TRAPPED

Barbara Payton and Lloyd Bridges

TRAPPED (1949). Director: Richard Fleischer. 

Chris Stewart (Lloyd Bridges), a prison inmate due to his counterfeiting activities, allegedly agrees to cooperate with the authorities in order to help find some near-perfect phony currency plates, but instead escapes and hightails it to the side of his girlfriend, Meg (Barbara Payton of Bride of the Gorilla). Chris makes a deal with a man named Jack Sylvester (James Todd) to exchange some counterfeit currency for legitimate cash, and contacts John Downey (John Hoyt of The Glass Cage), a confidence man who hangs out at Meg's club and is always trying to date her; Downey will come up with the cash. But Chris is unaware that the authorities are already watching Meg -- and him -- and that Downey may not be quite the man he thinks he is. 

Payton with John Hoyt

Trapped is a fast-paced, entertaining, and quite well-acted crime meller that pulls you along and makes you interested in what might happen next. There are a couple of problems with the film, however, and that includes Chris' assertion that he can get rich without acquiring those all-important bank plates, which Sylvester wants to hang on to. Also the last section of the film, while an exciting enough chase on its own terms, centers on a supporting character instead of the lead, who is off-screen for the entire final section of the movie. Bridges offers an adroit performance as a bad guy who is nowhere near as smart as he thinks he is, and Payton again proves that there was more to her than blatant sexiness and big red lips. John Hoyt offers an unusual and adept portrayal for him of a man who is almost an aging lover boy. Russ Conway and Robert Karnes have supporting roles and are fine. 

Verdict: Just misses being a special film noir. **3/4. 

THE GLASS CAGE

John Hoyt

THE GLASS CAGE (1964) Writer-director: Antonio Santean.

The police are called when Ellen (Arlene Martel appearing as Arline Sax) shoots a burglar who has, according to her, burst into her apartment. Responding to the call are Lt. Max Westerman (John Hoyt) and Sgt. Jeff Bradley (Bob Kelljan). Jeff develops a romantic yet for Ellen, but has very different emotions towards Ellen's haughty and much more sophisticated twin sister, Ruth. Jeff finds out that Ruth was actually dating the victim, and fears that Ellen is covering up for her sister.  Jeff begins dating Ellen but may get an unpleasant surprise or two even as Ellen fends off advances from an overly amorous neighbor, artist Tox Milner (King Moody). 

Arlene Martel

The Glass Cage offered a rare starring role for actor John Hoyt -- who was also co-screenwriter and co-executive producer -- but his part still amounts to support for Martel and Kelljan. In this he is his fine and usual kind of dyspeptic self. Kelljan, who later became a director, overacts a bit as the love-smitten Jeff, but Martel -- best known for playing Spock's Vulcan bride on Star Trek -- successfully and effectively limns two separate characterizations as identical twin sisters. King Moody offers a terrific performance as the intense and menacing Milner, and Elisha Cook shows up for a few moments as the twins' abusive father. The low-budget and rather lurid production has a modicum of style but gets too artsy fartsy for its own good and there are some minor plot holes as well. The twist at the end will not surprise anyone. This was the only directorial credit for Santean, who did three other screenplays. 

Verdict: Oddball B movie with some very good performances. **1/2. 

SINS OF JEZEBEL

Paulette Goddard

SINS OF JEZEBEL (1953). Director: Reginald Le Borg.  

King Ahab (Eduard Franz of The Four Skulls of Jonathan Drake) of Israel sends Captain Jehu (George Nader of Death in a Red Jaguar) to accompany his bride-to-be, Princess Jezebel (Paulette Goddard), back to the palace. Jezebel is delighted to see handsome Jehu and at first mistakes him for the King. Her face reflects her disappointment when she finally comes face to face with the much-older Ahab, but she's also relieved that her future husband isn't the fat man in consultation with him. Even before the ceremony, Jezebel is making out with a besotted Jehu, who undoubtedly thinks that his girlfriend, Deborah (Margia Dean), can't hold a candle to the much sexier Jezebel. Jezebel insists that Ahab build a temple to her Pagan God, Baal, which infuriates the pious prophet Elijah (John Hoyt). You know all of this will lead to trouble. And just where does one of the Three Stooges fit in with Jezebel and her schemes? 

Goddard with George Nader

No, this isn't The Three Stooges Meet Jezebel although that might have been more fun. And Joe Besser of the Stooges does have a very small role as the keeper of the chariots (and isn't very good). Sins of Jezebel almost sinks right from the start with tedious narration of Genesis from the bible delivered by John Hoyt in front of a large painting depicting some of the events. With a beard, Hoyt also plays Elijah and he is good in the role, although when he shows up again as a lecturer at key moments (obviously the budget was too small to film every sequence) it's a different story. 

John Hoyt as pious Elijah

Paulette Goddard had only four minor films to make and several TV appearances before she retired. She was still quite attractive at 43 but not quite in the siren league. She gives a solid "B" movie performance in this -- the film doesn't deserve anything better -- and the same could be said for George Nader. Sins doesn't have very strong production values, and the best thing about it is a notable score by Bert Shefter. The picture does follow the essential story of Jezebel, Ahab and Elijah, although we don't see the queen being eaten by wild dogs. 

Verdict: Not bad or campy enough to be good. **.