Private Hell 36 (1954)
In New York, a bank robbery of $300,000 goes unsolved for a year, until some of the marked bills are found in a Los Angeles drugstore theft. Police detectives Cal Bruner and Jack Farnham investigate and are led from the drugstore to a nightclub, where singer Lili is another recipient of a stolen bill. With Lili's help, the partners track down the remaining money, but both Lili and Frank are dismayed when Cal decides he wants to keep part of it.
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Sorry, this movie sucks
Absolutely the worst movie.
A Major Disappointment
The film's masterful storytelling did its job. The message was clear. No need to overdo.
Howard Duff and Ida Lupino were one of the more talented teams in Hollywood history. This film does not really show their unique talents; especially those of Lupino, who was one of the smartest women in Hollywood at the time. A good-looking woman with great writing talent is not a common occurrence. There is a nice turn by Steve Cochran as well.This is not pure noir; it really isn't that dark, but it is an interesting plot. Any cop recovering a ton of money would have to be tempted to dip into the cash. This is a nice, small, gritty film that highlights the future potential of both Duff and Lupino. She was truly a gifted actress and writer.
Top notch direction by Don Siegel and very good 1950s film noir. Los Angeles detectives, Cal Bruner(Steve Cochran) and Jack Farnham(Howard Duff)come across $300,000 in stolen money. The suspected robber is killed in a high speed car chase and loose greenbacks scatter from a box thrown from the vehicle. Cal decides to pocket a few bundles in hopes of keeping up with his girlfriend Lilli's(Ida Lupino)spending habits. Jack, a family man, could use extra cash, but nixes what his partner has done. Pleading with Cal is not working, because he wants to make a fast getaway out of the country with his night club singer girlfriend. Capt. Michaels(Dean Jagger)has a suspicion something isn't right with his detectives, who are being blackmailed over the stashed cash. You have to listen close to see how the number 36 fits into the film's title. Very good acting and believable screenplay co-written by Lupino. Other players in this crime drama: Dorothy Malone, Kenneth Patterson, Dabbs Greer and Richard Deacon.
Private Hell 36 refers to what Ida Lupino at age 36 was going thru because she looked like she was 46. Here she plays hotsy-totsy vaa-vaa-voom chanteuse opposite gum chewing police detective Steve Cochran, who was 37 at the time. Cochran's police partner is Howard Duff (Ida's real life hubby at the time). After a lot of time wasted getting to the real plot, Duff & Cochran stumble across a strongbox of $200k in hot $$$ from a NYC robbery-murder. Cochran stuffs his pocket with $80k, Duff is dumbfounded but soon it's too late and he is absorbed by his participation, so much so that he goes thru private hell for the rest of the flick because of the $$$ which Cochran has hidden in a small trailer he has rented in a trailer park. It's trailer #36. Duff's Private Hell. Trailer #36. Ge it? Little twists happen, Duff tells Cochran they must come clean, Cochran says sure nuff, they go to the trailer, Duff gets the dough, Cochran pulls his gun to blast Duff, but a voice calls out, shots are fired, people scatter, mild mayhem. Duff is wounded, Cochran's dead and the surprise ending is surprising. It's watchable, too much time at the race track and the villain has nice old Packaard which crashes down the usual ravine. I love old movies with car crashes cause they looked real back before every crash now looks like 100 megaton, 1,000 gallons of gas explosion and fireball visible from outer space. The film "Impact" has a nice old Packard too.
It's nice to see the old Republic logo at the start of this. Seeing Ida Lupino is always a delight. Steve Cochrane was a handsome, effective performer who was underutilized. And Don Siegal was a great director of gritty noirs in the 1950s.Unfortunately, these parts do not add up to much of a whole. It's a standard rogue cop story that doesn't ring true. The duologue is very arch. Are we trying for Oscar Wilde here or are we making a gritty detective movie? Dorothy Malone is beautiful in that somewhat unusual way she had and she also acts well.Lupino seems either to have been allowed, or directed, to chew up the scenery. She is playing to the balcony. And saying that about one of my all-time favorite perfumers hurts.