This black and white and fuzzy gray Film Noir is primarily a dark drama based on a 'true story' from the L.A. police files. This surely was the template for TV's DRAGNET considering one of the minor stars is the one and only Jack Webb, who plays a forerunner forensic lab tech. A war hero Roy Martin/Roy Morgan(Richard Basehart)turns burglar and cop killer. Being an expert with electronics, Roy is lured into a planned ambush at the electrical shop where he leaves his adaptive creations on consignment. Police work is still primitive at best and Roy manages to temporarily elude the cops. This story is presented in a documentary style with intrigue building to the clever finale. Basehart plays it cool, confident and heartless. Helping Webb round out the cast are other screen veterans: Roy Roberts, Whit Bissell and Scott Brady.
Review of He Walked by Night
