Girl on the Run (1953)

Am i the only one who thinks........Average?

In truth, there is barely enough story here to make a film.

To all those who have watched it: I hope you enjoyed it as much as I do.

It's a good bad... and worth a popcorn matinée. While it's easy to lament what could have been...

Girl on the Run (1953) ** (out of 4) A reporter (Richard Coogan) and his girlfriend (Rosemary Pettit) are on the run from the police and hide out at a carnival sideshow where they try to gather evidence to clear his name.GIRL ON THE RUN is a fairly forgettable crime picture that has a rather routine and boring story that really doesn't do much or go anywhere. This film is sold as an adult noir but the crime elements just don't work well enough for it to be too successful. Where the film does succeed is with its atmosphere and setting. The circus setting is actually quite excellent and there's a nice atmosphere that really puts you in this circus. It will certainly remind you of FREAKS and other exploitation pictures from the 30s.Another thing the film is known for is for the first screen appearance of Steve McQueen. Yes, the Steve McQueen who would go onto appear in THE BLOB, THE GREAT ESCAPE and THE GETAWAY. You can see him early in the picture looking very young with a funny haircut. The performances for the most part are okay as is the cinematography. GIRL ON THE RUN is a decent "C" film but it's too bad that the setting wasn't used for something better.

A third string "C" Film Noir that actually may be the best of the Carney based Film Noir. As much as I like Nightmare Alley (1947), this carnival film never leaves the midway much like Todd Browning's Freaks (1932). It's a great capture of the gritty atmosphere of a traveling carnival of tent and plywood, lit by strings of bare light bulbs. Victor Lukens cinematographer, creates a gritty claustrophobic carny setting, with convoluted passageways between tents, the midway, plywood arcades, cramped backstage warrens, along with trailers, and other equipment. Most of the cast are playing carnies, Charles Bolender shines as the Carney Boss Blake, a cigar chomping little person who runs the show. Bolender deploys great ways of evening the keel whenever he has to deal with other people often ending up higher and looking down on them. Veteran actor Frank Albertson (Mantrap, Nightfall, Physco, Shed No Tears, They Mane Me A Killer, It's A Wonderful Life) plays the local cop Hank on carnival duty. Harry Banister a early TV vet plays the local corrupt politician Reeves. Veteran TV Western Actor Richard Coogan (Vice Raid) is Bill Martin, a falsely accused of murder reporter who takes refuge at the carnival. Rosemary Pettit (Walk East On Beacon) plays Janet his girl who gives off a Gene Tierney vibe. She is forced to hide out with a chorus of carnival strippers, the de-facto "Girl On The Run" mothered by veteran early TV actress Edith King (Calcutta). Pettit is great as the good girl who has to be a quick study learning how to jiggle along with the rest of the strippers. Rounding out the rest of the cast John Krollers and other un-credited actors play carnival barkers, you can see a bit of Phil Silvers, or Bud Abbott in the parts, for all I know I wouldn't be surprised if they were real carnival barkers. A shout out to Renee de Milo (her only credit) where ever she may be, she plays the headliner stripper Gigi. She does a complete dance and is so good at it that I suspect that she was an actual carnival stripper. She does her act without removing her bikini type costume but she's got the moves down that you can easily imagine what she'd display. Check out Carnival Strippers - Early Years (1971-1978) by Susan Meiselas for a reference work. The film also has an early Steve McQueen as an extra. The score is carnival music inter-spaced with jazz for the dance routines. This low budget Noir delivers, I go as high as a 6.5-7/10. If it did have A list actors for the two lovers, and say Bud Abbott or Phil Silvers as the barkers it could have been an 8/10.

GIRL ON THE RUN is actually a young couple on the lam from a phony murder rap who hide out in a two-bit carnival run by a cigar-chomping midget who looks a bit like Jack LaRue, she as a midway "chorine" and he as a boxing shill. The story takes place over the course of a night and I wasn't too sure what was going on other than the place being the nexus of local political corruption involving the murder of a "vice crusading" editor or somesuch. It's the kind of movie where the walls shake when a door slams but although it's far from THE GREATEST SHOW ON EARTH, it's not without its tawdry charms, especially the less-than-lovely kooch dancers who have no business being on stage (although Renee De Milo was oddly fascinating) and they're on stage often. The only cast members I recognized were Frank Albertson as a sideshow barker and an uncredited Steve McQueen in among the carnival "crowd". I'm predisposed to "carny noir" however threadbare it may be so you reely can't go by me.

Great little sleazy noir murder mystery at a burlesque (tame)show on the midway. A pulp story brought to life! But watch for Steve McQueen as a background extra in a couple of scenes! Must be his first part.