• Lots of debate on how much of the film was directed by uncredited Anthony Mann
  • Basehart is great here as a pre-Travis Bickle Travis Bickle disillusioned war-vet killer/criminal
  • John Alton the DP may the real artist here (elmer gantry, an American in paris) – the lighting in the storm drain sewer is worth the price of admission—it’s not as good as the third man but the sewer sequences predate third man by a year
  • Alton’s Venetian-blind lighting work is wonderful as well – certainly was an influence on the movie brats of the american new wave of the 1970’s
  • True story noir- very t-men-esque with the omniscient and authoritative narrator- it’s too much at times- really obtrusive “police work isn’t always about glamor and glory- sometimes it’s tedious work”- it would’ve been better to lave this alone
  • Long good sequence of basehart agonizingly removing a bullet from his arm
  • Fringe top 10 of the year
  • Recommend / Highly Recommend border