Blast of Silence **** (1961, Allen Baron, Molly McCarthy, Larry Tucker, Peter Clume) – Classic Movie Review 11,371
The 1961 American black and white neo noir crime thriller Blast of Silence is written and directed by and stars Allen Baron, along with Molly McCarthy, Larry Tucker and Peter Clume. This cult movie has its rough edges, but is intense and flavourful. It is admired for its bleakness, and it has a reputation as one of the darkest and most miserable film noirs ever.
Allen Baron plays Frankie Bono, a mentally disturbed hired killer from Cleveland, comes back to his hometown in New York City during Christmas week to kill middle-level mobster Troiano (Peter Clume). Frankie’s old flame Lori (Molly McCarthy) and Big Ralph (Larry Tucker), an obese gun runner with sewer rats as pets, get in the way.
It is produced by Merrill Brody, who is also the cinematographer.
It runs 67 minutes.
It is made by Magla Productions and released by Universal Pictures on March 20, 1961.
Allen Baron offered the lead role for no pay to his friend Peter Falk, who considered doing it, but finally declined when he was offered a paying gig.
Part of the movie was shot in a real hurricane and the wind seen during the fistfight scene is not artificial. It was filmed on Long Island during Hurricane Donna (10-12 September 1960), the only 20th century hurricane to hit the entire US East Coast from south Florida to Maine.
The Criterion Collection released Blast of Silence on DVD in 2008.
© Derek Winnert 2021 Classic Movie Review 11,371
Check out more reviews on http://derekwinnert.com
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