.). Not far off from that is Decoy (Jean Gillie. 1946/76 min.), a gripping caper of robbery, murder, and double-crossing as told by the gang leader on her last breath. B&w/NR.
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12 of 12 people found the following review helpful
"You know, it isn't what a man wants to do, Lacey, but what he has to do. Now you take me. I love to smoke cigarettes, but the doctors say I can't have them. So what do I do? I chew toothpicks. Tons of `em."
Developed as The City is Dark and shot as Don't Cry, Baby before being released as Crime Wave, Andre de Toth's still surprisingly tough police procedural is a film that wears its economy as a badge of pride. Offered a big budget and a 35-day shooting schedule if he made it with Humphrey Bogart and Ava Gardner, de Toth held out for Sterling Hayden even though it mean a fraction of the budget and a 15-day shooting schedule - and still managed to come in ahead and shoot the film in only 13 days. It was worth sticking to his guns. The film may have made little splash when it opened in 1954, but it's a near classic that fully deserves its growing reputation, and as the hardboiled cop who's all-knowing judge and jury, Hayden so effectively strides through the film like a colossus in a towering performance (literally: for much of the film he's shot from low angles) that it's impossible to imagine Bogart as being anything but a comparative disappointment in the role. The kind of guy who doesn't need doors because he can walk through walls, he doesn't act tough - he is tough. He's practically the blueprint for L.A. Confidential's Bud White, and it's no surprise that James Ellroy is a big fan of the film, sharing an entertaining, occasionally expletive-deleted audio commentary with Eddie Muller on Warner's Region 1 DVD.
The plot is simple enough: a trio of escaped cons (Ted de Corsia, Charles Bronson when he was still Charles Buchinsky and Ned Young) kill a cop when robbing Dub Taylor's gas station for eating money and involve innocent parolee Gene Nelson, leaned on by cops and crooks alike, in their escape plans. But the execution is what raises the bar here, particularly in the first third when the police bring in all the usual suspects. Shot in an almost verite documentary style, the film has a great look thanks to Bert Glennon's striking cinematography - deep focus, harsh blacks and bright fluorescent whites often sharing the same frame, with such a stark photojournalistic realism that some of the setups could pass for Weegee's classic crime scene photos. It captures the feeling of L.A. at night like almost no other film, with outstanding location work and an unforgiving eye for human weakness and hopeless cases. It certainly takes some of the shine off Kubrick's subsequent The Killing - it certainly got there first in terms of its look, and it's probably no accident that Kubrick hired two of the cast for his own caper movie.
While its undoubtedly Hayden's movie, the supporting cast is for the most part exceptionally strong and well-drawn. Nelson is convincing enough as the bitter ex-con caught in the middle that it's a shame that the former dancer didn't go on to anything more interesting than directing some of Elvis' worst movies, Phyllis Kirk makes more of an impression as his wife than the script would lead you to expect while Jay Novello makes a big impact as a drunken horse doctor who hates people but loves dogs and has no scruples about rifling a corpse's pockets for services not rendered. Not everyone is quite so good, unfortunately: Bronson overdoes his dumb thug and a wildly miscast Hank Worden is barely able to deliver his lines as Nelson's airport boss (is there anyone you'd feel less safe being in charge of airplane maintenance than Hank Worden?). As for Timothy Carey's truly amazing display of psychotic tics as the last guy in the world you'd want to leave your wife with - well, since all his directors maintained Carey was never acting but really was like that offscreen as well, we can let that slide.
The film does briefly give into sentimentality at the end - though very, very begrudgingly - and it's never quite as good as that powerhouse first third, but it's certainly a sharp punch below the belt to the cop movie that you won't forget in a hurry. Along with a brief adulatory featurette with various noir historians and Oliver Stone waxing lyrical about the film, the DVD also includes the original trailer introduced by an in-character Hayden telling us "Murder is my business and midnight is my beat." Great stuff.
Neither Decoy nor its short-lived star Jean Gillie are great rediscoveries waiting to happen, but this Monogram Poverty Row effort makes for a satisfying enough second feature. The plot is absurd - Gillie's displaced British femme fatale romances prison doctor Edward Norris into reviving Robert Armstrong an hour after his execution with `Methalyn Blue' so she and her partner in crime Herbert Rudley can find out where he buried $400,000 in stolen loot - but even by noir standards Gillie's character is stunningly ruthless as she destroys everyone in her path. But striking moments, such as Armstrong's dazed reaction to his own revival, are few and far between and aside from Sheldon Leonard's cop, charisma and acting ability are in similarly short supply. Norris is a disastrous lead, a zombie-like blank slate long before his character slips into near-catatonic shock for the last third of the film, while as his secretary the startlingly awful Marjorie Woodwarth gives a practical masterclass in the difference between acting and more or less remembering her lines. Still, there's a neat dying kiss off before the payoff and it doesn't outstay its welcome at a brisk 76 minutes.
Developed as The City is Dark and shot as Don't Cry, Baby before being released as Crime Wave, Andre de Toth's still surprisingly tough police procedural is a film that wears its economy as a badge of pride. Offered a big budget and a 35-day shooting schedule if he made it with Humphrey Bogart and Ava Gardner, de Toth held out for Sterling Hayden even though it mean a fraction of the budget and a 15-day shooting schedule - and still managed to come in ahead and shoot the film in only 13 days. It was worth sticking to his guns. The film may have made little splash when it opened in 1954, but it's a near classic that fully deserves its growing reputation, and as the hardboiled cop who's all-knowing judge and jury, Hayden so effectively strides through the film like a colossus in a towering performance (literally: for much of the film he's shot from low angles) that it's impossible to imagine Bogart as being anything but a comparative disappointment in the role. The kind of guy who doesn't need doors because he can walk through walls, he doesn't act tough - he is tough. He's practically the blueprint for L.A. Confidential's Bud White, and it's no surprise that James Ellroy is a big fan of the film, sharing an entertaining, occasionally expletive-deleted audio commentary with Eddie Muller on Warner's Region 1 DVD.
The plot is simple enough: a trio of escaped cons (Ted de Corsia, Charles Bronson when he was still Charles Buchinsky and Ned Young) kill a cop when robbing Dub Taylor's gas station for eating money and involve innocent parolee Gene Nelson, leaned on by cops and crooks alike, in their escape plans. But the execution is what raises the bar here, particularly in the first third when the police bring in all the usual suspects. Shot in an almost verite documentary style, the film has a great look thanks to Bert Glennon's striking cinematography - deep focus, harsh blacks and bright fluorescent whites often sharing the same frame, with such a stark photojournalistic realism that some of the setups could pass for Weegee's classic crime scene photos. It captures the feeling of L.A. at night like almost no other film, with outstanding location work and an unforgiving eye for human weakness and hopeless cases. It certainly takes some of the shine off Kubrick's subsequent The Killing - it certainly got there first in terms of its look, and it's probably no accident that Kubrick hired two of the cast for his own caper movie.
While its undoubtedly Hayden's movie, the supporting cast is for the most part exceptionally strong and well-drawn. Nelson is convincing enough as the bitter ex-con caught in the middle that it's a shame that the former dancer didn't go on to anything more interesting than directing some of Elvis' worst movies, Phyllis Kirk makes more of an impression as his wife than the script would lead you to expect while Jay Novello makes a big impact as a drunken horse doctor who hates people but loves dogs and has no scruples about rifling a corpse's pockets for services not rendered. Not everyone is quite so good, unfortunately: Bronson overdoes his dumb thug and a wildly miscast Hank Worden is barely able to deliver his lines as Nelson's airport boss (is there anyone you'd feel less safe being in charge of airplane maintenance than Hank Worden?). As for Timothy Carey's truly amazing display of psychotic tics as the last guy in the world you'd want to leave your wife with - well, since all his directors maintained Carey was never acting but really was like that offscreen as well, we can let that slide.
The film does briefly give into sentimentality at the end - though very, very begrudgingly - and it's never quite as good as that powerhouse first third, but it's certainly a sharp punch below the belt to the cop movie that you won't forget in a hurry. Along with a brief adulatory featurette with various noir historians and Oliver Stone waxing lyrical about the film, the DVD also includes the original trailer introduced by an in-character Hayden telling us "Murder is my business and midnight is my beat." Great stuff.
Neither Decoy nor its short-lived star Jean Gillie are great rediscoveries waiting to happen, but this Monogram Poverty Row effort makes for a satisfying enough second feature. The plot is absurd - Gillie's displaced British femme fatale romances prison doctor Edward Norris into reviving Robert Armstrong an hour after his execution with `Methalyn Blue' so she and her partner in crime Herbert Rudley can find out where he buried $400,000 in stolen loot - but even by noir standards Gillie's character is stunningly ruthless as she destroys everyone in her path. But striking moments, such as Armstrong's dazed reaction to his own revival, are few and far between and aside from Sheldon Leonard's cop, charisma and acting ability are in similarly short supply. Norris is a disastrous lead, a zombie-like blank slate long before his character slips into near-catatonic shock for the last third of the film, while as his secretary the startlingly awful Marjorie Woodwarth gives a practical masterclass in the difference between acting and more or less remembering her lines. Still, there's a neat dying kiss off before the payoff and it doesn't outstay its welcome at a brisk 76 minutes.
10 of 10 people found the following review helpful
Being a fan of film noir....and a fan of Sterling Hayden, Charles Bronson, and dancer Gene Nelson...I'd seen this little film show up in all their filmographies...without much mention.
Just watched the new DVD...as part of the Excellent Film Noir vol. 4 set by Warner Bros...and was blown away!
1)tight story..only about 74 minutes...no filler
2)Sterling Hayden is great..hard boiled , hard bitten , toothpick chomping!
3)the supporting cast...is perfect...Charles Buchinsky(pre Bronson)is a presence and Timothy Carey's small role defines scenery chewing..
4)the LA locations of 1952 are super cool
5)the cinematography is first rate...and the transfer dead sharp!
the bonus featurette is informative and the commentary by Eddie Muller (noir historian and author) and the great James Ellroy....is simply the most fun commentary I have EVER enjoyed ...and I own a couple thousand DVDs...
these guys know the turf...are fans and Ellroy is bleeped for his blue language over and over ...just ridiculous.
The director Andre De Toth and cinematographer Burt Glennan deserve High Praise...this was kick butt..
and pretty boy Dancer Gene Nelson (from Oklahoma and Doris Day movies) is a very credible pre-James Dean getaway driver...stool pigeon..
Just watched the new DVD...as part of the Excellent Film Noir vol. 4 set by Warner Bros...and was blown away!
1)tight story..only about 74 minutes...no filler
2)Sterling Hayden is great..hard boiled , hard bitten , toothpick chomping!
3)the supporting cast...is perfect...Charles Buchinsky(pre Bronson)is a presence and Timothy Carey's small role defines scenery chewing..
4)the LA locations of 1952 are super cool
5)the cinematography is first rate...and the transfer dead sharp!
the bonus featurette is informative and the commentary by Eddie Muller (noir historian and author) and the great James Ellroy....is simply the most fun commentary I have EVER enjoyed ...and I own a couple thousand DVDs...
these guys know the turf...are fans and Ellroy is bleeped for his blue language over and over ...just ridiculous.
The director Andre De Toth and cinematographer Burt Glennan deserve High Praise...this was kick butt..
and pretty boy Dancer Gene Nelson (from Oklahoma and Doris Day movies) is a very credible pre-James Dean getaway driver...stool pigeon..
8 of 8 people found the following review helpful
"Crime Wave" is excellent example of film noir: almost everything you'd want in this genre. Right from the opening shot, this had noir written all over it by cinematographer Bert Glennon, and from opening holdup-murder scene at the gas station, you knew you were in for a rough ride.
Speaking of "rough," I can't think of too many actors who were better and more suited for noir than Sterling Hayden, who delivers yet another uncompromising hard-headed, tough- guy character. This time he's a cop, "Det. Lt. Sims," and one with no use for any "con," even if the guy (in this case, Gene Nelson's "Steve Lacey") has cleaned up his act.
It wasn't just the photography and Haden, the entire cast was fascinating, and it's simply a fast-moving, entertaining film. Andre de Toth's direction also was terrific. He directed only one other noir: Pitfall, another great film that we are still waiting to see on DVD. At least this film finally made it to disc.
As for Decoy, it gets points for originality. I mean, how many movies - much less film noirs - do you see someone executed, then brought back to life, then shot in the back minutes later? Now that's what you call having a rough day!
Robert Armstrong's "Frank Olins" had to endure all that one day. He's the crook who has the money stashed away somewhere and "Margot Shelby" (Jean Gille) is the woman who is bound-and-determined to get it - all of it. "Margot" is one greedy femme fatale...... and she knows how to manipulate men. Of course it helps to be extremely pretty and have a great body, which she does. I thought the ending of this film - the final minute - was especially good. So many times, you get the ending that doesn't stay true to the main character, but this one did.
If you don't want to buy the whole Film Noir Volume 4 package, of which this is part of, I would suggest getting this disc.
Speaking of "rough," I can't think of too many actors who were better and more suited for noir than Sterling Hayden, who delivers yet another uncompromising hard-headed, tough- guy character. This time he's a cop, "Det. Lt. Sims," and one with no use for any "con," even if the guy (in this case, Gene Nelson's "Steve Lacey") has cleaned up his act.
It wasn't just the photography and Haden, the entire cast was fascinating, and it's simply a fast-moving, entertaining film. Andre de Toth's direction also was terrific. He directed only one other noir: Pitfall, another great film that we are still waiting to see on DVD. At least this film finally made it to disc.
As for Decoy, it gets points for originality. I mean, how many movies - much less film noirs - do you see someone executed, then brought back to life, then shot in the back minutes later? Now that's what you call having a rough day!
Robert Armstrong's "Frank Olins" had to endure all that one day. He's the crook who has the money stashed away somewhere and "Margot Shelby" (Jean Gille) is the woman who is bound-and-determined to get it - all of it. "Margot" is one greedy femme fatale...... and she knows how to manipulate men. Of course it helps to be extremely pretty and have a great body, which she does. I thought the ending of this film - the final minute - was especially good. So many times, you get the ending that doesn't stay true to the main character, but this one did.
If you don't want to buy the whole Film Noir Volume 4 package, of which this is part of, I would suggest getting this disc.
Most Recent Customer Reviews
5.0 out of 5 stars
The movie Crime Wave is terrific
I bought this movie specifically because it was shot all around Glendale, CA. The veterinary shop where much of the action takes place is on the corner of Alma and San Fernando... Read more
Published 2 months ago by D. J. Walters
5.0 out of 5 stars
'Decoy' is the real gem here!
For connoisseurs of over-the-top femmes fatales, Jean Gille is a must. The movie is about as campy as film noir gets. Read more
Published 2 months ago by David E. Gregson
4.0 out of 5 stars
Crime Wave/Decoy noir films
These are two very good noir films, not as good as some classics like Out Of The Past or In A Lonely Place, but still interesting in plot and atmosphere. Read more
Published 3 months ago by Karl Armens
5.0 out of 5 stars
Crime Wace: Clasic Crime/Noir.... Decoy: Enjoy the Ride
"Crime Wave" is a good, solid, moody cop and crime flick from the 1950s. It is loaded with dark, shadowy night shots from the Los Angeles of the era. Read more
Published 9 months ago by Mcgivern Owen L
5.0 out of 5 stars
The best film noir double feature I have ever seen.
The best film noir double feature I have ever seen. And yes I would say these unknown films are better as a double feature than any two well-known noirs I have seen. Read more
Published 18 months ago by jj1
3.0 out of 5 stars
So-So. Could've Been Better.
Viewed: 1/09
Rate: 5
1/09: Crime Wave is a standard picture that seems to work as a film noir for a couple of reasons. Read more
Rate: 5
1/09: Crime Wave is a standard picture that seems to work as a film noir for a couple of reasons. Read more
Published on November 27, 2010 by Austin Somlo
4.0 out of 5 stars
loved crimewave and decoy double feature movie
I really liked the movies "crimewave" and "Decoy". In the movie crimewave with sterling hayden and gene nelson. Read more
Published on May 6, 2010 by Scott Gibson
4.0 out of 5 stars
Typically excellent WB double feature; the lesser-knowns trump the...
CRIME WAVE (André de Toth 1954)
If you just look at the bare-bones descriptions on a lot of films noir, it can be pretty hard to tell them apart, and the typically... Read more
If you just look at the bare-bones descriptions on a lot of films noir, it can be pretty hard to tell them apart, and the typically... Read more
Published on November 15, 2009 by Muzzlehatch
4.0 out of 5 stars
This Woman Is Mean!
DECOY is just a little gem. The plot strains credulity(as do the plots of many noirs) but Jean Gillie is a delight to watch as possibly the nastiest "femme fatale" in all of... Read more
Published on November 8, 2009 by Lionel Bourg
4.0 out of 5 stars
A Couple for Contrast: One Superb, One Sub-par
Crime Wave is such a solid film noir, both in style and substance, that its rating cancels out the mediocre two-star feature that accompanies it on this double-bill dvd. Read more
Published on August 31, 2009 by Carolyn Paetow
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