The Lineup (1958)

Set in San Francisco, a drug smuggling ring plants heroin on unsuspecting tourists coming into the country. Two cold blooded homicidal bag men, one a young hothead (Eli Wallach) and the other an older refined type (Robert Keith, WRITTEN ON THE WIND), then pick up the dope and eliminating the tourist if they have to. Based on the TV show THE LINEUP which was still running when the film was made, only Warner Anderson as a police lieutenant remains from the TV show. His TV partner Tom Tully is replaced for the film by Emile Meyer. Tautly directed by Don Siegel, this is a terrific piece of film noir though oddly enough, the entire film takes place during the day. The first half hour is spent on police procedure but once the trio (Richard Jaeckel as the "wheel man" is the third) of thugs come into the picture, the film races concluding with a marvelous high speed car chase that wouldn't be equaled until BULLITT. There's a potent homoerotic subtext (just what is Wallach and Keith's relationship?) and a scene in a bath house that doesn't even bother to hide it. With Mary LaRoche (BYE BYE BIRDIE), Raymond Bailey, Vaughn Taylor (who has a spectacular death) and William Leslie.