FILM BRAKE : ZIV TELEVISION

 

Ziv Television Programs was founded in 1948. By 1955, Frederick Ziv churned out more than 250 half-hour shows until first-run syndicated programming dwindled in the early1960s. Despite starring some noted actors, the majority only ran for one season. Ziv's longer-running shows of three seasons were Tombstone Territory,  Sea Hunt, and the four-season Highway Patrol, which I have elected to profile.

HIGHWAY PATROL (1955-1959)

This 156-episode crime drama action series famously stars Broderick Crawford as the dedicated Dan Matthews, a gruff yet empathetic head of a police force. Clad in a suit and fedora, Crawford's signature rapid-fire delivery served him well as he barked into a patrol car's microphone any number of police codes while leaning against the open door of his Buick patrol car. The show was created in response to the California Highway Patrol wanting to be featured in a series. However, Ziv thought the show needed a broader police scope, so the state name was dropped. In its early run, the show received technical assistance from the California Highway Patrol, using actual patrol vehicles. Apparently unhappy with the show's direction, they dropped their support, and the producers had to use unofficial vehicles with their own subdued markings. The show opened with aerials from a helicopter as it buzzed over a highway roadblock. David Rose's military march theme song then set a noble tone. Interestingly, Tombstone Territory also utilized helicopter filming of the show's star on horseback while voice-over narration explained his journey. 

Ziv has stated that the small budget show moved at a fast pace to match Crawford's rapid delivery. He claimed the show introduced "quick cutting" to television, starting a new trend. The opening narration by the unmistakable voice-over artist, Art Glimore, gave the sense that the story unfolding was pulled from actual police files. Not exactly, but the show was noted for realism and its famous location shooting around the formerly rural San Fernando Valley and Simi Valley. Common pursuit locations included the curb-sided Griffith Park Drive and nearby Bronson Canyon. The show centered on crime-fighting rather than issuing traffic tickets, though during its formative years, the episodes ended with Crawford himself delivering pithy traffic safety advice—sometimes humorous—aimed at the television viewer.

Note: The show featured many actors who went on to become successful stars in their own right, among them was Stuart Whitman as Sgt. Walters, Guy Williams appeared occasionally as Matthew's partner, Clint Eastwood, Robert Conrad, Larry Hagman, Barbara Eden, Paul Burke, and Leonard Nimoy. 

NEW YORK CONFIDENTIAL (1955)

Based on the novel of the same name by Jack Lait and Lee Mortimer, this eighty-eight-minute film stays several stories above ground thanks to a superior cast. Richard Conte is a standout. He plays the always-smiling, polite, confident hitman for a Chicago mob, tarnishing an otherwise likable guy. Key to the film is Broderick Crawford as the knee-jerk, hot-headed mob kingpin who has worked his way to the top by intimidation and not by brain power. Crawford was blessed—or cursed—with the ability to speed-talk faster than your average Millennial, something that belies his facial appearance. His script is half as thick as the rest of the cast because he crams five pages into two.

Edward Small Productions, along with Clarence Greene, produced this “confidential” film—Small's second—centering on a crime syndicate's control of big-city movers and shakers obsessed with rising to the top by any means. It is directed by Russell Rouse, who, along with Greene, wrote the screenplay. Though not a particularly busy career, Rouse wrote screenplays and/or directed a wide variety of films, spanning such diverse films as Wicked Woman, starring his wife, Beverly Michaels, and Doris Day's classic, Pillow Talk. Small's earlier Kansas City Confidential offered some uniqueness that this film lacks: those Midwest folk were way more creative with their crime. This film is never exciting nor intense—a basic rehash of how a cartel can pressure ordinary businessmen with an offer each cannot refuse. As was common, the opening narration sets up the premise by radio and television actor Marvin Miller.

Conte is on a relaxing East Coast assassination vacation when Crawford calls him into his office. He makes an immediate impression, and the boss hires him at twice his Windy City salary to be his business “equalizer.” From the start, one gets the feeling these two devoted friends will face off one way or the other. Syndicate friendships can be fleeting. Strictly business. Nothing personal. Anne Bancroft plays Crawford's daughter, who rebels against her dictated life and is embarrassed by her father's career. She is socially unacceptable. Her casting seems to be fortuitous timing, being the right age and a relative newcomer.

A plan to cut the head off the syndicate is initiated by the governor's crime commission. Crawford sends three men to eliminate the primary target, but they botch the assignment and leave behind too many clues. This will not be tolerated. The syndicate becomes smaller by three. Conte is sent out to finish the house cleaning. All the while, Crawford is being pressured to turn state's evidence, relinquishing his hold on the cartel. The syndicate realizes they will all be implicated if he cooperates. Conte is given the heartless assignment. Later that night, parked near his apartment in a momentary lack of judgment, Conte exits down the middle of the dark street. What goes around comes around.

Note: New York Confidential was generally well-received, in part due to the familiar cast. J. Carrol Naish plays Crawford's right-hand man. A character whose inside knowledge of the syndicate becomes a liability. The widowed Crawford has attracted a new girlfriend, Marilyn Maxwell, who finds herself in the wrong place and time. She and Bancroft both have designs on Conte, but he has learned to stay in his own neighborhood. Then there is the actor one would expect to be associated with gangsters, Mike Mazurki. As a life-saving measure, he actively pursues a plea bargain. Finally, Barry Kelly, in somewhat of his typecast character, plays the unethical syndicate attorney trying to work both sides of the legal fence.

DOWN THREE DARK STREETS (1954)

Produced by Edward Small and distributed by United Artists, this film is another pseudo-documentary-style account of the FBI pursuing three cases (dark streets). Underlying the opening credits is a commanding, All-American march theme by Paul Sawtell. The film wastes no time locking in the viewer with the murder of a gas station attendant, followed by a brief, dark and suspenseful scene tracking a killer. Then it settles into melodramatic voice-over narration informing the viewer what the actors are doing, have done, or will soon do. Aside from the first-rate performances, this movie possesses nothing new for the moviegoer. Broderick Crawford is solid in this warm-up for his successful television series, Highway Patrol. Literally and figuratively, he carries a lot of weight as an agent who plays it by the book but with empathy. Working alongside Crawford is polite FBI agent, Kenneth Tobey, always excellent with a genuine professional demeanor in any of his authoritative roles. The script is pretty riveting as his story unfolds. Tobey was working on the three cases, each one involving women who may or may not have a common thread. Unfortunately, he ends up with much less dialogue than Crawford. 

Woman number one, Roman, is a primary dark street. She is getting calls from an extortionist with demands threatening her and her young daughter. Roman is a nervous wreck, and Crawford replaces Tobey to help discover and apprehend the extortionist. Woman number two is Martha Hyer, who tries too hard for a Best Supporting Actress nomination. As the worldly girlfriend of the guy who killed Tobey and the service station attendant in the opening, she shows every sign of trying to steal scenes from Crawford. A tough job. Marisa Pavan is woman number three. Her conversation with Crawford is methodically talkative but provides a tender moment. She is so familiar with her surroundings that it takes a while for Crawford to realize her character is blind. Her husband, Gene Reynolds, is suspected of hot car hustling. Known car hustler and boxer, Claude Akins, is also apprehended. He and Reynolds pretend not to know each other, but when the FBI mentions Akins using Paven as a punching bag, Reynolds attacks him, fists flying. The violent tussle between them goes without a single expletive. Not that anyone would expect it during this era. But a rarity for today's films as useless words are regurgitated without any self-control.

Roman closes the film with the climactic finale. A phone call instructs her to find a hidden note at a designated location. It is the classic ransom note with individually clipped letters pasted on paper. She is to put the payoff money under the "W.” She revolves, looking for the letter, then spots the Hollywood sign up the mountain. Upon getting closer, she double-checks the note to make sure which letter she is looking for. She really is rattled. As scripted women seemed to do in this era, she stumbles, spraining her ankle from heels that should never go off-road. The money spills out of her purse. The extortionist, a face not unfamiliar to her, grabs the money and escapes through the big "O" letter. He has a very short drive as the way down is blocked by the police. 

After all the creeps Crawford deals with, Roman is a breath of fresh air. As she is escorted home, he tells his partner, “Sometimes you meet some nice people in this business.” The film closes from an elevated camera position and the return of the majestic march theme. Not unlike a Highway Patrol ending.

Notes: Max Showalter, using his singing career name, Casey Adams, for this film, is a persistent “friend of the family” to Ruth Roman and a frequent date. His brief appearances do not lessen his impact. Speaking of a bit too frequent, Jay Adler has a creepy role as Roman's sleazeball uncle who comes and goes when one least expects it. He has no relevance in the film and simply gives the audience someone else to wonder about. Suzanne Alexander has a couple of short scenes in the early going. Her acting becomes unintentionally funny. She is unable to reveal details for fear of her life. The FBI agents are at the end of their patience as she sits, constantly trying to work up some acting tears while fiddling with her noisy, tinkling charm bracelet.

THE MOB (1951)

This Columbia Pictures release, directed by Robert Parish with an adapted screenplay by William Bowers, is first-rate from beginning to end. A compelling film about corruption, mental delusions, and atonement. Bower’s script bounces humorous quips from one character to another, as one might expect from a film noir of this caliber. Nearly everyone has a turn at them. The cinematography by Joseph Walker is rich with wet streets and dark, danger-filled shadows. The well-versed George Duning provided an effective music score, as well.

Police detective Broderick Crawford is duped by a mob killer carrying an authentic police badge who appears to be coming to the aid of a shooting victim. Crawford discovers too late that the victim was a key witness in an upcoming hearing. The police commissioner is livid and would like to punish Crawford for his halfhearted effort to double-check the true identity of the impostor/gunman. For news headline purposes only, accompanied by a fake picture, he is “suspended.” His real punishment is a death-defying undercover assignment to infiltrate a rough New York waterfront crime organization and bring down its kingpin. 

Needing to redeem his career, Crawford's acting allows him to fit right in as a tough, sarcastic, and unflappable thug from New Orleans. His noir quips are expelled effortlessly through his legendary lightning delivery. Also on the waterfront payroll is Richard Kiley. He and Crawford become pals. It does not take Kiley long, however, to frequently question why Crawford is so interested in what goes on. Crawford drops a few key names that get the attention of a Union thug, Ernest Borgnine. Neville Brand, nearly approaching a typecast level in his career, is again playing a henchman. This time, not the psychotic “Chester” from D.O.A. but a gunman with the wherewithal to also deliver a few great quips of his own at Crawford's expense.

Local bartender Matt Crowley seems to know a lot about what goes on around the waterfront. For a fee. After frequent encounters, he feels Crawford can be trusted enough to set up a meeting with Blackie, the kingpin. The police put a tracking device under Crowley’s car, about the size of a carry-on suitcase. Also installed is an equally sized tank that cleverly drips fluorescent dye on the road so the police can tail the car at night using an infrared spotlight. Cool. Except they did not figure a city street sweeper would turn onto their street a few blocks ahead of them. Just one of the many clever twists in this film you will not expect.

Blackie wants Crawford to do him a favor. Kill the suspended police officer seen in the newspaper. In a twist to end all twists, Crawford is hired to do a hit on himself. Blackie has kidnapped Crawford’s girlfriend, Betty Buehler, to use as a pawn to flesh out her boyfriend, who stands before him. Twisted. When she and Crawford meet, their roles are played as effectively as possible. The detective kicks a lamp over, but in total darkness Blackie escapes with a minor gunshot wound. A hospital setting ends the film, where Buehler and Blackie are recovering. Blackie enters at gunpoint and closes the window curtain. A "nurse" enters to check on Buehler and to open the curtain for more light. From an adjacent building, the police have a clear shot through the window.

Note: From numerous twists, there is a humorous one when Kiley sets up a blind date with Crawford to find out what his game is by using his sister, Lynn Baggett, to pump him for information. Crawford immediately hooks up with Kiley’s wife, played by Jean Alexander, the more attractive of the two. It seems no one wants to be with the sister. Especially Kiley, who protests. He says there is nothing wrong with Doris. “Why can’t he like Doris?!” The sister quickly adds, “Why can’t somebody?” After numerous teasing lines between Baggett and Crawford, the sister turns to her brother, “Well, say something to me.” Kiley hesitates, then awkwardly replies, “Oh...uh..how ya’ been?”