Hell's Island (1955) Café au lait Color Noir

"I've been beaten, badgered, hit over the head, and mixed up in three killings, and believe me, I'm going to find out why."

Directed by Phil Karlson with a string of Noir to his credit (Scandal Sheet (1952), Kansas City Confidential (1952), 99 River Street (1953) Tight Spot (1955), 5 Against the House (1955), The Brothers Rico (1957)). Written by Maxwell Shane from a story by Jack Leonard  & Martin Goldsmith with additional material provided by the director and lead actor John Payne. Cinematography by Lionel Lindon

The film stars John Payne, Mary Murphy, Eduardo Noriega, Francis L. Sullivan, Arnold Moss, and Paul Picerni, 

John Payne as Mike Cormack

Mary Murphy as Janet Martin

Francis L. Sullivan as Bazland

Mike Cormack (Payne) an ex DA from LA is a bouncer at a Casino in Vegas. He's an ex DA because of a woman, his ex girlfriend, Janet Martin. Janet duped him to marry a wealthy Caribbean Island honcho. That sent Mike on a weeks long bender that cost him his DA job. 

Mike at the casino gets approached by a shady British businessman Barzland. He wants to pay Mike $5,000 to locate a large ruby gemstone. The reason they picked Mike for the job is because the ruby was last in the possession of Janet's husband. Mike is hesitant until Barzland stresses that all they want him to do is locate the gem. Hell for for a couple of days work hell make more than what he'd pull down in a year from the casino and torch carrying Mike would like to confront Janet. 

When Mike gets to the island and starts to poke around bodies start to pile up.

Noirsville 

So begins this obviously studio bound color Noir that despite those two detractions isn't all that bad with a few amusing twists along the way.

John Payne is a favorite of mine and he just may have the distinction of being the only Classic Noir actor to appear in two Classic Color Noir. 

Murphy makes  a cute and ruthless femme fatale. 7/10   

Larceny (1948)

"Believe it or not Shelly Winters actually looked pretty hot in this, but again, by the end, I couldn't wait for her to die." 

Directed by George Sherman.

Sherman was responsible for The Sleeping City and The Raging Tide two very decent Richard Conte Noir that could use restorations.

Larceny was written by Herb Margolis, Lou Morheim, William Bowers for screenplay based on the novel The Velvet Fleece by Lois Eby and John Fleming.

Cinematography was by Irving Glassberg. Music was by Leith Stevens.

John Payne as Rick Maxon

 Dan Duryea as Silky Randall

The film stars John Payne as Rick Maxon, Joan Caulfield as Deborah Owens Clark, Dan Duryea as Silky Randall, Shelley Winters as Tory, and Dorothy Hart as Madeline. The rest of the cast includes Richard Rober as Max, Dan O'Herlihy as Duke, Nicholas Joy as Walter Vanderline, Percy Helton as Charlie Jordan, Walter Greaza as Mr. Owens, Patricia Alphin as Waitress, Harry Antrim as Mr. McNulty, Russ Conway as Detective, Paul Brinegar ("Wishbone" from Rawhide - TV Series) as the Mechanic, and Don Wilson as Master of Ceremonies.

Shelley Winters as Tory

Dorothy Hart as Madeline with Percy Helton

Miami Beach. Silky Randal and Rick Mason. Two high power confidence men. 1947 Lincoln. Top down  convertible. Tool up to stucco mansion. They saunter in. Nonchalant. Inside they are confronted by their newest "partner" with a fake photo.

The photo shows Silky Randal standing along side a high society swell. The real news paper file photo just shows the swell. When the mark tells the he'll call the police, Silky tells him go ahead, we're all partners. Silky tells the mark he'll have to pay back his friends who invested in the marina.

The next con is a recent rich war widow they are going to talk into investing in a memorial to her dead husband. Rick Mason is the point man on this one. The only complication is Tory, Silky's gal pal. Tory is hot to trot for Rick.

Rick rides The Superchief to Mission Valley. It was a sort of high class rolling Art Deco hotel. Ya got on in Chicago and 30 something hours later got off in The City Of Angels.

Rick from the research on this con, checks into the equivalent of the YMCA called the Youth Association. The war hero vet whose widow is the next target was an alumnus.  Charlie Jordan (Percy Helton) the director of the club is delighted to hear that Mason was a GI friend of Madeline's late husband. Charlie makes Rick's introduction to Madeline. She's delighted to hear about her husbands dream of creating a new youth center/resort and is all in to make it come true.

It all goes Noirsille when Tory follows Rick to California arriving on the bus a few days later followed soon after by Silky.

Noirsville

Paul Brinegar as the Mechanic

The film is quite entertaining and its always great to see Percy Helton in another Noir. Needs a good restoration. As is a 6.5-7/10.