Without Warning! (1952)

So much average

Strong acting helps the film overcome an uncertain premise and create characters that hold our attention absolutely.

Like the great film, it's made with a great deal of visible affection both in front of and behind the camera.

It's the kind of movie you'll want to see a second time with someone who hasn't seen it yet, to remember what it was like to watch it for the first time.

***SPOILERS**** The police only clue to the string of killings in the L.A area is that he uses plow shears on his victims who are 30 or under blonde females and murder his victims on the first week of the month. That as it turns out is because it's right after payday and he's got enough cash to take them out on a date before he off them. The killer himself crazed and deranged gardener Carl Martin, Adam Williams, has this thing against young blonde women since his wife, also a blonde, kicked him out of the house when she realized that he was nuts as well as dangerous.Doing gardening work for the Saunders plant and flower nursery Martin used it for covering up his crimes, with 25 pound bags of horse & cow manure, and keeping everyone including the police guessing to who he really is. A murderous psycho and woman heater who wants to get even with those-young blondes-that he feels have done him wrong. Martin even goes so far as getting into a gunfight with two highway patrolmen who caught him in the act. That's after he was caught red handed by them with a blonde, Angela Stevens, that he just murdered whom he picked up a a local bar the nigh before promising to show her a good time! With the L.A police lead by Lt. Pete Hamilton, Edward Binns, hot on his tail Martin slips up in trying to murder his boss Fred Saunders', John Maxwell, daughter Jane, Meg Randall,who besides being a blonde, those that he targets, but feels that she's on to him in his murderous actions around town.***SPOILERS**** With Let. Hamilton and his partner Det. Sgt. Don Warde, Harlan Warde, arriving at his home to question as well as arrest Martin he slips out holding Meg , who came to pick up a plant he ordered for her, hostage. The final scene has Martin gunned down before he could do any more damage as both Let. Hamilton & Sgt. Warde double back and catch him off guard giving Meg a chance to escape.If Martin would have stuck to just gardening all this hurt and suffering on his part would have never happened. But the fact that his wife put the hurt on him by walking out on the creep flipped him out and used the tools of his trade, like plow shears and bags of horse and cow manure, to both commit as well as cover up his crimes!

Saw this on YOUTUBE and the technical qualities were very good. Lots of familiar faces in this noir and the acting was excellent. The placement of the camera was really impressive. Many shots of just the torso, then extreme closeup to see the sweat on the face, then long shots for an isolation feeling. No gimmicks, direction added to the experience.The narration was sparse but useful. Neither the cops nor the killer acted dumb or stereotypical. All the moves were logical,even when occasional humor was used.This was one neat package that delivered what was promised. If you are a film noir fan this is a must see.

"In the annals of crime of any great city, there is always one case that for sheer savagery will never be forgotten. No professional criminal could ever match its fury, for it is the record of murder without reason, of fear and of terror of a killer who strikes without warning." So begins the story of the garden shear wielding love-killer, at large in 1951 Los Angeles, who has a murderous penchant for blondes.Opening outside a motel with blaring jazz music, the police are investigating the murder of a lovely blonde who was killed by a large pair of gardening shears. It is determined that the woman was in her twenties and married, although her husband is clearly not in the picture. As the cops probe the scene, our love-killer, boyish gardener Carl Martin (Adam Williams, North By Northwest), collapses into bed, awakening the next day to head to a local gardening supply store, where he spots the owner's comely daughter Jane (Meg Randall) who is helping out her dad while her husband is overseas. (And let me just add, there is a little girl, Carmencita, who has the tendency to show up in some of the most inopportune moments for Carl). The police, meanwhile, think that the latest murder is linked to one a month earlier - the similarities are striking. While the authorities do everything and anything they can to stop and identify the murderer (including having pretty blonde decoys accompanied by plainclothed cops in an attempt to lure the psycho into a trap, studying torn fabric from the suit he was wearing at the time of the motel killing), Martin is still able to claim two more victims, but not before the police psychiatrist makes his diagnosis. The love-killer is a less than confidant guy who fell head over heels in love with, and married a woman (you guessed it, a blonde) who left him high and dry for another man. So the women he chooses as victims are prototypes of his ex-wife. Blonde, attractive, married but estranged from their husbands for whatever reason. He was unable to punish his wife so instead he punishes other women. Although Martin does pick up one of the decoys, while driving to an out of the way place, he notices that they're being followed and promptly drops her off - alive - but not before delivering a quick little speech regarding morals. It seems that he may be cunning enough at times to stay one step ahead of the law, but he's bound to be found out or exposed - it's just a question of when and how. By the time the detectives discover Martin's identity and that he is a gardener by profession, it may be too late for Jane, who finds herself alone with Carl as his murderous rage is about to explode - again.Adam Williams spent most of his career in television, and I can't help but think that had he had more film roles, if his portrayal here is any indication, he may have become a star in the Richard Widmark mold. "Without Warning" is also a very interesting viewing experience because it introduces some investigative techniques that have become much more prevalent and advanced in recent years - analyzing crime scenes, fabric fibers, cigarette butts, soil and criminal profiling. While not exactly what you'd see on CSI today, the determining of the type of suit the perpetrator was wearing and what motivates him to commit his crimes makes this early 50s noir a cut above the rest that I've seen. Also, Martin seems to get a perverse kick out of reading about his savage mayhem in the papers, and along with his clean-cut, seemingly "normal" exterior his inner rage simmers, his murderous intent could explode suddenly or could have him meticulously planning his next move. I couldn't help but think of Ted Bundy in that respect - Martin, like Bundy, seems on the surface to be last person you'd suspect to be capable of such savage killings.Of course, I can't review this film without addressing what critics and fans of the genre have debated - whether Without Warning should be considered film noir or not. And I'm going to answer that as honestly as I can - yes and no. At times, it seems that the movie can't decide what it wants to be - a noir, a detective story, or a documentary-style thriller. It has very strong elements of all three, but I do think that it does earn the title of noir, even if it is missing some of the better known ingredients (femme fatales, hard-boiled detectives), and only a handful of scenes take place at night - which is usually considered a noir staple. The rest of the action (including a dramatic chase as Martin evades police after claiming his third victim, and the climax) takes place in broad daylight. The police detectives, while dedicated to their jobs, seem to be rather average Joes apart from it and there is no insight into their personal lives. Even Martin's primary target, Jane, is a regular gal who just wants to help out her father and innocently bide her time until her husband returns. However I suppose it doesn't matter that Jane is not a two-timing dame, because all attractive blondes of that age are the same in Carl Martin's eyes. The narration is on hand pretty much throughout, giving the story an air of realism.Check it out if you can.

This story of a serial killer came out 55 years ago. It's dated primarily in that it isn't gory and graphic. At moments, it feels as if it's about to go that way. But of course the censors wouldn't have allowed it.The director, though not in anyone's pantheon, has great noir cred. "Down Three Dark Streets" alone is something to be very proud of.The pace is just right. The acting, by people wholly unknown to me, is professional and convincing.We know almost from the start who the killer is. It's a matter of whether and when he will be caught. The film languishes more on his bland good looks than on the appearance of any of his victims. He's nice enough looking: rather baby-faced. We see him without his shirt in a long, not extraneous, scene.The attention paid to the killer reminded me of "The Sniper," which came out at the same time. "The Sniper" is better known and was done on a higher budget. But I wouldn't say it's better. This is a very good, scary movie.