If you can't beat 'em, join 'em!! - maybe that's what Universal was thinking when they gave this crime thriller a television studio setting. Another novelty that was tried was 3D (although the film was finally released in the normal flat format), which in 1953 was supposedly going to be filmdom's secret weapon to lure people away from their TV sets (it didn't work). Edward G. Robinson lent his considerable talents (and this film needed all the help it could get) - he played Henry Hayes, a frustrated researcher on a weekly crime show. He yearns for attention to detail and the finer points but in the slipshod world of churn 'em out crime shows of early television, near enough is good enough.
Behind the scenes there is just as much intrigue as in front of the camera. Henry's "it's all in the detail" has it's origins in trying to give voluptuous leading lady Paula, a bigger part. Kathleen Hughes was a budding 1950s Universal-International starlet known more for her looks and stunning figure than her acting ability. But Wow - she plays the part of the merciless tramp with a heart of steel to the hilt. She treats Henry with contempt while only too eagerly grabbing whatever money he throws at her. But she has bigger fish to fry, she is also conducting an affair with Don Newell (a young John Forsythe), the show's director. He is happily married and realises it has been a ghastly mistake but Paula has an ace up her sleeve in the pair of Don's pyjama bottoms that she has deftly swiped from his suitcase - she wants $2500 as a first instalment.
Hughes has a few big scenes - especially of note, one with Robinson where she almost spits out her dialogue, putting him down, bringing out all the venom she can muster. It's hard to understand what happened to Hughes, not only was she drop dead gorgeous, she was a terrific actress as well. As if Paula doesn't have enough on her plate, she also has a husband fresh out of prison but that doesn't stop her telling him exactly what he can do with his crude manners and loud clothes!! So when she is found dead there are suspects a plenty!!
Having been shot in 3D, there had to be a few gimmicky shots - in the scene where Newell walks dazedly along the street there are swerving trucks, falling lumps of coal that seem to be heading straight into the camera, all designed to thrill 3D viewers!! Robinson added solid professionalism to the movie but when he wasn't involved in the scene, the film proved just a mundane who done it - Forsyth just didn't have the charisma to carry it off. Richard Denning's character could have been expanded upon - he plays a shallow network executive and in his effort to keep everyone happy, every idea is a great idea!!
Behind the scenes there is just as much intrigue as in front of the camera. Henry's "it's all in the detail" has it's origins in trying to give voluptuous leading lady Paula, a bigger part. Kathleen Hughes was a budding 1950s Universal-International starlet known more for her looks and stunning figure than her acting ability. But Wow - she plays the part of the merciless tramp with a heart of steel to the hilt. She treats Henry with contempt while only too eagerly grabbing whatever money he throws at her. But she has bigger fish to fry, she is also conducting an affair with Don Newell (a young John Forsythe), the show's director. He is happily married and realises it has been a ghastly mistake but Paula has an ace up her sleeve in the pair of Don's pyjama bottoms that she has deftly swiped from his suitcase - she wants $2500 as a first instalment.
Hughes has a few big scenes - especially of note, one with Robinson where she almost spits out her dialogue, putting him down, bringing out all the venom she can muster. It's hard to understand what happened to Hughes, not only was she drop dead gorgeous, she was a terrific actress as well. As if Paula doesn't have enough on her plate, she also has a husband fresh out of prison but that doesn't stop her telling him exactly what he can do with his crude manners and loud clothes!! So when she is found dead there are suspects a plenty!!
Having been shot in 3D, there had to be a few gimmicky shots - in the scene where Newell walks dazedly along the street there are swerving trucks, falling lumps of coal that seem to be heading straight into the camera, all designed to thrill 3D viewers!! Robinson added solid professionalism to the movie but when he wasn't involved in the scene, the film proved just a mundane who done it - Forsyth just didn't have the charisma to carry it off. Richard Denning's character could have been expanded upon - he plays a shallow network executive and in his effort to keep everyone happy, every idea is a great idea!!