THE LAS VEGAS STORY is a typical film noir featuring the usual '50s staples of cops, robbers, fences, gamblers, and the inevitable femme fatale, this time around played by the flame-haired Jane Russell (who I never liked much, but there you go). For much of the running time this is a three-hander between dedicated cop Victor Mature, gambler Vincent Price, and the latter's wife, played by Russell.
The Las Vegas backdrop is a lively one but there's a lot of sub-romance stuff going on which drags the pace down somewhat, and the sub-plot about a pair of teenage lovers is hardly gripping material either. Mature seems to be sleepwalking through his role, although Russell works hard and Price is immediately likable (although I'm spoilt by his horror roles and wished he could have been a bit more, well, macabre).
Things eventually pick up when murder enters the frame, which leads to a breathtaking extended chase climax involving helicopters, high rise stunts, and more besides. If only the rest of the film could have been more like this and less stodgy! The last half hour has all the hallmarks of a superior thriller, so it's a pity that the first hour is a bit dull. It works out average overall.
The Las Vegas backdrop is a lively one but there's a lot of sub-romance stuff going on which drags the pace down somewhat, and the sub-plot about a pair of teenage lovers is hardly gripping material either. Mature seems to be sleepwalking through his role, although Russell works hard and Price is immediately likable (although I'm spoilt by his horror roles and wished he could have been a bit more, well, macabre).
Things eventually pick up when murder enters the frame, which leads to a breathtaking extended chase climax involving helicopters, high rise stunts, and more besides. If only the rest of the film could have been more like this and less stodgy! The last half hour has all the hallmarks of a superior thriller, so it's a pity that the first hour is a bit dull. It works out average overall.