This is an odd late 1940s noir thriller that moves as slowly as a Mexican mule and makes about as much sense.
Director Robert Montgomery miscasts himself as the film's protagonist, a guy with a grudge who heads down to San Pablo to avenge his buddy's death. Along the way, he encounters a gaggle of odd characters, including a young Mexican girl (played by pretty Wanda Hendrix) who, for some unknown reason, keeps following him around. Is she clairvoyant? Is she lovesick? Is her character a thinly veiled prostitute? Who knows?
Then there's Andrea King, the villain's moll, who dresses up in white and skulks around saloons with dust floors. The bad guy, played by a thoroughly un-menacing Fred Clark, wears an elaborate hearing device and makes Robert Montgomery boiling mad. Events plod along and finally, after what seems like an eternity, reach a not very exciting and thoroughly unsatisfying climax, leaving viewers to scratch their heads and say, "I sat through this whole movie for that?!"
One thing I couldn't get over, though, was how much older actors looked in the 1940s than they do today. Robert Montgomery was just 43 when he made this movie, but he looked at least 50. 28-year old Andrea King looked 48, and 33-year old Fred Clark looked 60. The only character who actually looked her age was Wanda Hendrix, who was just 19. In fact, Hendrix's Pila was really the most interesting character and had the best story arc in the end.
Some good noir production values and cinematography, but there's not much else to recommend about this strange little entry into the genre.
Director Robert Montgomery miscasts himself as the film's protagonist, a guy with a grudge who heads down to San Pablo to avenge his buddy's death. Along the way, he encounters a gaggle of odd characters, including a young Mexican girl (played by pretty Wanda Hendrix) who, for some unknown reason, keeps following him around. Is she clairvoyant? Is she lovesick? Is her character a thinly veiled prostitute? Who knows?
Then there's Andrea King, the villain's moll, who dresses up in white and skulks around saloons with dust floors. The bad guy, played by a thoroughly un-menacing Fred Clark, wears an elaborate hearing device and makes Robert Montgomery boiling mad. Events plod along and finally, after what seems like an eternity, reach a not very exciting and thoroughly unsatisfying climax, leaving viewers to scratch their heads and say, "I sat through this whole movie for that?!"
One thing I couldn't get over, though, was how much older actors looked in the 1940s than they do today. Robert Montgomery was just 43 when he made this movie, but he looked at least 50. 28-year old Andrea King looked 48, and 33-year old Fred Clark looked 60. The only character who actually looked her age was Wanda Hendrix, who was just 19. In fact, Hendrix's Pila was really the most interesting character and had the best story arc in the end.
Some good noir production values and cinematography, but there's not much else to recommend about this strange little entry into the genre.