KANSAS CITY CONFIDENTIAL (1952)

 

This is the first and arguably the most well-known of the three films teaming director, Phil Karlson, with John Payne in a career-changer. This film-noir has captivating segments, though one may need to overlook an idealistic screenplay by George Bruce and Harry Essex. With commendable casting choices, great camera work, and an enhancing score, ninety-nine minutes never seemed so short. It was produced by Edward Small with distribution by United Artists and it paved the way for a few "confidential" films in the Fifties. Despite some uniqueness, nearly seventy years have given it some humorous and less-than-believable scenes. All worth a more in-depth review than I typically give.

Robbery mastermind, Preston Foster, with an unimaginative character name of Tim Foster, checks the timing of a floral delivery truck driven by Payne and the all-important armored bank van from his third-story office across the street. Foster puts a lot of stock in the preposterous idea that both vehicles will always arrive at precisely the same time. He checks off the time on a desk-sized stakeout map as confirmation. The large map brings to mind a scaled architectural blueprint though it only outlines the section of the street directly in front of the bank. A hand-drawn note on a paper napkin would have sufficed. It would suggest an exciting robbery to come by way of a rudimentary robbery so often used. But the clever setup and robbery are showcased right up front. Uniquely, the bulk of the film concerns the aftermath.

Foster hires three lowlifes for the opportunity of financial freedom if they help pull off the robbery: ironically, three stereotypical villains of the era, Jack Elam, Lee Van Cleef, and Neville Brand. To their amazement, he knows their backstory specifically. Their dialogue is concise and effective. A chain smoker by birth, Elam’s character is a nervous wreck, constantly in hiding from the electric chair. He is the first to meet Foster and it is a dandy scene. The mastermind wears a rather creepy, perhaps leather, mask when he meets with each of the three who will be provided a similar mask and cap though the masks appear custom tailored to match the actor's general shape of their head. First class all the way. At gunpoint, Elam angrily demands the mask be removed. Elam is in no position to make demands. Instead, Foster slaps him back and forth several times in "burst out laughing" choreography by Elam as he jerks his head left and right in a precise, metronome fashion. Van Cleef is much cooler during his prospective job interview. Quite the ladies' man—they are entranced by his eye slits—he is told not to be late which means stay away from women. Brand is an emotionless gum-chewing killer who has nothing better to do than look numb. A man of few words.  

Idealistically, Foster (as Foster) has thought of everything, even supplying a matching floral delivery truck that will contain the aforementioned criminals. It seems unfair that the artist who painted the floral company's logo on the side of the truck will get no cut of the loot. As it speeds away, awkwardly amusing is a bank guard, who, without really aiming, fires several times at the van in a crouched position with his gun at knee level. His firing range instructor has repeatedly scolded him about his ineffective stance. Slickly, the van is driven inside a big rig trailer parked at a prearranged loading dock. Once again, director Karlson has Payne, a reformed ex-con, a victim of mistaken identity as his truck is spotted. Without a single shred of evidence, he is assumed to be part of the robbery. One sadistic detective tries to beat Payne into submission. He hates him on pure assumption before gathering any facts. So very 21st century. Foster’s clever plan dictates that everyone keep their masks on to hide their identity from each other. One of the film’s interesting devices. He provides airline tickets for the trio's Mexico rendezvous. After each is separately let go in the middle of nowhere, they are instructed to stay south of the border until the heat is off. Probably about two years! 

After the police find the bogus floral van, Payne is released with the police chief's feeble apology. Not from the violent detective, though. “Thanks for nothin'!” is Payne's seething reply. Payne gets a bead on Elam from an informer. He need only follow the cigarette butts. Elam grabs Payne in another Hollywood “confrontational alley.” He demands to know why he is being followed. He growls, “You’ve been giving me the fisheye all evening!” Ironic coming from Elam. Payne claims innocence and then walks away, later picking up Elam's carcinogenic scent in his hotel room. The first item of business...slap Elam. Payne finds a mask in his suitcase. Elam gets slapped again. Payne’s breathy taunting pre-dates the “Dirty Harry” character by nearly two decades. Payne is on Elam like a bad stink as they await their flight to Mexico. The authorities spot Elam, who reaches for his gun. They cancel his frequent-flyer club membership. But it gives Payne an opportunity to pose as Elam. The viewer knows Payne’s charade as Elam is understandably limited. This is the halfway point in the film and you are still pretty sure Colleen Gray is in this movie.

Since the robbery, Foster (as Foster) has been enjoying his retirement as a pipe-smoking fisher of errant men. A longtime friend and insurance investigator, Howard Negley, shows up by invitation. We learn Foster is a veteran cop, finally explaining his background knowledge of his accomplices. He informs Negley that new “evidence” will help crack the two-year-old bank robbery with the credit—Foster's double-cross of his three stooges—going on his resumé. It is the first mention of his daughter, Gray, who has been waiting for her cue to enter the film while studying her script and her bar exam. Despite her short screen time and being the singular female lead, and her notable work in earlier films, it probably accounts for her star billing. Whether negotiated or paid for. She grows fond of Payne during the same southern flight. Purely scripted coincidence. She eventually mentions his “undercover” name to dear old Dad. His eyes suddenly get suspicious knowing full well she could not have been charmed by “Fisheye Elam.” 

Payne is pummeled by the pugilistic team of Cleef and Brand, the latter having met Elam before. There is another usage of the specific violent and painful act as Van Cleef’s left and right hands bang hard against Payne’s ears. Cleef repeatedly refers sarcastically to Payne at this point as, “pal-zee,” after being hoodwinked by Payne earlier. As luck would have it, Gray shows up during a pummeling pause, and the two thugs, sweating profusely, cordially leave. Gray assumes a serious “conversation” was taking place. She and Payne have little to say to each other. At this point, every male identity starts to unravel with three burials to be scheduled. Gray is relieved to learn the truth about Payne as Negley sets the record straight. Confidentially, of course.

Note: Elam wants to buy some cigarettes at the airport. I always thought it strange that many of those height-challenged machines had a large mirror, usually round, on the front. Apparently for men to check their fly.