There's something particularly pleasing about a relatively short, low budget movie which has the power to make a great impact and "Crime Wave" (a.k.a. "The City Is Dark" & "Don't Cry Baby") is just such a movie. It's very well acted, has interesting characters and maintains a lively pace throughout. The story's main protagonist is an ex-con who's trying desperately to go straight and neither the cops nor the criminals believe in his determination or ability to do so. He's pressured and threatened by both and this puts him in a tight spot because if he cooperates with the criminals, he'll inevitably fall back into a life of crime and if he doesn't, he and his wife could find themselves in mortal danger.
Since serving out a prison sentence, Steve Lacey (Gene Nelson) has been successful in avoiding further trouble. He's married to Ellen (Phyllis Kirk), has his own apartment and also a well-paid job as an airplane mechanic. His problems begin when one of his ex-cell mates turns up at his home. Gat Morgan (Ned Young) who's seriously injured is carrying a gun and Steve and Ellen are forced to let him stay. Shortly after, Dr Otto Hessler (Jay Novello)arrives to attend to Gat's gunshot wound but it's too late as Gat dies before the doctor can help. Hessler takes the dead man's money to cover his costs and leaves.
At the same time, LAPD Detective Lieutenant Sims (Sterling Hayden) has been able to confirm that the three men who had just carried out a gas station robbery and killed a motorcycle cop were a group of escaped convicts who'd broken out of San Quentin. He has a hunch that the men will contact their old cell mate and so arrests Steve and takes him in for questioning. Steve insists that he's unable to help and is eventually released.
Steve's situation then gets worse when the other two gang members, Doc Penny (Ted de Corsia) and Ben Hastings (Charles Bronson) turn up at his apartment. Hastings takes Steve's car and goes to Hessler's place where he kills the doctor and then has to escape on foot because a passer-by had witnessed the murder. As soon as the car found close to the murder scene is identified as Steve's, he becomes the focus of a police manhunt. Penny and Hastings then force Steve to help them carry out a bank robbery and the tension builds steadily because Steve has tipped off the cops and also, the heist doesn't go according to plan.
Sims and Hessler are the two strongest characters in "Crime Wave". Sims is big, tough and permanently dishevelled and habitually chews toothpicks to help him give up smoking. He's intimidating and deeply cynical and doesn't believe that Steve or any ex-con can be rehabilitated. His unsophisticated method of operation simply involves bullying and threatening everyone regardless of whether they happen to be suspects or witnesses and Sterling Hayden gives an immensely powerful performance in this role.
Dr Hessler is a very believable underground physician, a man who's no longer able to practice medicine legitimately and who's turned his attentions to caring for animals instead. He's obviously suffered some misfortune in the past and consoles himself by turning to the bottle. His genuine fondness of animals is a positive quality, which goes some way to balance out such actions as relieving a dead patient of his (albeit stolen) money. Jay Novello does well in bringing out the different aspects of Hessler's character so vividly.
The visual style of this movie is quite striking and the nocturnal scenes are particularly well framed and lit. The shadowy streets add powerfully to the atmosphere of the piece and the use of so many location shots is effective in strengthening the movie's strong sense of realism. "Crime Wave" is very enjoyable on a number of levels and certainly merits greater recognition than it's been given in the past.
Since serving out a prison sentence, Steve Lacey (Gene Nelson) has been successful in avoiding further trouble. He's married to Ellen (Phyllis Kirk), has his own apartment and also a well-paid job as an airplane mechanic. His problems begin when one of his ex-cell mates turns up at his home. Gat Morgan (Ned Young) who's seriously injured is carrying a gun and Steve and Ellen are forced to let him stay. Shortly after, Dr Otto Hessler (Jay Novello)arrives to attend to Gat's gunshot wound but it's too late as Gat dies before the doctor can help. Hessler takes the dead man's money to cover his costs and leaves.
At the same time, LAPD Detective Lieutenant Sims (Sterling Hayden) has been able to confirm that the three men who had just carried out a gas station robbery and killed a motorcycle cop were a group of escaped convicts who'd broken out of San Quentin. He has a hunch that the men will contact their old cell mate and so arrests Steve and takes him in for questioning. Steve insists that he's unable to help and is eventually released.
Steve's situation then gets worse when the other two gang members, Doc Penny (Ted de Corsia) and Ben Hastings (Charles Bronson) turn up at his apartment. Hastings takes Steve's car and goes to Hessler's place where he kills the doctor and then has to escape on foot because a passer-by had witnessed the murder. As soon as the car found close to the murder scene is identified as Steve's, he becomes the focus of a police manhunt. Penny and Hastings then force Steve to help them carry out a bank robbery and the tension builds steadily because Steve has tipped off the cops and also, the heist doesn't go according to plan.
Sims and Hessler are the two strongest characters in "Crime Wave". Sims is big, tough and permanently dishevelled and habitually chews toothpicks to help him give up smoking. He's intimidating and deeply cynical and doesn't believe that Steve or any ex-con can be rehabilitated. His unsophisticated method of operation simply involves bullying and threatening everyone regardless of whether they happen to be suspects or witnesses and Sterling Hayden gives an immensely powerful performance in this role.
Dr Hessler is a very believable underground physician, a man who's no longer able to practice medicine legitimately and who's turned his attentions to caring for animals instead. He's obviously suffered some misfortune in the past and consoles himself by turning to the bottle. His genuine fondness of animals is a positive quality, which goes some way to balance out such actions as relieving a dead patient of his (albeit stolen) money. Jay Novello does well in bringing out the different aspects of Hessler's character so vividly.
The visual style of this movie is quite striking and the nocturnal scenes are particularly well framed and lit. The shadowy streets add powerfully to the atmosphere of the piece and the use of so many location shots is effective in strengthening the movie's strong sense of realism. "Crime Wave" is very enjoyable on a number of levels and certainly merits greater recognition than it's been given in the past.