This is a good movie. The cinematography and acting are excellent. Sterling Hayden dominates the movie. The on-locations shots of Los Angeles capture the essence of the U.S. urban scene in the early 1950s. This movie is proof that elaborate and expensive sets ate not necessary to produce a solid movie. The close-ups of Phyllis Kirk and Gene Nelson are wonderful. The rest of cast are excellent too. Jay Novello playing the doctor is great casting. And no one could have played Ted de Corsia's part better. This movie shows how excellent casting can lift an otherwise standard crime melodrama to a higher artistic level. The use of black-and-white really works effectively in establishing the mood - somber, gritty, unpretentious. Of course, the movie is also well-directed, proof being the way the story is told - through actions, not narration, and through strong acting. This movie is a cinematic gem.
Review of Crime Wave
