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Last week's Movie Quiz winners

Filed under: Imported

Tough guy caper movies don't get much better than last week's movie in question, Kansas City Confidential (1952), directed by Phil "Walking Tall" Karlson and starring John Payne. His co-star is the always reliable Preston Foster-- who can forget his great line from Doctor X, "Synthetic flesh!" Here, he begins the film like the villian in a Republic serial, wearing a hood and talking like Unga Khan himself. In one of the neat twists of the story, though, he's really a discredited cop trying to set up a robbery that he can then bust and regain his job. Payne plays the poor schnook who gets framed for the caper, and who then infiltrates the gang so he can get his job back (driving a florist's truck!).

Good as Foster and Payne are, the real treat of the movie is the trio of henchmen Foster picks for the job. Has there ever been a greater band of plug-uglies than Neville Brand, Jack Elam and the almighty Lee Van Cleef? Ol' Lee actually looks quite sporty in his Sinatra hats and bow ties, and his rodential leer has never been more nakedly on display. As for the other two, it's a toss-up who's worse-looking, the bug-eyed and sweaty Elam, or the even sweatier Brand, who seems to practically ooze murder. (He was decorated in WWII for having the third highest number of kills.)

Kansas City Confidential is on my short list of B-noirs that I recommend to everybody, no matter what their age or taste, knowing they'll be pleased. (If you're curious, the others are Thieves' Highway and Armored Car Robbery.) It's on a few DVDs of various quality and price-- here's a good webpage that compares them. If you've never seen it and have a fondness for tough talk and great bad guys, at least pick up a cheap copy the next time you go to Best Buy. You won't be sorry.

So congratulations to the following quiz winners who know their noir: Tammy Riggins, Wayne Palmer, Hank Parmer, E. Yarber, and Kevin Musolino.

Posted by Steve Monaco at July 4, 2005 11:08 PM

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