Undertow (1949) Chicago Noir

Undertow is a one of those average Noirs that usually gets neglected when Aficionoirdos make lists.

It's a decent effort about an ex gangster and ex con who served in WWII, and made friends with a fellow soldier whose family owned a Sierra Nevada hunting/fishing lodge.

Directed by schlockmeister producer/director William Castle known for House on Haunted Hill,  The Tingler, 13 Ghosts, Homicidal, Mr. Sardonicus, and Rosemary's Baby. Written by Arthur T. Horman and Lee Loeb (screenplay) and based on a story by Arthur T. Horman.

Cinematography was by Irving Glassberg (director of photography) and an uncredited Clifford Stine.

The film stars the younger brother of notorious Hollywood brawler Lawrence Tierney, Scott Brady as Tony Reagan, John Russell as Danny Morgan, Dorothy Hart as Sally Lee, Peggy Dow as Ann McKnight, Bruce Bennett as Reckling, Gregg Martell as Frost, Robert Anderson as Stoner, Dan Ferniel as Gene (as Daniel Ferniel), Rock Hudson as Detective (as Roc Hudson), Charles Sherlock as Cooper, Anne P. Kramer as Clerk (as Ann Pearce), and Robert Easton as Fisher

Reno

Tom Reagan (Scott Brady)

Tom Regan, a Chicago based ex con, survived WWII his good service buddy from Nevada didn't. Tom gets to know his buddy's Reno area family after the war, and becomes in time a sort of surrogate son. Tom wants to invest in the lodge and become a partner with his buddy's kin. But first he has to tie up a few loose ends back in Chicago. One of the loose ends is his girlfriend who is also the niece of the mob boss Big Jim whose crew he used to work with. Tom wants to propose to her and bring her to the lodge.

Dropped off in Reno to catch his plane, Tom killing some time downtown, runs surprisingly into a mob associate Danny Morgan. Morgan is running a casino for Big Jim and the old Chicago mob.
Danny tries to convince Tom to hang around and help him out with the casino.

Danny: Lots of sunshine, steady supply of suckers. And loads of lovely, lonely, loaded ladies.

Danny and Tom shoot the breeze and they discover that they are both engaged. They show off their respective rings.

Danny (John Russel)

shootin' the breeze in Danny's casino

Comparing engagement rings

Danny hangs out in the casino. He bumps into Chicago school teacher Ann McKnight. Later at a crap table he meets her again. They like what each other sees.

the cute meet Ann (Peggy Dow and Tom)

They like what each other sees.

Cute meet two at the crap table

On the flight back she is on the same plane next to an empty seat. They sit together, chat, get along. It's plausible enough that you buy into the scenario.

Cute meet number three

Ann finding out that Tom is on his way to propose to Sally

At Chicago Tom is met by the police. One of them is his old friend Detective Charles Reckling. They've been tipped. Tom begs off his offer to drop Ann off in his cab and heads to CPD headquarters for questioning.

Detective Charles Reckling (Bruce Bennett) and Tom

Seems ol' Tommy made a threat against the mob boss because he nixed Tom's and Sally Lee's relationship. The police got a tip that Tom is back to make good his threat. The police got nothing and have to let Tom go but they put a tail on him. Tom spots the tail and using an elevated station easily gives the cop the slip.

The tail on South Wabash 

The elevated

 d

Tom gives the tail the slip, where did he go?

Reagan has a rendezvous with Sally. He tells her he'll smoke the peace pipe with Big Jim and they'll head West to the lodge and live happily ever after where the skies are not cloudy all day.

Tom's rendezvous with Sally (Dorothy Hart) at Buckingham Fountain 

Tom tell's Sally he'll make his peace with Big Jim and thiey'll get married. He tells Sally he'll drop by Big Jim's mansion that night

At Big Jim's Tom is jumped outside by some muscle. They drive him to a cement block lined basement hallway, there they shoot him in the arm, knock him out and dump him in his car outside a Chicago suburb diner. He comes to hearing about how he's wanted as the main suspect ins the whack of Big Jim. He's framed.

Blindfolded, shot in the arm.....

And dumped unconscious in a car 

Reagan goes underground. He thinks of Ann and heads for her place. Ann takes him in, she believes his story and hides him out. Reagan also receives the help of an old neighborhood pal Charles Reckling who happens to now be a police detective. Charles agrees to test the gun that was supposed to kill Big Jim. While Reagan talking to Sally at Big Jim's house discovers that she is wearing Danny's engagement ring the same one he saw in Reno.

That Danny and Sally are in cahoots sends the tale into Noirsville.

Noirsville

Tom, Sally and Ann at t the John G. Shedd Aquarium

 Gene (Dan Ferniel)

Undertow is a fast paced B picture with enough interesting situations, interesting Chicago locations to keep you watching and some nice stylistic Noir cinematography. Brady is great, Dow is a cutie. Look for Dan Ferniel as Gene the gentle giant and Rock Hudson billed as Roc Hudson in one of his first roles. 7/10