Armored Car Robbery (1950)

A criminal mastermind (William Talman) plans an armored car robbery outside a sports stadium down to the tiniest detail. But, of course, something goes wrong and when a policeman is killed, a tough L.A. cop (Charles McGraw) will stop at nothing until Talman and his gang are brought to justice. This nifty, economical (it runs seven minutes over an hour) "B" heist noir/thriller is quite effective. Talman's cold blooded cop killer isn't as bright as he thinks he is, he's as apt to think with his gun rather than his brains and he's matched by Adele Jergens as the tough as nails burlesque queen mistress of Talman. Even McGraw's gruff cop is pretty chilly. In the scene of him comforting the widow of the slain cop, he has all the sympathy and warmth of a snowman. Ably directed by the often maligned Richard Fleischer (20,000 LEAGUES UNDER THE SEA), the film eschews the RKO sound stages opting for a grittier on the streets of L.A. semi documentary ambience. With Gene Evans, Steve Brodie, Don McGuire and Douglas Fowley (the put upon director of SINGIN' IN THE RAIN).