"Shield for Murder" gives star Edmond O'Brien (who also co-directed) a change of pace. He plays a cop who has for some unexplained reason, gone bad. He starts out by murdering a mob runner for the $25,000 he was carrying and making it look as though he had shot an escaping felon. The money belongs to gangster Packy Reed (Hugh Sanders) who sends his two "private detectives" after him.
Unfortunately for Barney Nolan (O'Brien) an old man (David Hughes) sees the crime from his window. Unbeknownst to all is the fact that the old man is deaf and dumb. Nolan explains to Captain Gunnerson (Emile Meyer) that the victim had been running away and that is why he had to shoot him. Nolan's partner Mark Brewster (John Agar) becomes suspicious.
Nolan has dreams for he and girlfriend Patty Winters (Marla English). He shows her through a model home that he hopes to buy while stashing the loot behind the house. The old man shows up at the police station and shows Nolan a note explaining that he saw the crime. Nolan quickly destroys the note and goes to visit the old man later that evening. The old man in the meantime, had written out a detailed description of the murder but was unable to identify the killer.
Nolan tries to bribe the old man but accidentally kills him in a blind rage. Brewster investigates and finds the note pad on which is written the old man's description of the first murder. He tries to arrest Nolan but Nolan escapes pursed by the two thugs Claude Atkins, Lawrence Ryle. Dressed as a beat cop, Nolan is on the run when....................................................................................
Edmond O'Brien was always better than his material. He gives a convincing performance here as the brutal cop gone bad. If I'm not mistaken, this was his only villain role in his career. John Agar and Marla English give adequate support. But I liked Emile Meyer another under rated actor as the police Captain. Also be on the look out for Richard Deacon, William Schallert, Robert Bray, Stafford Repp, Vito Scotti in other minor roles and Carolyn Jones as the girl in the bar. I would have liked to have known more of Nolan's background particularly how and why he turned bad.
Unfortunately for Barney Nolan (O'Brien) an old man (David Hughes) sees the crime from his window. Unbeknownst to all is the fact that the old man is deaf and dumb. Nolan explains to Captain Gunnerson (Emile Meyer) that the victim had been running away and that is why he had to shoot him. Nolan's partner Mark Brewster (John Agar) becomes suspicious.
Nolan has dreams for he and girlfriend Patty Winters (Marla English). He shows her through a model home that he hopes to buy while stashing the loot behind the house. The old man shows up at the police station and shows Nolan a note explaining that he saw the crime. Nolan quickly destroys the note and goes to visit the old man later that evening. The old man in the meantime, had written out a detailed description of the murder but was unable to identify the killer.
Nolan tries to bribe the old man but accidentally kills him in a blind rage. Brewster investigates and finds the note pad on which is written the old man's description of the first murder. He tries to arrest Nolan but Nolan escapes pursed by the two thugs Claude Atkins, Lawrence Ryle. Dressed as a beat cop, Nolan is on the run when....................................................................................
Edmond O'Brien was always better than his material. He gives a convincing performance here as the brutal cop gone bad. If I'm not mistaken, this was his only villain role in his career. John Agar and Marla English give adequate support. But I liked Emile Meyer another under rated actor as the police Captain. Also be on the look out for Richard Deacon, William Schallert, Robert Bray, Stafford Repp, Vito Scotti in other minor roles and Carolyn Jones as the girl in the bar. I would have liked to have known more of Nolan's background particularly how and why he turned bad.