A curiously compelling little movie, Crashout is a throwback to the tough prison-escape movies of the 30's. Fortunately, the producers had the good sense to hire an expert cast of B-movie veterans to enliven an otherwise shopworn plot. Writer-producer Hal Chester and director-writer Lewis Foster provide each convict with a distinct personality that holds viewer interest as tensions mount, while the audience anticipates how each character will be brought to justice. Standouts in the cast are the always subtle Arthur Kennedy, an engagingly ambivalent Marshall Thompson, and William Tallman doing his scary psycho bit, this time as a knife-throwing religious fanatic. And in a poignant bit part, cult favorite Gloria Talbott as the prospect of a normal life for the ill-fated Thompson. Though you've seen it all before, there are many nice touches that lift this otherwise generous slice of thick-ear beyond the merely routine.
enthusiasts who pick it up, expecting a routine mid-50s B movie. For
one thing, it's feature-length (89 minutes), and doesn't skimp much on
plot and character development. Director Lewis R. Foster was probably
pretty adept at action/adventure pictures, judging by titles in his
IMDb filmography. CRASHOUT was probably just another assignment to him,
but the film shows he was no hack. It's a foregone conclusion that a
Hollywood movie won't let criminals get away unpunished, but a superior
example like this makes the fate of its players more meaningful with
good actors and intelligent writing. Foster keeps things moving nicely,
once past the fairly talky first scene in the cave. The film never lags
once after that, because there is plenty of action, and characters are
given enough depth to differentiate them and keep them interesting.
Arthur Kennedy appears to be the main protagonist here. His Joe Quinn
represents the typical redeemed-too-late criminal (who had been jailed
for robbery). The actor invests Quinn with plenty of believability,
especially in his interactions with Beverly Michaels (an odd, rather
glamorous choice for a farm resident, but she is effective). William
Bendix plays another of his dumb thugs to perfection, this time never
letting up and with no redemption in sight. In Luther Adler's Mendoza
we see more evidence of this great actor's talent, making a good deal
out of what could have been a stereotyped cypher. Gene Evans, another
prolific actor, is allowed to show two sides to his Monk Collins,
intimidating one moment, and teaching card tricks to a hostage child
the next. Also interesting is Marshall Thompson--a performer who may
have never really gotten his due--as the 'nice young man gone wrong'.
Thompson really stands out in the very good sequence involving the
young woman he meets on the train. Gloria (I MARRIED A MONSTER FROM
OUTER SPACE) Talbot is nicely cast in this sequence. Last, and far from
least, is William Talman (THE HITCH-HIKER, ARMORED CAR ROBBERY), as
Remsen, a lapsed reverend, who obsessively plays the same record over
and over, as though it were a final vestige of goodness in his life.
In smaller roles we get a nice, but brief, dose of inimitable Percy
Helton, playing a country doctor called out in the middle of the night,
and who pays a hefty price for his professionalism. Also of note, Adam
Williams (memorable as Larry Gordon in THE BIG HEAT two years earlier)
in the role of Michaels's heroic date. And there's Morris Ankrum, as
the head guard in the crashout scene.
Another interesting aspect of this film is the question of its place in
the so-called 'Noir Canon'. Is this a film noir? In the strictest
terms, probably not (although the designation is more subjective than
many want to admit.) It has enough of the typical elements for some to
see it as noir. But its 'existential' qualities may be disputable. This
usually refers to a sense of isolation experienced by, typically, a
single protagonist: he or she feels trapped in an uncaring universe,
forced to proceed alone, resorting perhaps to uncharacteristic methods
for survival. The escaped convicts in CRASHOUT don't really fit this
profile. They are already immersed in crime. However, there is a strong
sense in this film of over-arching fatalism: we all know, the escapees
and the viewer, that they are trapped by their actions, that there will
be no true escape. So at this level, the film can be seen as belonging
to the 'noir universe'. Whatever category it fits into, CRASHOUT is a riveting corker of a movie not to be missed.They just dont make them like this anymore! I would love to see Alpha Video put this masterpiece out on DVD. Very tough crime flick from the 50's, one of the greatest!
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