midant777
This is one of my favorite Film Noir period pieces (There are quite a few). The film keeps you going, plenty of tight close ups of the bad guys, good banter back and forth, excellent film noir all around. The director did a great job as did the actors too! Lee Van Cleef, Neville Brand and Jack Elam. I know it's great when I can watch a movie more than once and this is one of them.
Mike D.
elhotrod
Jack Elam, Lee Van Cleef, Neville Brand: three of the most notable bad guys in movie history.
Mac Mcleod
The performance of the actors in this movie is very strong- comparable to modern standards with subtle moments of shifting emotions well displayed on their faces, a complex plot with characters who have more depth than they get in many films like this. All have their own motivations and none are simple stereotypes.The action is also creative and surprising with some actions taken which I've never seen in a movie before.I suspect that the director has something to do with the uniformity of the excellent performances by the cast. In the case of Jack Elam, his work here was extremely strong and he wasn't alone.Production values are nothing spectacular but don't distract.I'm going to look for other works by this director. I think this is a gem among movies in this period and budget range.
Dalbert Pringle
Favorite Movie Quote: "Hey, Tony - I know a sure-fire cure for a bloody nose - An ice-cold knife, right in the back!" Brutal. Hard-edged. Unflinching.1952's Kansas City Confidential (KCC, for short) is Film Noir at its absolute best. Like a keg of TNT going off, KCC's story features plenty of bare-knuckle violence that's sure to please any fan of the genre.In this super-tough Action/Drama, actor John Payne is perfectly cast as ex-con, Joe Rolf.Trying to go straight, Rolf soon finds himself set up as a patsy after an armoured car robbery of 1.2 million dollars takes place in broad daylight by 4 masked thugs who make their get-away, quick and clean.Picked up on suspicion by Kansas City police, Rolf is grilled mercilessly for a confession and even beaten till he can hardly stand on his own two feet. But Rolf is too tough to crack, especially since he had no part in the crime.Released from jail and soon on the lam, Rolf, taking on the identity of a dead hood named Pete Harris, heads down to Mexico on a lead, in hopes of tracking down the true villains who set him up and, thus, prove his own innocence.KCC is great entertainment. This is the very film that inspired director Quentin Tarantino for his picture Reservoir Dogs.Even though Roger Moore is credited as being part of KCC's cast, I can't recall seeing him in the film. And I've watched this movie, now, 4 times.
AD
