It’s interesting to watch movies that might be described as halfway house efforts, they have an air about them of remote outposts on clinging on at the frontier of genres, one eye fixed on a particular set of circumstances and the other looking in a different direction like a sort of cinematic Janus. Johnny Stool Pigeon (1949) has a touch of that, casting ahead to the rapidly approaching decade where the focus would shift firmly to tales of a society under threat from shadowy but large scale criminal organizations while still retaining a concern for the battered and bruised individuals who represent the life blood of the genre.
A federal sting aimed a netting a drugs courier just off a boat in San Francisco leads to the suspect taking a bullet during a chase through a dockside warehouse. The agent who had been hoping to make an arrest is Morton (Howard Duff) and he’s the insistent type. Running down the man who did the shooting is easy enough, but picking him up in order to apply a bit of pressure proves trickier. Organized crime is dependent on tip offs and betrayals, and so it is that word filters through of what the authorities have in mind. The result? Another mouth silenced and another link cut out of the chain leading back to the narcotics suppliers. This is all routine stuff so far, but the apparent brick wall confronting Morton calls for some creative thinking, and enlivens the story as a consequence. His reasoning is that if the organization can’t be broken from the outside, then it will have to be done from the inside. The problem of course is how to get in. The key to unlocking that particular door rests in the hands of Johnny Evans (Dan Duryea), a hood and gangster serving time in Alcatraz thanks to the efforts of Morton, and nursing the kind of deeply felt grudge one might expect. Conveniently, from Morton’s standpoint at any rate, Evans’ wife has recently died from the effects of drug addiction so there’s plenty of emotional leverage on hand. Forming an uneasy alliance, Morton (now going under the name of Doyle) and Evans head first to Vancouver in Canada and then back down south to Arizona on the trail of the head of the syndicate. While all this is taking place, there is an added complication provided by Terry (Shelley Winters), a girl keen to escape the clutches of the mob.
Frankly, the gangbusters element of the story is by the numbers stuff, well enough executed but hardly riveting. Any plot that makes use of the lawman going undercover trope naturally generates suspense and tension, and that is certainly true here. I guess the involvement of a potentially hostile figure such as that portrayed by Duryea adds a touch of uncertainty, although there aren’t really any jaw-dropping twists in store. For all that, the movie is entertaining in the way so many Universal-International crime pictures are. It displays a brisk lack of pretension, a utilitarian stylishness that is alluring. William Castle is best known these days for those horror and thriller movies he concentrated on from the late 1950s onward. However, his credits in the preceding years show the breadth of his body of work. He worked in many genres and deserves more recognition for the frequently tight and fast-moving westerns, adventures and crime movies he cut his teeth on. When Johnny Stool Pigeon was made he had just moved to Universal-International after spending years working on a number of series for Columbia, such as Crime Doctor (somebody please release a set of these enjoyable B pictures!) and The Whistler. The economical shooting and storytelling style of these low budget movies would stay with him and inform much of his subsequent work.
I have seen and enjoyed so many Dan Duryea performances over the years. Broadly speaking, he tended toward two characteristic types. On the one hand, there was the sly, wheedling good-for-nothing, slouching from one cheap subterfuge to another. On the other hand, he could be a loud, booming braggart, a strutting peacock daring all to challenge his brashness. His role in Johnny Stool Pigeon is something of a hybrid, with a couple of real firecracker scenes that have him cutting loose and barking at Barry Kelley and Howard Duff respectively, as well as more subtle, yet paradoxically more powerful and affecting, moments such as his visit to the morgue to identify the body of his wife. Threaded trough the whole performance though is that air of tough melancholy he always wore. He had about him the aura of a man assailed by wry bitterness and relentlessly pursued by some nameless regret.
Howard Duff enjoyed a fairly successful run from the late 1940s till the middle of the next decade as a lead of the square -jawed variety. I wouldn’t say he had great range but he was an agreeable screen presence. He is rather aloof in Johnny Stool Pigeon, distant and frankly stiff in many scenes. In his defense, the role he was playing was that of a man in an especially precarious position, one who would have needed to maintain a cool and icy grip on himself at all times. Still, the contrast with Duryea’s full-blooded performance is marked. Shelley Winters weighs in with a credible mixture of street-smart and vulnerable, and her character’s influence on both her co-stars and the eventual resolution of the story is noteworthy. In support, John McIntire is typically impressive, his back-slapping bonhomie masking a dry, cold core. Tony Curtis, in one of his earliest appearances, has the role of a mute assassin. He may not have had any dialogue but he gets plenty of screen time to glower and brood.
Johnny Stool Pigeon was another movie that was impossible to view in anything other than the crummiest condition until Kino released it recently. It’s not going to make anyone’s list of the best films noir, and just about everyone involved would make stronger movies. Nevertheless, it is very watchable and enjoyable, brief and pacy and possessed of that appealing Universal-International vibe this viewer generally finds irresistible.
Riding the High Country 
“it is very watchable and enjoyable, brief and pacy and possessed of that appealing Universal-International vibe this viewer generally finds irresistible.”
Well said, Colin. I find that vibe irresisitible also, and I enjoyed this film. Wonderful to have a chance to see it looking so good thanks to Kino Lorber.
Best wishes,
Laura
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The fact Kino continue to mine a vein of movies which were once either impossible to see or only available in dreadful quality is something film fans ought to be grateful for.
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Definitely! I’m absolutely thrilled by today’s Kino news that they will be releasing a Blu-ray of the long-missing Ladd-Lake film SAIGON (1947) from Paramount.
I’d love to see them release some favorite Universal comedies like ONCE MORE, MY DARLING (1949) and SALLY AND SAINT ANNE (1952). A long shot, but perhaps there’s more of a chance these days than there might have been a couple years ago.
Best wishes,
Laura
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That is indeed excellent news on Saigon, it’s been a long time coming and has been near the top of my wishlist. The movie I’d be delighted to see announced now is The Unseen.
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THE UNSEEN would be a fantastic release. Let’s hope Kino Lorber comes through!
Best wishes,
Laura
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I enjoyed SAIGON. It fits vaguely into the tropical noir/tropical adventure melodrama category that I love so much. Not quite a top-tier Ladd/Lake movies but they’re both in top form.
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That type of movie appeals to me too, they have their own special vibe and I’m able to either overlook some of their weaknesses as a result.
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I like all the Johnny’s to one degree or another, including Johnny Tiger, Johnny One-Eye, Johnny Eager (the best production by far), but best of all, Johnny O’Clock.
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Yes, it’s practically a little subgenre in itself. I haven’t seen all of those mentioned though.
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Johnny Allegro, Johnny Apollo, Johnny Come Lately (most enjoyable), Johny Dark, Johnny Guitar, Johnny Doesn’t Live Here Any More. Many more.
Coming soon.
Eliot and Johnny – a love story. From Disney.
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On radio — Johnny Dollar had a considerable run, with John Lund and Edmond O’Brien among others playing the lead. On television:
Johnny Midnight, with O’Brien back as a one-eyed Broadway type;
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As far as television is concerned, Johnny Staccato deserves a mention.
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Johnny Staccato most definitely deserves a mention. A great noirish private eye series. What I love about it is that the hero is not a two-fisted tough guy. He’s only moderately tough.
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Having been on a slight Tony Curtis kick of late, I’d quite like to see Johnny Dark at some time.
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It seems the character ‘Johnny’ followed George Raft around in many of his pictures. ‘Joe’ was another one.
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I guess it was regarded as a handy ‘everyman’ label or indicator but it does get slightly confusing when you stop to think how many movies used variations of it in a relatively short period of time.
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I wholeheartedly agree with Colin and Laura that these Universal-International films from the late ’40s into the early ’50s are irresistible to me and although not especially original “JOHNNY STOOLPIGEON ” is the kind of ‘comfort food’ I do indeed find hard to resist.
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The professionalism of everyone involved adds to the appeal of many of these pictures. Even if they knew they weren’t making any groundbreaking stuff, they still worked hard to ensure that what they did put up on the screen was as good as they were able to produce. And I think the familiarity that must come with a pool of actors and crew working together on multiple occasions helps, it generates an atmosphere of its own, a quiet confidence in the production.
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Yes absolutely, and in the same period of years I find RKO had similar quality and appeal.
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The images in the post look fab Colin. Bit of a terrible title (lot of Johnnies in them days) but great cast so pretty impossible to resist!
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Yes, some of the comments above relate to the glut of titles along those lines.
The cast, part of that U-I stock company really, is a real draw. It’s a good little movie, no world beater and it doesn’t do anything we’ve not see before yet it’s a pleasure to watch this kind of smooth production.
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Colin
Johnny Stool Pigeon is a nicely put together U-I production with the cast and crew all hitting their marks. First saw this on a beat-up vhs 13-15 years ago and quite liked it. Thanks for the reminder on the title. On the re-watch list it goes.
Gord
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It is genuinely night and day in terms of what was available to view before, and a good presentation gives even mid-range efforts such a this a boost.
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Folks
Recorded a couple of Rory Calhoun films off TCM this last weekend. THE YELLOW TOMAHAWK 1954 and GUN HAWK 1963. Never seen either one of these dusters. So I must ask you good people what is your take on the two?
Gordon
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My personal take on these 2 Rory westerns, Gord, would be that I discovered YELLOW TOMAHAWK fairly late in the day and found it to be a good, tough movie. Only minus is that it was filmed in colour but only monochrome prints seem to exist. Recommended.
THE GUN HAWK is from that period when westerns were sadly winding down. Of westerns from that period though this is definitely one of the better ones. Plus it stars Rod Cameron alongside Calhoun. Hope that helps, Chum.
Jerry
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Like Jerry, I thought The Gun Hawk was pretty good. It’s one I hope to revisit soon.
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Gord,
As Jerry correctly states
YELLOW TOMAHAWK was made in Color
but right now only B & W prints exist.
There is a color master neg in MGM/UA’s vaults
so who knows one day.
Note the scene where Peggie Castle goes skinny dipping
she complained to the producers that she was
showing more than she had intended.
Bel Air Productions (spoilsports) crudely added
shadow to cover Peggie’s lovely form but Gord when
you watch the film where is object to create the shadow
to block the light source coming from ???
Perhaps it’s our Rory who’s having a good
old leer anyway.
The film was hacked to bits by the censor for it’s
graphic violence-perhaps the master neg contains all
that plus Peggie “in the nip” as they say in Ireland.
When all is said & done I’ve been watching too many
FATHER TED re-runs 🙂
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It seems a shame that movies like this are only available in compromised form when better or more complete elements do exist.
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Hi there Gordon. About THE GUN HAWK. I have revisited this movie a number of times in the past 5 years and just did again. Obviously, it kind of grew on me. Each time I viewed it, I picked up on different nuances of where the script was taking the viewer. I was always troubled with how Rory came to be in acceptance. This time around I observed the key moment. Before it had always gone over my head. It has given me a further appreciation of the movie and Rory’s fine performance.
Have you gotten around to seeing it yet? You won’t be disappointed.
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Thanks guys, any info is good info.
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Hi, Colin – on the strength of your review, I tracked down a copy of JOHNNY STOOL PIGEON and watched it yesterday. I was really taken with it: the suspense was built very effectively and, while all the lead performances were good, Duryea was outstanding. Watch how much he conveys without speaking a word when he looks down on his wife’s body. He is one of my favourite actors but I had recently seen him in STORM FEAR, where he was terribly over the top and unconvincing, so JOHNNY was a good reminder of his strengths.
Howard Duff’s role was a difficult one, the Director clearly wanting him to be the hard-hearted, obsessive cop in every scene. Duryea and Shelley Winters had much more light and shade to play with in their roles.
Another terrific film I need to thank you for!
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It’s good to hear you enjoyed your viewing, Steve. Duryea is certainly one of the best things about the movie, it is the kind of part that encouraged the best from him. I’ve seen Howard Duff in a number of movies down the years and this role did him no favors, he had no wriggle room whatsoever and gets boxed into an incredibly one-note, inflexible performance.
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I’ve always admired Dan Duryea. But it was his performance in “Johnny Stool Pigeon” where I found myself thinking, “this man is a very talented actor who is able to convey great emotion in a very subtle way.”
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Frank, my impression of Duryea is that while he never seemed less than accomplished, he dug a little deeper whenever a part came along that had a bit more shading and offered him an opportunity to bring some added nuance to a performance.
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I wonder how many screenplays/dialogue were written in specifically with Duryea in mind? He really was one of a kind having that corner of the market almost all to himself. I find it difficult to think of another actor who could be interchangeable with him, especially the characters he played in noirs and westerns. It may partially explain his longevity in film and television.
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Duryea had a very distinctive screen presence, which was a combination of how he looked, how he sounded and how he carried himself. It allowed him to stamp himself upon the production and, as a consequence, upon the audience’s sensibilities. He had that roguish aura and a certain frankness in relation to his shortcomings that meant his villains tended to draw a degree of sympathy while his heroes almost always had a hint of tarnish about them. It is a quality which is hard to define or encapsulate neatly but it is also both quirky and potent enough to make many a role indelibly his.
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R.I.P. Raquel Welch
Miss Welch has left us at age 82. She made quite the impression on us high school boys. Films like ONE MILLION YEARS BC and 100 RIFLES had the local drive-in packed every weekend.
She touched on dusters with 100 RIFLES-69, HANNIE CAULDER -71 and BANDOLERO -68. She showed some acting chops in films such as THE 3 MUSKETEERS etc.
Rest in peace.
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Yes, that news came somewhat out of the blue, I had no idea she had been ill.
RIP
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HANNIE CAULDER is an excellent movie and she gives a fine performance. She seemed to be fated to give all her best performances in movies that didn’t grab the attention of either critics or the public. She’s also excellent in KANSAS CITY BOMBER (in which she did all her own stunts).
She will be missed.
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Kino Lorber have announced a restored version of THE LOOTERS-as far as I know their only entry into one of Rory Calhoun’s starring vehicles. Never seen this one so I’m really looking forward to it. Who knows if sales are good Kino might be enticed to pay the lab bill to restore THE YELLOW TOMAHAWK in glorious color or Color Corporation Of America to be precise the short lived upgrade to Supercinecolor.
Sadly CAPTAIN KIDD AND THE SLAVE GIRL and SABRE JET (also filmed in that process) have no surviving color elements. THE YELLOW TOMAHAWK has a very good early showcase for Lee Van Cleef who I guess has more drawing power than Rory these days.
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I did see JOHNNY STOOL PIGEON back in the 60’s have not seen it since. I can’t remember what the other films in the Kino triple set but I obviously had them or did not want them. I hope Indicator continue their Universal Noir series when most
certainly JOHNNY STOOL PIGEON will no doubt surface as a stand alone release.
Kino’s next Universal Noir set ticks all of the boxes for me starting with UNDERTOW, William Castle’s best Universal Noir. Then there’s OUTSIDE THE WALL a cracking thriller with Noir great Richard Basehart; been after a high def version of this one
for ages. OUTSIDE THE WALL ‘s only minus point is a far too hasty resolution but what precedes that is most worthwhile.
Cream of the crop for me, however, is Hugo Haas’ HOLD BACK TOMORROW. Hugo made a whole series of low budget films which often got picked up by major studios. His films are almost like 1950’s Pre Codes i.e. racy adult content that only B Movies could get away with. Each little story comes across as a morality lesson. Until fairly recently Hugo’s films were impossible to track down. Firstly Columbia released ONE GIRL’S CONFESSION with Hugo’s regular lead actress/muse Cleo Moore. Our pal Laura has noted there is now a Cleo Bio on the market! Fox followed up with GIRL ON THE BRIDGE in their MOD series
in a pretty decent print. A little later Sony released BAIT which is also now available on Blu Ray. I’ve excluded LIZZIE with Eleanor Parker and Richard Boone which has Hugo working within the studio system on a rare occasion. Hugo’s films are lethargic in their pacing the antithesis to the fast moving B Movies of say Ross Lederman or Robert Florey. The shabby sets make one think of Monogram or PRC. Hugo’s films are not for all taste and I would hesitate to recommend them but I love them-Hugo draws you into his World and GIRL ON THE BRIDGE is even slower than usual but it’s haunting quality stays with you. I await viewing HOLD BACK TOMORROW with the greatest anticipation.
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I’m pretty sure the only Hugo Haas movie I’ve seen is One Girl’s Confession, which was kind of OK I suppose but I can’t say I was all that taken with it.
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I was a bit underwhelmed by ONE GIRL’S CONFESSION and that’s the only Hugo Haas movie I’ve seen.
I have seen a few of the movies Cleo Moore made for other directors. WOMEN’S PRISON is one of the worst movies I’ve ever seen. It’s everything I hate about Social Problem Movies, but on steroids.
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It’s quite a while since I saw Women’s Prison and I know I found it fine at the time. It’s got a great cast too.
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Dee,
How can you resist a film that has the following dialog exchange. WOMEN’S PRISON as inmates Jan Sterling and Cleo Moore
hold sadistic warden Ida Lupino at knifepoint
Cleo: “one squeak out of you and you get this right through your diagram”
Jan: “Diaphragm. Honey”
Furthermore Dee WONEM’S PRISON is a dizzy mix of vintage Warner Bros type Social Drama blended with Sam Katzman type exploitation flick in other words masterpiece. Does that mean you also hate CAGED and STORM WARNING two more masterworks in my book- as a demented B Movie addict I also have an opinion.
I’ve been getting on Imprint’s case about releasing CATMAN OF PARIS and lo & behold it’s on their May roster from a 4K restoration no less, you see Dee some Aussies do take notice of this mad Limey 🙂 CATMAN OF PARIS is Val Lewton Republic Pictures style.
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Yep………..Certainly not for all tastes that’s why I am not
inclined to recommend them.
As a demented B Movie junkie they obviously have
considerable appeal to me.
The forthcoming Kino Noir set is for me, one with
a great deal of appeal.
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I have seen both “HOLD BACK TOMORROW” and “BAIT” and won’t be seeking any more Hugo Haas out. Not for this B-movie fan, I’m afraid.
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I think one of the good things about these sets is the variety they often feature. That and the fact they are willing to go out on a limb and release titles that have been hard or impossible to find.
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So no Hugo Haas fans here at RTHC
I can’t say I’m totally surprised as I’ve always felt RTHC is more geared to intellectual or more to the point cineaste tastes which leaves me out just a common or garden movie buff or as I prefer to call myself a demented B Movie fan. After all it takes all sorts and I’m sure Colin has no credo as to who can and cannot comment.
When an old relic from the Republic vaults like CATMAN OF PARIS is given a 4K restoration then I’m in the sort of release that keeps me collecting. It’s also wonderful that Imprint can consider “Catman” worthy of a stand alone release-after their “Silver Screams Collection” went OOP literally on day one and the vintage Republic titles in that set looked stunning as did the two RegalScope titles. Now I live in hope Imprint will release George Sherman’s LONDON BLACKOUT MURDERS (title tells all)
Perhaps Signal One will release CATMAN OF PARIS but I’ll go with Imprint as I love their packaging,extras and general love for old B Movies. The small “cult” that admires Hugo Haas has proved too heady for The High Country.
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“His films are almost like 1950’s Pre Codes i.e. racy adult content that only B Movies could get away with.” You nailed it John. Just so you know, you are not alone when it comes to those Hugo Haas B’s. I find them very engaging with a thought provoking twist at the end that can stay with you for days.
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John, just to say that while my, admittedly limited, exposure to Hugo Haas movies didn’t do much for me, I’ve no wish to denigrate them for those who fond them more appealing, nor would I want to discourage anyone else from sampling them. Personally, I try to feature those movies that attracted me in some way but I’m always happy to have yourself, or anyone really, chime in and add their thoughts and opinions on anything they wish.
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WOW! A Fan………..thanks Scott.
I thought Haas might gain more positive comments here at
RTHC but I totally understand folks not liking them.
He might have more fans if many of his films were out there on disc.
I live in hope that titles like EDGE OF HELL and PICKUP will finally
get a DVD or Blu Ray release.
I’d also love to see Russell Rouse’s WICKED WOMAN with
another Haas muse Beverly Michaels BTW what’s lovable Percy
Helton doing in this sort of sleaze.
For me,in many ways films like PICKUP and WICKED WOMAN
mark a devious but intriguing diversion into the Wonderful World
Of Film Noir.
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john a few years back on RTHC I had a lot to say about WICKED WOMAN (1953). Beverly Michaels is so believable and convincing as a hooking grifter that you would hope never to fall prey to in your lifetime. To the male viewer having the unfortunate experience of having a feminine fetal relationship can be very real for which I can relate. Like you say Michaels and Haas didn’t collaborate on this film, but you sure could tell the roots were not far away from Haas/Michaels’ PICKUP (1951).
By the way……I was just waiting for the opportunity to comment on PICKUP and WICKED WOMAN. If I’m not mistaken we both have a shared appreciation for George Raft and Lawrence Tierney films?
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Scott-
I like Raft in certain films especially during his prime in films like EACH DAWN I DIE. The potboilers he made later in his career are tough to watch from Warner Bros to Lippert was quiet a come down. I only recently caught up with RED LIGHT which I consider a knock out arguably his last great leading role. Tierney I always enjoy-his films tended to be fast moving programmers just up my street really. THE DEVIL THUMBS A RIDE is really B Movie Bliss. (Laura if you are out there I think you coined that phrase) 🙂
I’ve never seen PICKUP or WICKED WOMAN and would love to as you probably know I refuse to watch films online or stream films.
Those two would make a great double bill from the Film Noir Foundation released say by Classicflix, I live in hope. THE GIRL ON THE BRIDGE is for me top drawer Haas and Michaels shines in more or less a sympathetic role.
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I watched Raft in Background to Danger the other day. It’s very pacy with lots of characteristic Raoul Walsh energy on show, great backlot sets standing n for WWII Turkey, and the irresistible Peter Lorre/Sydney Greenstreet combination. Raft is good enough – although apparently, he insisted the script (by W R Burnett from Eric Ambler’s book) make him a roving Fed as opposed to a typical Ambler hero, that is a regular guy caught up in intrigue by accident.
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