Stoically stiff, yet charmingly handsome, Rod Cameron plays a criminal attorney nearly engaged to Allison Hayes, whose father, a wealthy businessman played by John Litel, thinks highly of Cameron, personally and professionally. Perhaps the director suggested the brunette Hayes lighten her hair. The problem is that she and her equal-billed co-star, Gale Robbins, look similar in their opening scenes, sharing a hairstyle, facial structure, and figure. What separates the two is Robbin’s annoying character, an extremely deceptive and smart-aleck tart. Money is her only interest, not her former wealthy husband, Robert Armstrong. He has not worked in years since serving a prison term for a shady business deal with his former business partner, the aforementioned Litel. He now spends his idle hours consuming alcohol by the quart. That, and blackmailing Litel to keep their secret sealed. Enter problem child, Jack Kelly.
Kelly
and Robbins are in a deceptive lust affair. They deserve each other.
Kelly is a salesman for “Happy Harry’s” used car dealership.
Kelly is as greedy and unethical as they come. Portly Dick Elliott
plays Harry, some years away from being a one-term Mayor of Mayberry.
At Kelly’s suggestion, Robbins sweet-talks Armstrong into
pressuring Litel for a second big payoff. Another dreaded phone call
and Litel meets Armstrong on their usual mountain overlook. But Litel
has not brought any money, only rendezvousing with the extortionist
to say he has had enough. Slime bag Kelly has been watching from afar
and after Litel drives away he confronts Armstrong, demanding the
assumed money. They argue, then Armstrong gets behind the wheel and
attempts to drive off. Outside the passenger side of the car, Kelly
appears to impossibly pull Armstrong away from the driver's side in a
questionable bit of editing. Suddenly Armstrong's right arm dangles
out the passenger side window. The car slowly rolls backward over a
cliff. 'Twas the crash that killed the drunken beast.
Based
on the specific tire tread pattern of his Rolls-Royce leading to the
spot, Litel looks good for the murder. He finally admits his past
with Armstrong and their financial deal for new housing
development. Investigating on his own, Cameron puts the
idea into Robbins' head that Kelly planned to double-cross her and keep the money himself. The two “love
doves” drive to the scene of Armstrong’s demise to get the
invisible money. Kelly's only plan is to silence loose lips.
This drama was produced by Rudy Ralston and written by Don Martin for Republic Pictures. The veteran of many Republic westerns, R. G. Springsteen, directed this seventy-minute crime film. Thanks to a competent cast, this well-played B-movie is a familiar theme of extortion with lying characters—two Hollywood favorites. Thick, night cinematography adds atmosphere to this "mystery" film. Still, it holds up pretty well for a very unknown film but with an oft-used title.
Note:
Late in the film, Cameron begins suspecting Kelly is surely guilty of
something and poses a few questions to Elliot. Covering for Kelly,
the attorney gets the run-around. Fed up and realizing there will be
no straight answers, Cameron sarcastically deadpans, "Well, are
you happy, Harry?"
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