Outside The Wall (1950)

Sent to prison at the age of 16 for murder, a young man (Richard Basehart) is paroled after serving 15 years. Having "grown up" behind prison walls, he is ill prepared for the outside world ..... and its women. A blonde gold digger (Marilyn Maxwell) may well be the temptation that sends him back to prison. Directed by Crane Wilbur (STORY OF MOLLY X), this is an above average film noir with a solid performance by Basehart as a naive ex-convict perplexed by the world outside of prison walls and ripe to be taken advantage of by the opposite sex. Wilbur keeps a tight rein on the narrative and the clipped pacing leaves no time for excess. Unusual for a 1950 film, the credits are at the end of the film rather than its start. With Dorothy Hart as the only decent female character in the film, Signe Hasso, John Hoyt, Peggie Castle, Harry Morgan, Tracey Roberts and Joseph Pevney, who would soon give up acting to direct (MAN OF A THOUSAND FACES, TAMMY AND THE BACHELOR).