Quicksand (1950)

An auto mechanic (Mickey Rooney) falls for a gold digging, hard as nails blonde (Jeanne Cagney, James's sister). In order to get the money to keep her, he begins descending into a life of petty crime at first then theft and murder. It's interesting to see Rooney play against his Andy Hardy image but his character is unlikable. He's cocky and treats the decent girl (Barbara Bates, ALL ABOUT EVE) who loves him like dirt (though her acceptance of his walking all over her as she keeps coming back more eventually becomes a turn off) and it's obvious the blonde is taking him for a ride. In fact, the gold digger is smarter than anyone else in the movie and without anyone else to latch on to, I actually began rooting for her. The deus ex machina finale is practically insulting to the audience what with the friendly lawyer who, despite being kidnapped at gunpoint, is more than willing to help them out. The direction by Irving Pichel (DESTINATION MOON) is efficient but there's not much he can do with the lame script. With Peter Lorre and Minerva Urecal.