Western Pacific Agent (1950)

Very disappointing...

Sorry, this movie sucks

There's no way I can possibly love it entirely but I just think its ridiculously bad, but enjoyable at the same time.

This is a dark and sometimes deeply uncomfortable drama

An intriguing detective story, thanks largely to two actors, Mickey Knox and Morris Carnovsky, whose careers were threatened by their politics during the witch hunts of the late 1940s. Knox steals the film as a sociopath who heists a payroll, then discovers there's no way to pass the marked money. Carnovsky isn't far behind as his father, a small town grocer who can't bring himself to turn in his psycho son. Kent Taylor as a railroad detective and Sheila Ryan as the sister of a murder victim are nominally the stars. But it's the first-rate character acting, coupled with effective location camera-work (like a shoot-out on a rising drawbridge,)that make this a grade B thriller worth watching.

WESTERN PACIFIC AGENT – 1950A low budget quickie from B-film stalwart, Lippert Pictures. Kent Taylor is the headliner.Mickey Knox hits the small town of Chester, California. He wants to put the bite on his father, general store owner, Morris Carnovsky, for a loan. Carnovsky has gone through this before with his no good excuse of a son. He tells Knox to get himself a job and earn his own cash. Knox is not so inclined and prepares to go back on the road. He overhears several men talking to his father about paying off their accounts. The big monthly cash payroll is arriving that afternoon. They are just waiting for the railway agent, Robert Lowery, to show. Light-bulbs go off as Knox sees a solution to his cash flow problems. Knox hotfoots it to the only bridge into town. It is one that is raised for river barge traffic to pass underneath. Knox bursts in on the bridge operator and gives the man the sharp end of his knife. He then raises the bridge and waits. Sure enough the railroad payroll agent, Lowery shows. He sees no river traffic so he enters the bridge office. Knox steps up behind Lowery and gives him several solid cracks with a steel pipe. The blows are hard enough to kill Lowery. Knox grabs the cash bag and transfers same to his sleeping bag. Then out the door and into the woods Knox speeds. Knox intends to grab a freight train for the big city. Needless to say this idea hits a few snags. Railway detective, Kent Taylor just happens to be in the area on other railroad business. He quickly has all the serial numbers of the stolen bills. These he forwards to all the local banks etc. The first bill that Knox passes is soon brought to Taylor and the local Sheriff, Dick Elliot's attention. A description of the killer is soon posted. Knox is hiding out at the local hobo camp as he waits for a freight train. A cash reward being offered by Taylor for info soon has results. Knox has to beat the feet in order to stay ahead of Taylor and the boys. He does another killing just for a change of clothes. He also picks up a .38 pistol along the way. Knox's father, Carnovsky, knows from the description that the man Taylor is looking for his son. He tells Taylor about his belief that Knox might be the killer. Knox is soon run to ground at a small shack just outside town. Taylor has Carnovsky try and talk Knox into surrendering. Knox is not having any of this idea and blasts Carnovsky, wounding him.Knox manages to escape the Police cordon and flees back to the bridge out of town. The same bridge that is, where Knox committed the first murders and robbery. Taylor and Sheriff, Dick Elliot, soon catch up and guns are drawn. Knox still refuses to come quietly and lead flies. A thoroughly ventilated Knox falls from the bridge into the river below. The cash is recovered. This 65 minute quickie was directed by veteran b-film helmsman, Sam Newfield. Newfield pumped out over 270 titles during his career. Most were simple shot in two weeks type fare, but he did manage to turn out a few little gems. These include, MONEY MADNESS, THE COUNTERFIETERS, APOLOGY FOR MURDER, THE LADY CONFESSES, MURDER IS MY BUSINESS and HI-JACKED.Minor leading man Taylor scored in a couple of nicely done minor noir, TANGIER and FEDERAL AGENT AT LARGE.Also in the cast is Sid Melton for a touch of comic relief. Shelia Ryan plays the sister of the slain Robert Lowery. She also serves as the love interest for Taylor. A very watchable example of a 1950's B-film programmer.

Western Pacific Agent with Kent Taylor in that title role is the story of a railroad cop investigating the on the job murders of two employees. This particular Lippert Production rises a notch or two above the usual Lippert film with a pair of guys with blacklist troubles.Morris Carnovsky and Mickey Knox who were having trouble getting work at the larger studios play father and son. Knox commits a payroll robbery and kills two employees of the Western Pacific to do it. The nature of the crime suggests some familiarity with the town and the railroad operation. The Western Pacific's top cop Kent Taylor gets the case.This film really belongs to Knox who gives a great performance as a stone cold killer. Before the climax Knox kills a fence who was holding him up in a deal.Carnovsky suspects right away that it could be his son, but he dare not say anything and hopes his suspicions are wrong. He's a very good friend of Sheila Ryan whose brother Robert Lowery was one of the first pair of victims. Carnovsky will bring a tear or two to your eye as a father who desperately hopes his son is not a killer.Lippert films went quite a bit beyond their normal quality in bringing Western Pacific Agent to the movie-going public in 1950.

Another in the Lippert Films series, this is a typical B-movie with a no-name cast, save character actors Dick O'Neil and Sid Melton, wooden acting and directing and a simple plot/story. Still, it is an entertaining film, albeit cheesy by today's standards. The script is also sophomoric but somehow engrossing. Western Pacific Agent involves detectives who work for the railroad solving crimes and other dilemmas, in this case the murder of a railroad payroll carrier and another victim. This is included in Forgotten Noir Vol. 4, a set of B-movies that are, if nothing else, good fun to watch. They have a style reminiscent of 1950s television dramas. You won't find any 'method acting' here.