Main Cast: Robert Mitchum, Jane Greer, William Bendix, Patric Knowles, Ramon Novarro
Release Year: 1949
Country: US
Run Time: 72 minutes
MPAA Rating: NR
Plot
This breezy and unpretentious film noir from director Don Siegel starts off with fireworks. Duke Holliday (Robert Mitchum), an American army lieutenant, is on his way to Mexico by boat when he's confronted in his cabin by Blake (William Bendix), gun in hand, who plans on taking him back to the United States. Holliday gets away, pummeling Blake pretty hard in the bargain and stealing his identification, and crosses paths with Joan Graham (Jane Greer). It turns out that she's looking for the same man he is, a smooth-talking hood and grifter named Fiske (Patric Knowles), who took Holliday at gunpoint for 300,000 dollars in army payroll money and Graham for 2,000 dollars, in addition to her hand in marriage. They spend a lot of their time sizing each other up, not knowing how much to believe about the other while trying to catch up with Fiske, while Blake -- an army captain who's after Holliday for his alleged part in the robbery -- stumbles along a step or two behind them. These four end up playing cat-and-mouse across Veracruz, with Fiske always a half-step ahead, while police Inspector General Ortega (Ramon Novarro) calmly keeps tabs on all of them, trying to figure out (along with the rest of us) exactly who is on the level (in those days, especially after Out of the Past, there was no built-in assurance for audiences that Mitchum and Greer played characters with clean hands, and Mitchum is almost too good with the rough stuff here to be an obvious hero). Holliday and Graham engage in some surprisingly playful and suggestive banter during their travels, in between her keeping Holliday -- whose command of Spanish is less than minimal -- from adding too many new permutations to the phrase "the ugly American" in his dealings with the Mexicans. The mood is decidedly brisk and light-hearted at times, given the gunplay and violence that explodes at key intervals. The addition of John Qualen -- in one of the strangest roles of his career -- as a decidedly fidgety and neurotic presence in the last quarter of the story only adds to the undertone of quirkiness in this superb film noir. ~ Bruce Eder, All Movie Guide
Review
For a film noir, The Big Steal is surprisingly light. Unlike noirs such as The Big Sleep, which lace the darker proceedings with plenty of humor, Steal is fairly amusing all the way through. The setup and the stakes are serious, but the execution, even at its most action-packed, is handled with a sense of humor. Those looking for typical noir existentialism will be disappointed, but most will find themselves drawn in by Steal's charm. Certainly, the cast deserves a great deal of credit for the film's success. Robert Mitchum is in especially fine form, mining the energy that lies beneath his laid-back, world weary demeanor to very good effect. Jane Greer is a perfect foil for him, and the two also have an undeniable chemistry that adds to Steal's power. William Bendix is also showcased well here, but it's Ramon Novarro who delivers the film's most enjoyable performance. Don Siegel's direction is all about pacing, which is all to the good in this instance, and he's aided by some exceptionally crisp editing. If The Big Steal falls short of classic status, it's because it's ultimately a caper film without a lot of depth to it; but if it's little more than one long chase, it's still an entertaining ride. ~ Craig Butler, All Movie Guide
U.S. Army Lieutenant Duke Halliday (Robert Mitchum) is robbed of a $300,000 payroll by Jim Fiske (Patric Knowles). When Halliday's superior, Captain Vincent Blake (William Bendix), suspects him of haven taken part in the theft, Halliday has no choice but to pursue Fiske into Mexico. Along the way, he runs into Joan Graham (Jane Greer), who coincidentally is after the $2000 she loaned Fiske. The two join forces, though they are not sure at first if they can trust each other. Fiske stays one step ahead of the couple, while they are in turn chased by Blake.
Halliday and Graham track Fiske to an isolated house, where Fiske is meeting with Seton (John Qualen), a fence who offers him $150,000 in untraceable money in exchange. However, the couple are captured by Seton's henchmen. When Blake shows up, Halliday is initially relieved to be rescued, until he learns that Blake is Fiske's partner in crime.
Fiske wants to take Graham with him, but Blake makes it clear that he intends to dispose of both her and Halliday. Fiske reluctantly gives in. However, when he starts to leave, Blake shoots him in the back. Halliday then points out to Seton that if Blake got rid of him too, he could give the stolen money back to the army and keep the $150,000 for himself. Taking no chances, Seton pulls a gun on Blake. When Graham creates a distraction, a fight breaks out, which Graham and Halliday win.
Lizabeth Scott was hired first to play the part of Joan. But because of the controversy surrounding Mitchum's recent marijuana drug arrest and small jail stint, Scott pulled out of the project just three weeks before filming started. RKO owner Howard Hughes, who had been admittedly keeping Greer, a former girlfriend, from appearing in any RKO films in an attempt to ruin her film career, finally hired her when no other female lead would take the part.[1]
Production
The movie was filmed in Los Angeles and on location in Tehuacán, Puebla, Mexico.
Critical reception
Channel 4 film reviews describes the movie as, "Sparkling dialogues, fast-paced chases and the occasional twist make this an at first somewhat confusing but ultimately hugely entertaining film."[2]
Hal Erickson writing for Allmovie calls the film "tautly directed by Don Siegel, who manages to pack plenty of twists and turns into the film's crowded 71 minutes."[3]
