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. It is a good guy role for Cameron, with a short list of villains to his credit. Perhaps the director suggested that 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.
He is as greedy and unethical as they come, roles that were typical during his career. 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; he has only rendezvoused 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 impossibly pulls Armstrong away from the driver's side in a
questionable bit of editing. Suddenly, Armstrong is in the passenger side with his right arm dangling
out the 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
about a failed financial deal for a 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 for 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, with an oft-used title, was produced by Rudy Ralston and written by Don Martin for Republic Pictures. The veteran of many Republic westerns, R. G. Springsteen, directed this crime-mystery. It is a competent cast that elevates this familiar-themed film of extortion and lying characters—two Hollywood favorites. For a very unknown film, it holds up well enough for seventy minutes.
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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