On TMC's terrific Noir Alley, Eddie Muller introduced the wife and I to 5 against the House. It's an odd film about 4 college age kids (kids? well... two were in Korea, so they're on the GI Bill, but these do not look like college kids). One's a rich kid, whose "genius" has his mind busy working on "systems" (that probably are not pertinent to his grades), another who is the typical fast-talking and annoying hanger-on that speckled the era, and movies about the time period (see: The Wanderers, Grease) demonstrate this fact. You know these characters, crackin' wise constantly, and unable to shut up.
Then there's our two GI Bill boys fresh from the Korean skirmish, who are late for their law degrees, and one guy's quasi-femme fatale (a young and fresh Kim Novak).
The rich "genius" has devised a plan to rob the then-famous Harold's club casino in Reno the week of Thanksgiving. Which had me humming this ditty from my college days:
This planned activity is not a crime, says our young whiz-kid, as he has no plans to keep the cash. He just wants to see if he can pull this thing off. Well, it seems one of the two vets has some head issues from the war that flicker early on in a violent outburst that began as defense of a friend. (This is Brian Keith in a pretty stalwart performance). He's decided he wants to keep the money, natch. This unfortunately will put his buddies and Miss Novak in harm's way. Now, they're not such friends, anymore.
Happy Turkey Day, Pals!!
A youngish William Conrad does a nice turn here as the casino employee victimized by the crime. He reminds me of a young Orson Welles here, as this is long before Jake & the Fatman and Cannon. This all turns into a sloppy casino mess before the holiday can even be celebrated. (Ocean's Eleven they are not).
It's a fun little noir however, and it falls right into the Turkey Day Window. Enjoy!!
No comments:
Post a Comment