The Threat (1949)

Plenty to Like, Plenty to Dislike

Although it has its amusing moments, in eneral the plot does not convince.

This is one of the few movies I've ever seen where the whole audience broke into spontaneous, loud applause a third of the way in.

By the time the dramatic fireworks start popping off, each one feels earned.

When vicious killer Arnold Kluger (Charles McGraw) and his pals escape from Folsom Prison, they go after the detective (Michael O'Shea) and the DA (Frank Conroy) who put Kluger in prison in the fist place.The two, plus a woman Kluger thinks ratted him out are holed up with the men in a desert shack where Kluger and his pals are to be picked up by another confederate, Anthony.Michael O'Shea plays a police officer who, with is wife, is awaiting the birth of their child. He's not supposed to be out on the street but to his wife's chagrin, he runs out when he learns of Kluger's escape, only to be captured by him. At first, Kluger makes him call in as if all is well.Virginia Grey is the woman Kluger thinks betrayed her, and she spends most of the movie screaming and crying to let her leave. Meanwhile the officer and DA are tied up in the next room after being taken to this out of the way cabin. Not looking good.Charles McGraw is dynamite in this film, incredibly mean, without one drop of human kindness. As someone on the board pointed out, people like this exist, making the story scarier. He's absolutely frightening because he's capable of anything.If you're a baby boomer, you'll recognize the voice of Inspector Henderson from Superman right away, Robert Shayne as Police Inspector Murphy. The man worked into his nineties but is probably best remembered as Henderson. The film was made in 1949, and most if not all of these actors wound up in television.Michael O'Shea was always likable, and he's no different here, playing a police detective who keeps his cool. Married to Virginia Mayo, the two did a lot of theater together, and after he retired he became a plainclothes CIA operative.Virginia Grey was a good actress and a lovely one, though this role called for her to be hysterical a good part of the time.This is a short film that packs a wallop - a real wallop. Very hard- hitting.

Charles McGraw was one of the all-time best at playing tough guy roles in Hollywood. He was never anything but totally convincing in those roles, either. It has to be his distinctive gravel voice, along with his manly facial features and mannerisms, but also the fact he seemed to always play these kind of characters. All of this stamped him as a rough thug, no matter what side of the law he was on and the older he got, the more chiseled his face and rougher the voice. By 1950, he - along with big Sterling Hayden - were the two best males in the film noir genre, in my opinion. Both men were always interesting and both hit peaks in the very early '50s.In this film, McGraw is the main criminal, "Red Kluger," a man who has just busted out of Folsom Prison. He immediately goes after the two guys most responsible for putting him behind bars, captures then and then goes on the lam with a stolen truck, a couple of other thugs and the kidnapped driver of the big truck.At only 65 minutes, this moves by pretty fast, although there is a lull halfway through until things start to get tense as the cops get closer and closer. The "Inspector," by the way, is Robert Shayne, who played "Inspector Henderson" on the Superman TV show in the 1950s. The only difference was that he had a mustache in this movie.One credibility problem: the truck driver, "Joe," could have escaped a few times, especially with his riding partner up front got out of the cab to talk to a cop! What a perfect chance to slip out his side and run for it...but he stays in the driver's seat (with nobody looking at him?) Oh, well; no film is perfect.The climax was fine, offering some tense moments and a surprise finish regarding the hostages and crooks. Overall, a pretty solid film noir and one that, hopefully, will be available on DVD.

As a kid I loved those Warner Bros. and RKO Pictures cops and robbers movies. In a way, I still do. Some are real classics, but many, like The Threat, were churned out for the likes of me -- age 8. If you're over 8 this one's a waste of time. I still like Michael O'Shea, though.

As is the case in hundreds of Hollywood films, "The Threat" was filmed on location throughout the Los Angeles and Southern California area. Cities like Barstow, Palm Springs and Riverside are mentioned constantly. The story climaxes in the ubiquitous desert hide-a-way.The Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department is after escaped psycho killer "Red" Kluger, played brilliantly by veteran actor Charles McGraw. Inspector Murphy (Robert Shayne, known to many of us as Inspector Henderson of "Superman" fame) leads the manhunt. Average story line.