99 River Street (1953)

US Kino Lorber Blu-ray edition



A really great B Film Noir with surprisingly rough fighting scenes (and with blood stains after being shot, not that
common in old film noir movies) and with some really cool actors. I have to check out other films directed by this
Phil Karlson guy as he really had the sense to pick great actors even in the small roles. This Film Noir rocks!
With some of the best punches i've seen in any old Film Noir, as when Ernie knocks down Jack Lambert.

"Spill punk or i splash your brains out"

The film starts in the middle of a boxing fight and Ernie " I could've been a contender" Driscoll (John Payne) is close
to winning when his eyebrow goes, and the whole scene is not in "real" time or a flashback as Ernie is watching the
game on his TV in a replay some years later. He's married to the ex-showgirl Polly (Peggie Castle) and he's a bitter
taxi-driver, she's bitter too stuck with a bitter taxi-driver and she's having an affair with a sleazy gangster, Victor
Rawlins (Brad Dexter). Ernie is filled with fury and explodes when he sees Polly and Victor smooching.

But Pauline/Polly Driscoll is in over her head as Victor is a ruthless criminal and involved with a gang of even more
ruthless one's and Ernie is accused of murdering his wife when her body is found dead in the back of his cab.
Christopher the Heal is played very well by Jay Adler, and also his brutal henchman Mickey by Jack Lambert, and
Brad Dexter ditto as the slimy Victor. Very charismatic Bad Guys these actors, great stuff.
John Payne is also good in the main role as Ernie, the disgruntled ex-boxer taxi-driver with some anger issues. Peggie
Castle is great too in a small role and Evelyn Keyes is the finest, as always, in the role as Linda James, the aspiring
theatre actress and acquaintance to Ernie.
Will there be an explosive showdown between Ernie and the gangsters at 99 River Street down at the harbour ?

4:3 fullscreen 1.37:1 black & white english audio with an audio commentary by Eddie Mueller, the undisputed king
of the audio commentaries, trailer gallery. This US Blu-ray edition in REGION A

 

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