Themes: Assassination Plots, Cons and Scams, Going Undercover
Main Cast: Edward G. Robinson, George Raft, Audrey Totter, George Dolenz, Peter Hanson
Release Year: 1955
Country: US
Run Time: 86 minutes
Plot
A communist spy plots the abduction of an important American atomic scientist in this espionage drama. To do his evil deed, he coerces a notorious gangster to do the kidnapping. Meanwhile a G-man is hot on the spy's trail and is determined to protect the endangered scientist. Unfortunately, the spy is on to the detective and plans to bump him off first. The spy does not count on the fact that he has chosen a patriotic gangster to do his deeds and when the crook learns the spy's true alignment he takes action. Between him and the G-man, the world ends up safe for democracy once again. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
Review
It's rather depressing that a film with Edward G. Robinson, Audrey Totter and George Raft could be as bad as A Bullet for Joey, but it's unfortunately true. Place the blame on the time period: the Red Scare of the 1950's inspired the studios to produce some execrable anti-Communist movies, and this is one of them. Certainly screenwriters A.I. Bezzerides and Daniel Mainwaring had proven before (and would prove again) that they were more than capable writers; yet on Bullet, they concoct a ridiculous plot, people it with one-dimensional caricatures, saddle it with unconvincing dialogue and ladle on a heaping helping of ham-fisted ideological messages that are laughable. Lewis Allen's lifeless direction doesn't help matters one whit, although cinematographer Harry Neumann does manage to get off a few inventive shots when given half a chance. Bullet's cast tries very hard, and certainly each of them finds some moments that the audience can savor, but they can't save the film. They're good, but the material sinks them. ~ Craig Butler, All Movie Guide
