I get to watch a bunch of old time Western and Mystery/Crime flicks, and it's striking how the latter are much more unbelievable in terms of execution and common sense. While Westerns never stray very far from a tried and true hero vs villain formula, they at least carry a premise from start to finish that the viewer is able to follow pretty well. Mystery films of the Thirties and Forties on the other hand, often contain elements that simply defy any sort of credibility once they get under way. "Double Cross" starts out reasonably enough, but nosedives quicker than most with a second half that contains so much nonsense that it makes me wonder how movie audiences of the time put up with it. Of course today, it's a hoot to watch 'em, just because there's so much goofy stuff going on.
Here's something that threw me in the early going, not related to the above. When I first saw the character of Steve Bronson, I would have sworn it was Jack Webb in the role. The voice was a dead ringer, and it looked like it could have been him too, although now that I check, he would have been too young at the time. Still, I had to check the credits to see what it was all about.
There's no reason here to describe the story if you've seen it or read the other reviews on this board. I'd just like to point out some of the stuff to support my opening comments. Take for example, when Nick Taggart (John Miljan) nods assent to his henchmen to open fire on Police Captain Murray (Robert Homans) after Taggart leaves his office. Murray goes out of the room as another cop comes in to help out the Chief. As the bullets fly, said policeman stands up and looks out the window (first mistake), and is then struck and killed by the barrage. But when the Captain comes back into his office, the dead cop is slumped over the Captain's desk. How does that work?
Later on, Silver Slipper house photographer Ellen Bronson takes a picture of the Mayor taking a bribe from Nick Taggart through a transom above Taggart's door. Even considering Nick's lame explanation of a light bulb popping, how was he able to conclude that the film in Ellen's camera was a new roll?
Then there's that entire scene when Taggart gets completely fed up with his moll Fay (Wynne Gibson), the one where she smashes the recording of her confession of shooting a cop during the raid on the Silver Slipper. Taggart's henchman Cookie and Ellen are right there when he brings her to the room next door to kill her. Were they not supposed to figure out what Fay's scream was all about?
But it gets better. My favorite has to do with Taggart's attempt to set up Jim Murray (Kane Richmond) with a van load of stolen furs. During the chase scene, Taggart and his boys began firing on the cops following them, and they appeared to be shooting through some sort of opening in the rear of the truck. However an exterior view of the Dollar Van revealed that the outside walls of the vehicle were solid! The cops giving chase were shooting blind into the van, and wound up killing all the mobsters inside!
All of this would make my head hurt if it wasn't so downright comical. Which is why I don't take these films too seriously right from the get go. Every once in a while you get a really good crime drama from these Poverty Row productions, but more often than not, you wind up with something like this. I heartily recommend it.
Here's something that threw me in the early going, not related to the above. When I first saw the character of Steve Bronson, I would have sworn it was Jack Webb in the role. The voice was a dead ringer, and it looked like it could have been him too, although now that I check, he would have been too young at the time. Still, I had to check the credits to see what it was all about.
There's no reason here to describe the story if you've seen it or read the other reviews on this board. I'd just like to point out some of the stuff to support my opening comments. Take for example, when Nick Taggart (John Miljan) nods assent to his henchmen to open fire on Police Captain Murray (Robert Homans) after Taggart leaves his office. Murray goes out of the room as another cop comes in to help out the Chief. As the bullets fly, said policeman stands up and looks out the window (first mistake), and is then struck and killed by the barrage. But when the Captain comes back into his office, the dead cop is slumped over the Captain's desk. How does that work?
Later on, Silver Slipper house photographer Ellen Bronson takes a picture of the Mayor taking a bribe from Nick Taggart through a transom above Taggart's door. Even considering Nick's lame explanation of a light bulb popping, how was he able to conclude that the film in Ellen's camera was a new roll?
Then there's that entire scene when Taggart gets completely fed up with his moll Fay (Wynne Gibson), the one where she smashes the recording of her confession of shooting a cop during the raid on the Silver Slipper. Taggart's henchman Cookie and Ellen are right there when he brings her to the room next door to kill her. Were they not supposed to figure out what Fay's scream was all about?
But it gets better. My favorite has to do with Taggart's attempt to set up Jim Murray (Kane Richmond) with a van load of stolen furs. During the chase scene, Taggart and his boys began firing on the cops following them, and they appeared to be shooting through some sort of opening in the rear of the truck. However an exterior view of the Dollar Van revealed that the outside walls of the vehicle were solid! The cops giving chase were shooting blind into the van, and wound up killing all the mobsters inside!
All of this would make my head hurt if it wasn't so downright comical. Which is why I don't take these films too seriously right from the get go. Every once in a while you get a really good crime drama from these Poverty Row productions, but more often than not, you wind up with something like this. I heartily recommend it.