Someday you’re going to want something nice and expensive that you can’t afford on a detective’s salary.
Today on Classic Movie Review, we are taking on Film Noir Roadblock (1951).
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Today’s film has a 6.7 rating on iMDB.com[1], nothing on the Tomatometer, and 44 percent audience approval on Rottentomatoes.com[2]. Did I mention that Charles McGraw growls through the entire movie while Jean Dixon flatters the eyes?
On my ever-changing list of all Film Noirs, I am slotting today’s film in at 75 of 917 films. It is well worth the watch.
Sakana1,[3] in her review on Letterboxd, captured the essence of this film, saying:
“Man, the first act of this is so fantastic! Joan Dixon as the frankly gold-digging, clever grifter, Charles McGraw as the bored insurance cop who burns it all down for a woman who won’t have him without money — it’s wonderfully seedy, with just the kind of overheated, small-time urgency that makes a noir great. Unfortunately, when Dixon’s character has a sudden change of heart, the whole thing loses a lot of its urgency and intensity, undermining what had been a spectacularly promising beginning.”
Over at She Blogs by Night[4] , Stacia Kissick Jones said of the film:
“There’s probably no such thing as a nice, quiet little film noir, but Roadblock is as close as you can get. It’s likely that director Harold Daniels just stumbled into this low-key style that works so nicely within the genre — Daniels was known for very little except television and those terrible horror flicks that inevitably starred a Chaney or a Carradine — but we’re all thankful, however he arrived at his subdued style, because Roadblock is a real gem of a film.”
Actors – Roadblock (1951)
Returning
One of the really great things about this short Film Noir is that Charles McGraw was the lead actor as insurance investigator Joe Peters. He was chewing rocks through this entire picture. McGraw was first mentioned in Brute Force (1947), but he was really first covered in another leading role, The Narrow Margin (1952). If you are interested in Charles McGraw, check out my interview with Alan K. Rode and buy his book, Charles McGraw: Biography of a Film Noir Tough Guy.
Louis Jean Heydt played insurance investigator Harry Miller. Heydt was first covered in the horror/comedy Zombies on Broadway (1945).
My old Gunsmoke favorite, Doc, Milburn Stone, played investigator Ray Egan. Stone was first covered in the great Film Noir Pickup on South Street (1953).
At the beginning of the film, Hawk faced Peter Brocco played the uncredited bank robber. Brocco was first covered as one of the bad guys in The Narrow Margin (1952).
New
Joan Dixon played potential Femme Fatale Diane Morley. Dixon was born in Virginia in 1930. There is not a lot of easy to obtain information about this beauty. She began acting under an RKO contract, and Howard Hughes planned to make her the new Jane Russell. In her short Hollywood career, Dixon had 15 film and television credits. Most of her work was in westerns. Some of her better-known films include Bunco Squad (1950), Experiment Alcatraz (1950), Roadblock (1951), and Pistol Harvest (1951).
After her first marriage, Dixon gave up film work. She married a second time. Both marriages were extremely short. Dixon did some singing in nightclubs. She died at a relatively young age in 1992.
Story – Roadblock (1951)
The credits roll over a police roadblock. An unnamed man (Peter Brocco) is leaving the Cincinnati Hotel one night. As the man approached his car, Harry Miller (Louis Jean Heydt) is shot in the back by gunman Joe Peters (Charles Mcgraw). Peters forces the witness into his car. Peters holds the gun on the man as they drive. Finally, Peters has the car stop, and it looks like he is going to kill the man. The man says he is on the lamb because he has $100,000 he took in a bank robbery. He says he will share it with Peters in exchange for his life. They go to the cemetery, where the money is hidden. The nameless man tries to pull a revolver on Peters but gets a slug for his troubles. Miller comes in the door of the crypt, and he has not been shot. They reveal to the shocked bank robber that they are detectives that work for an insurance company. Miller leaves for the home office with the money. Peters takes the bank robber to be booked by the police.
Later, Peters swaggers into the airport to catch a flight home. A fur-clad woman, Diane Morley (Joan Dixon), eyes the male passengers as they purchase their tickets. Peters gets his ticket to Los Angeles, and Diane tunes into the conversation.
Diane gives Peters a bump to get his attention. It works, but she gives him the ice queen act. After giving him a smile, she goes to the ticket agent and buys a ticket at a reduced rate for husbands and wives, pretending to be married to Peters.
On the plane, they are seated next to each other. Peters is excited to see Diane, but she is icing him again. When the stewardess gives her name as Mrs. Jospeh Peters, he knows some type of scam is taking place. Peters is indignant, but Diane’s cool makes him accept the situation. He calls her a chiseler.
A moderate rainstorm forces the plane to land in Missouri. The airline provides hotels for the passengers. Since they are down as a married couple, they get a single room with one bed. They flip coins, and Peters wins the bed, but Diane wins the blanket. Peters places his gun and wallet under his pillow. Diane mentions that he could never afford her on his detective salary.
They are stuck together until noon. Peters digs into her background and what made her so hard. She tells of a man she loved that wouldn’t marry her because of his family. She says the man is in Texas and still loves her. Diane says that when she gets to Los Angeles, she will wear minks and be first class.
Peters kisses her, and she gives him fish lips. Diane says she likes him, but he is not in the right league.
The plane makes it to LA, and they part company. Diane says there is no need for them to keep in touch. She gives him a long kiss. Miller sees the couple kiss and is impressed.
Peters and Miller report to their boss at the insurance company. The two men ask for a week off to go to their cabin for some hunting. No sooner is their vacation approved than they get word that Brissard Furs has been robbed. Peters and Miller head over to the shop. It is the third time this store has been robbed this year.
A month later, the insurance company is nearing when they have to pay off almost $70,000 worth of furs. Peters and Miller are sure Kendall Webb (Lowell Gilmore) is behind the robbery, but they don’t have any evidence. Their boss tells them that Webb spends time in a joint called Larry’s Club. Peters is sent to the club.
In Larry’s Club, Peters sees that Diane is Webb’s new girlfriend, and she is wearing a better class of furs. Diane sees Peters at the bar and comes to sit by him. Peters is pretty cold to her and checks her coat tag to see if it is stolen. Peters says that Webb is a major criminal. Peters asks about getting with her, and after some talk, he says, what do I have to do, rob a bank? She asks if he knows how.
Peters gets up to leave, and Diane kisses him. This time he gives her fish lips.
Peters and Miller go to a highrise to talk to Webb about fur robberies. They force their way inside. They mention that Webb owns the building where the fur robbery took place. Diane comes in, modeling a new fur coat. She and Peters lock angry eyes. She pretends she doesn’t know Peters. Diane shows the sales slip for the coat. Peters can’t concentrate on work after he and Miller leave the apartment.
Peters is decorating a Charlie Brown Christmas tree in an apartment when Diane walks into the room. It is her apartment, but Peters has used his detective skills to get inside. Peters says that the tree is a present and nothing he could give her would be good enough. Finally, Peters confesses his undying love for her. She responds that she loves him too, but he doesn’t make enough money as an insurance cop.
Later in the evening, while looking at a Federal Reserve System sign, Peters gets an idea.
The next day at his office, Peters gets notification of a 1.25 million dollar shipment being moved by rail, which is insured by his company. Peters sets the plan in motion by visiting Kendall Webb at his fake shoe storefront.
Peters runs down Webb’s past, including a wife in Las Vegas. Peters will give the information on the money shipment, and Webb will use his men and connections to do the job. Peters wants a third of the money for providing the information.
Diane is alone in a bar on Christmas Eve, and the only other person in the joint is the bartender. Webb has gone to spend Christmas with his wife. Diane gets upset and storms out when the bartender talks about his family and Christmas.
Diane goes to Peters’ apartment. She says she has realized that she is crazy about Peters. Diane says money is not essential, and she wants him precisely as he is. They decide to marry.
After Christmas, Peters tells Webb he wants out of the robbery deal. Webb says they will pull the job without him. Webb gets inside Peters’ head, saying that once a woman has worn fur on her shoulders, she gets used to the feel.
Peters and Diane get married at the courthouse. Peters goes back to Webb and continues the deal. Peters says he wants his third of the money mailed to North Creek, California. Peters gives Webb an empty fire extinguisher for mailing the money
Peters and Diane go to North Creek for their honeymoon. Peters and Miller planned to visit the cabin’s location earlier in the movie. They pick up supplies from the Post Office/general store for a trip into the backcountry. The couple camps, fishes, and hunts. Just what every bride wants on her honeymoon.
After a week, they come in for more supplies, including two cartons of cigarettes. Peters is distracted as he plays with a toy train and thinks about the robbery. Peters continues to be nervous as he waits for the robbery to take place.
Peters tells Diane that he has gone in with Webb on a deal that will make them rich. She no longer cares about money and is unhappy with what Peters has done. They finally hear on the radio that the robbery has taken place and one person was injured.
In Los Angeles, Ray Egan (Milburn Stone) and other agents process clues from the robbery. He wants a rundown on everyone that knew about the shipment.
Peters gets a call that he needs to go back to work because some guys robbed a mail train. The fire extinguisher with the money is delivered to Peters.
Peters makes it back to work, where Egan and Miller are waiting. Egan has a complete rundown on Peters, and his alibi seems good. Miller is interested when he hears of the delivery of the fire extinguisher. Miller also said that the injured train worker died.
They have a witness that heard an airplane leave the area, and the pattern in the field indicates that it was a seaplane. Peters says five robbers and the pilot would fit in the four-person plane. Egan starts getting negative reports from locations where the plane could have landed.
They eventually find the pilot and the plane at San Pedro, which is now the port of Los Angeles. The grass on the field and the plane undercarriage match. The pilot is innocent and took the job for the money. The pilot says there were five guys, and he dropped them near a fishing boat at night.
Diane has calmed down a little. Diane has a letter from the guy in Texas. He said that he wants to marry her now. Webb calls, and Peters tells him about the pilot.
That night, they make the pilot go through all of the mugshots of criminals. Finally, the pilot picks out one of the robbers, Matt DeVita.
Peters calls Webb to let him know that they have picked up DeVita. Webb says DeVita will clam up if he is mistreated. Peters maneuvers so he can take a shot at the man. Peters hits the man a few times before they make him leave.
Diane is packing a bag when Miller walks into her house. He crowds her and tries to get some information out of her about Peters. Peters comes in, and Miller says that DaVita is one of Webb’s associates. Peters says he will follow up with Webb.
Peters tells Diane to get ready because they are going after the money. He then lets Webb know that DaVita has talked. Peters says he has a plan that will clear him and Webb. He asks Webb to meet him on Mullholland grade.
When Webb arrives, Peters slugs him before he can pull his gun. They fight, and Peters beats Webb senseless. He puts Peters in the car with a large amount of money. Peters sends the car off the road, where it bursts into flames, killing Webb.
Peters then leaves a message for Webb’s wife at a club in Las Vegas. The message says he is sending a parcel that should be placed in their safe deposit box and signs it from Webb. Peters then mails a package of some of the money to Mrs. Webb.
Egan, Miller, and Peters examine the burned money.
Egan goes to Las Vegas and catches Mrs. Webb with the money in the envelope.
Back in Los Angeles, they confirm that they have recovered two-thirds of the money.
Miller invites Peters out for a day drink. When he gets there, Miller tells Peters that he slipped up knowing the number of robbers and that Miller had already previously bought a new fire extinguisher for the cabin. Miller tells Peters he is under arrest. Peters says Diane is not involved.
Miller gets up to lead Peters out of the bar and gets clunked on the head with a beer bottle. Peters calls Diane and tells her to take a cab to the lumberyard and remember to bring the money.
Diane does as instructed and eventually gets in the car with Peters. He says the plan is to head to Mexico.
Miller checks the apartment and finds Peters already gone. Egan calls for a roadblock on all exit ports. They set roadblocks, and all of the exits from town are closed. A police car identifies Peters’ car and calls it in on the radio.
Peters drives the car into the concrete Los Angeles River. The police cover all of the exits from the riverbed. Peters does all required tricks, driving through water, quick turns, sliding in water, and quick stops. He doesn’t drive up on the walls. Go Greased Lightning.
Peters stops the car and harshly puts Diane out. He tells her to go marry the guy in Texas. Peters keeps fleeing, but there is no way out. Diane watched as Peters makes a run for it and is shot by a patrol cop. Diane comes to Peters as he dies, and then she slowly walks away in the riverbed.
Conclusion – Roadblock (1951)
I down know how Diane’s walk in the riverbed would workout. I assume she was killed by gangs before making it to Texas.
This was one of the earlier movies to use the Los Angeles River for filming. It set forth most of the car stunts that would be used over the next 70 years in Film Noir and in movies like Grease (1978).
World-Famous Short Summary – When a man loves a woman…
Beware the moors.
[1] https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0043973/
[2] Roadblock – Rotten Tomatoes
[3] Roadblock (1951) directed by Harold Daniels • Reviews, film + cast • Letterboxd
[4] Roadblock (1951) • She Blogged By Night
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