csteidler Exciting opening scene: William Bendix bursts into Robert Mitchum's ship cabin. He demands something, Mitchum says he hasn't got it, they fight. Mitchum knocks out Bendix, takes his wallet and runs out. The events that led up to this bout are gradually revealed as the story moves forward, and things aren't always what they seem. What does become apparent fairly soon is that 1)Mitchum is chasing Patric Knowles, 2)Jane Greer is also chasing after Knowles for a different reason, 3)Mitchum and Greer are going to join forces, and 4)Bendix is coming along furiously bringing up the rear.It's a neatly-contrived plot, with performances that are just dandy from these four stars. Ramon Navarro is delightful in a supporting role as a Mexican inspector general who enjoys his encounters with these volatile Americans as they give him excellent opportunities to practice his English.Mitchum and Greer look good together as they go through the usual process of getting in each other's way before realizing they can do better together. "Are you always so chivalrous to strange women?" she asks him at one point. He replies, "We'll kick that around some other time." --Sure, it's dialog that's fairly standard but it sounds great when delivered just right. Fast-paced and suspenseful, with an especially great downhill chase sequence on a curvy mountain road.

classicsoncall Snappy dialog between Duke Halliday (Robert Mitchum) and Joan Graham (Jane Greer) heats up the chemistry between this pair of screen partners, while Patric Knowles and William Bendix portray less than savory characters in this noir-like romp through the Mexican countryside. The story turns out to be one rather long chase scene, but with enough twists and turns to make the trip an enjoyable one. Errant cows and sheep on a steep hillside are just some of the many obstacles Mitchum's character must avoid while on the trail of recovering three hundred grand in stolen payroll money. It takes a while to figure out who's really the good guy in this quartet of questionable characters, as the ending reveals a twist I didn't see coming, but probably should have. You should have seen the look on Captain Blake's (Bendix) face when he ran into the goat herd blocking the road, a tribute to Halliday's quick thinking while on the run. You could tell what he was thinking - 'I just have to get the flock out of here'.

writers_reign Given the two leads, support, and director this, certainly viewed so long after the initial release, is disappointing. Mitchum and Greer have no problem working together and generating chemistry but that to one side this is a pale comparison with Build My Gallows High. On a superficial level it's merely a pursuit race south of the border with Mitchum and Greer chasing Patrick Knowles, Bendix chasing all three and silent star Ramon Navarro watching from the sidelines. As noted Mitchum and Greer are good value but Bogie, Tracy, Cagney and Robinson would be hard put to get this to fly. If anything it's a reminder of how Greer, like Marie Windsor, cornered the market in femmes fatale and how sorely missed both are.

Guy THE BIG STEAL sees a US Army officer team up with the fiancée of the crook who framed him for robbery and chase him to Mexico in order to bring him down. It's pretty much a normal, if mildly superior, 1940s crime B-movie: hard-hitting (but pulled) punches, lots of insulting the locals, a little light relief provided by animals, an adversarial screwball relationship between the two leads, a few neat twists and some very badly sped-up car chases. It hits classic beats and is entertaining enough but the only truly unusual thing is the location shooting in Mexico, which isn't really enough to sustain this. The actors are good and there are some witty lines (what a pity almost nobody can write dialogue like this today) so it's best to just sit back and enjoy the ride, short as it is.