LeonLouisRicci The Stiff Acting and an Inconsistent Attempt at Cynical Humor do Weigh This One Down Somewhat. What Remains Though are Some Really Downbeat NYC Locations Captured by the Unfettered Realistic Camera.Film-Noir by Definition Brought to the Screen Sleazy Locations Like Greasy Spoons, Tattoo Parlors, and Things Mostly Abandoned by Hollywood's More Glossy and Friendly Output. This One has More than its Share of Norish Subtext.The Visit to the Tattoo Artist, the Subterranean Chase, and the Closing in a Cemetery Add Gravitas to the Movie that the Sometimes Witty but Mostly Sophomoric Second Rate Writing and Truly Bad Acting Can't Hide.Overall, Hampered by Amateurish Thespians and a Forced Light-Hearted Approach the Film Still Manages to be More than Acceptable Because of its Better, More Sustained Grit.

Michael_Elliott Tattooed Stranger, The (1950) ** (out of 4) A mysterious woman is found dead in Central Park but the police don't know who she is. Two detectives jump on the case and try to identify her but the only thing they have on her is a strange tattoo on her arm. Here's another RKO thriller that gets a few points for trying to tell the story differently than what we're use to but in the end the performances just can't carry the picture. Technically speaking this film is pretty impressive with some very good editing but the story itself is rather dull. The film really tries to capture how the police would go by solving this case, which means we get a lot of footwork and stuff dealing with science. This stuff works nicely but I only wish the story was stronger. It was rather funny that people with tattoos were looked at as evil people and tattoo parlors are looked at as "bad people" hangouts.

jotix100 Director Edward Montagne does in a little more than one hour what other, more expensive and hyped films fail to do. Mr. Montagne shows us a police story written by Phillip H. Reisman Jr. that while, is not one of the best of the genre, it keeps the viewer involved in all that's going on.This is clearly a B type movie. In fact, the best thing going for "The Tattooed Stranger" is the opportunity to take a peek at the way New York looked in those years. The crystal clear cinematography by William O. Steiner, either has been kept that way through the years, or has been lovingly restored.There are great views of New York in the opening sequence. Later we are taken to Brooklyn to the Dumbo section and later on the film travels to the Bronx and the Gun Hill Road area with its many monument stores in the area.John Miles and Walter Kinsella made a great detective team. Patricia Barry is perfect as the plant expert from the Museum of Natural History. Jack Lord, who went to bigger things in his career, is seen in a non speaking role.It was great fun to watch a city, as it was, because it doesn't exist any more.

whpratt1 This is a great B film from the 1950's, because it deals with forensics just like the present day CSI Series TV shows. The police take it step by step in the laboratory and look at all the evidence with a fine toothed comb! Howard Hughes produced this film for only $124,000 and most of the filming was done in NYC, the Bronx, and Brooklyn, Queens. John Miles,(Detective Frank Tobin),"Gunfighters",'47 was a ex-marine who was able to get a college education and met up with a gal named Patricia Barry,(Patricia White),"Dear Heart",'64, who was able to assist Frank Tobin in his investigation into a young woman who had a Tattoo and was found in Central Park. If you really like B&W Classic B Films, this is a very worth while to just sit back and enjoy from beginning to END!