Crashout [Blu-ray]

Reworking the Familiar
A curiously compelling little movie, Crashout is a throwback to the tough prison-escape movies of the 30's. Fortunately, the producers had the good sense to hire an expert cast of B-movie veterans to enliven an otherwise shopworn plot. Writer-producer Hal Chester and director-writer Lewis Foster provide each convict with a distinct personality that holds viewer interest as tensions mount, while the audience anticipates how each character will be brought to justice. Standouts in the cast are the always subtle Arthur Kennedy, an engagingly ambivalent Marshall Thompson, and William Tallman doing his scary psycho bit, this time as a knife-throwing religious fanatic. And in a poignant bit part, cult favorite Gloria Talbott as the prospect of a normal life for the ill-fated Thompson. Though you've seen it all before, there are many nice touches that lift this otherwise generous slice of thick-ear beyond the merely routine.

Crashout: top notch prison breakout film!
Sure, we've seen the escaped convicts formula before, but this one hits home. Here is a real diversity of the six characters; each one as convincing as the next. William Bendix is his usual great gruff self, playing the heartless, cold-blooded mastermind. My personal favorite, film veteran Arthur Kennedy, excels as the counterpoint to Bendix: he excels as the white collar criminal with a brain, and ultimately, a heart. Fine dialogue, plenty of action, and even a little romance thrown in. A winner!

Actors and Taut Direction Make this one a Stand Out!
CRASHOUT might come as a surprise to crime film fans or noir

enthusiasts who pick it up, expecting a routine mid-50s B movie. For

one thing, it's feature-length (89 minutes), and doesn't skimp much on

plot and character development. Director Lewis R. Foster was probably

pretty adept at action/adventure pictures, judging by titles in his

IMDb filmography. CRASHOUT was probably just another assignment to him,

but the film shows he was no hack. It's a foregone conclusion that a

Hollywood movie won't let criminals get away unpunished, but a superior

example like this makes the fate of its players more meaningful with

good actors and intelligent writing. Foster keeps things moving nicely,

once past the fairly talky first scene in the cave. The film never lags

once after that, because there is plenty of action, and characters are

given enough depth to...

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