Rogue Cop (1954)

At first rather annoying in its heavy emphasis on reenactments, this movie ultimately proves fascinating, simply because the complicated, highly dramatic tale it tells still almost defies belief.

This is a small, humorous movie in some ways, but it has a huge heart. What a nice experience.

It’s not bad or unwatchable but despite the amplitude of the spectacle, the end result is underwhelming.

The film never slows down or bores, plunging from one harrowing sequence to the next.

An amusement arcade is the scene where a man is killed. Eddie Kelvaney, who sees the murderer running away from the scene, identifies the man as a hired assassin working for the powerful Dan Beaumonte. Little does Eddie realize, but his brother Chris is deeply involved with the criminal behind the killing. The squad detectives that work with Chris have all figured that Chris is a man on the take.Beaumonte calls Chris to try to convince his brother to change his testimony in exchange for fifteen thousand dollars, something that appalls Eddie. When Eddie is found murdered, Chris makes a decision that will put him against the big boss. Meeting his brother's girlfriend, Karen, brings him back to the moment when he was seeing her. The inner turmoil within Chris will ultimately let him do the right thing as he avenges the death of his brother, thus redeeming him from the bad choices he had made."Rogue Cop" an MGM release of 1954 was a surprise. Directed by Roy Rowland, a veteran with a long career in movies, the film proved to be much better than we had expected thanks to the tight screenplay by Sydney Boehm. The idea that an enforcement officer, in this case a detective that loved the kind of life he could not afford, working for the other side, was a change of pace for the way audiences accepted them, which was always a gamble on the part of the big studios.The film works because of the right elements came together to make this story credible and the appearance of Robert Taylor, who excels as Chris Kelvaney. The actor was always a great presence on the screen, as he proves in here. In spite of playing the bad guy, the viewer does not feel repulsed by what he is trying to do. One keeps hoping for some goodness in the man, and that is what happens after he sees how expendable he was. George Raft finally had a role that fitted his public image. He had been in a series of flops after his tough guy career at Warner Bros. Janet Leigh plays the sweet Karen Stephanson, who never really got over of what she felt about Chris, only to hook up with his brother. Others in the cast included Anne Francis, Robert Ellenstein, Steve Forrest and Alan Hale Jr. doing good ensemble work. Richard Deacon shows up in an uncredited cameo.Recommended for fans of the genre.

While this film does not have every one of the usual trademarks of Film Noir, it is very much a Noir-style film. Like true Noir, Robert Taylor is not a typical cop but one on the take from the mob. The problem is that these thugs are now pressuring him to make his brother, another cop, refuse to identify a petty thug who murdered someone. The problem is that while Taylor isn't above lying or cheating, his brother (Steve Forrest) is a decent guy and won't play along with the crooks. So Taylor is stuck--should he obey his masters who have bought and paid for him or should he remain loyal to his brother? This makes for a great dilemma and also allows Taylor to play one of his grittier and more rugged roles (something I really appreciated after all the "pretty boy" roles of the 1930s and early 40s). I particularly liked watching Taylor in an all-out brawl with Alan Hale, Jr., as Taylor ending up beating him with a brutal punch to the throat! Now THAT'S what you expect in Noir! Overall, this film is well made and interesting. About the only negative is one brief scene with Janet Leigh when Taylor kisses her--it just doesn't ring true. Still, this one's a keeper and well worth your time.

Cop-on-the-take Sgt Chris Kelvaney(Robert Taylor)vows to take down the two mob bosses, Dan Beaumonte(George Raft) & Ackerman(Robert F Simon) responsible for the death of his straight-arrow beat cop brother Eddie(Steve Forrest). The drama starts when a lowlife named 'Wrinkles' Fallon(Peter Brocco)kills a man in this gaming place. The man responsible for placing the ID on Fallon was Eddie who would receive a commendation for his work in bringing a killer to justice. But, Fallon is a photographer/blackmailer who captured Beaumonte and Ackerman snuffing someone out and he needs to be freed from jail or they take the fall. Beaumonte puts pressure on Chris to convince Eddie it's best not to keep his story on Fallon legit or else. But, Eddie is an honest product of his pop's raising and will not follow in his crooked brother's footsteps. Chris finds out that Eddie's new squeeze Karen(Janet Leigh)was once a mobster's moll from Florida and tries to convince her to talk sense into him against remaining loyal to keeping Fallon in prison. With Beaumonte and Ackerman squirmy and nervous about being taken down, they bring a foreign hit-man in to put away Eddie. Beaumonte has a lovely alcoholic moll Nancy(Anne Francis)who embarrasses him with her stumbling around and little jokes and cans her out on the street to another gangster for which she opens her mouth about certain things she knows..Beaumonte now sets his sights on wringing her neck as well. Through it all, Chris will go rogue as his own as his superiors will desire his badge and resignation for his being under the mob's payroll, but not before he finds the man responsible for Eddie's death. He plans to not only take out the hit-man, but the two mob bosses as well in a climactic shootout with assistance of good cop Sidney(Robert Ellenstein)who feels resentment from the sergeant for not going the crooked route.Taylor gets a really juicy role as a crooked cop certainly a bit responsible for his brother's death. He has to face the music when it comes to his activities with the mob and this film puts it to him, but Taylor is good at getting sympathy from the viewer despite his nose-thumbing at being the honest, hard-working cop instead of getting paid, no matter who is forking over the extra salary lining your pockets. George Raft also is quite effective as a real scumbag mobster who says what he means, to the point with little in the way of small talk. Janet Leigh doesn't have to stretch too much..it's her looks this film is aiming for..that and to poke away at Chris' heart. She's the one who he can speak to as the world caves in around him..when both the police and the mob turn their cold shoulders to him. Sure, it's of his own making, but that's what makes the role so juicy for Taylor..it's not black & white at all, but all sorts of shades of grey. The film is ultimately about redemption, setting things straight, and accepting the life you've lived with all the problems that capsize because of it. Anne Francis gets one of her best roles as a moll who genuinely loved her man and seems damned for pushing him too far.

This picture is an example of a perfect cast. The leading role is a possibility for Robert Taylor to prove that he is an allrounder as an actor. Hard, dirty and gritty - he even use "angelface" Janet Leigh for his interests. Miss Leigh as pretty and credible as always. The same to George Raft. He even could play his part asleep. Anne Francis, Steve Forrest and Vince Edwards are also convincing. Roy Rowland (he directs Taylor in the western-comedy-hit "Many rivers to cross") captures the atmosphere of policeman and gentleman-gangster. Writer Boehm also is the author of "The big heat" an movie which is similar in atmosphere and plot.