Film Noir: The Dark Side Of Cinema XVII [Vice Squad/ Black Tuesday/ Nightmare]

Vice Squad (1953)

Edward G. Robinson works on the right side of the law--at least for a while--in this exciting film noir drama, playing Captain "Barnie" Barnaby, who's out to avenge the shooting of a colleague. Using every resource at this disposal, Barnaby soon decides that the law won’t be an obstacle to cracking the case and preventing an ambitious bank robbery in the process. With Paulette Goddard, K.T. Stevens, and Lee Van Cleef. 88 min. BW/Rtg: NR

Black Tuesday (1954)

Remorseless mob chieftain Vincent Canelli (Edward G. Robinson) seemed surprisingly smug as he was starting that long walk to the electric chair. He had his reasons, as he'd engineered an audacious plot to spring himself and fellow Death Row inmate Pete Manning (Peter Graves)--and then squeeze Manning for the $200K bank job proceeds he wouldn't give up to the cops. Jean Parker, Milburn Stone, Warren Stevens, Jack Kelly also star. 80 min. BW/Rtg: NR

Nightmare (1956)

While New Orleans musician Stan Grayson (Kevin McCarthy) couldn't shake the vivid dream he'd had of killing a man, his cop brother-in-law Rene Brassard (Edward G. Robinson) was dismissive. That was until Brassard learned of a homicide scene that tracked with Grayson's description--and struggles to find an exonerating explanation. Second filming of the Cornell Woolrich story co-stars Virginia Christine, Connie Russell, Rhys Williams. 89 min. BW/Rtg: NR

Standard and Widescreen; Soundtrack: English; Subtitles: English; audio commentary; theatrical trailers.