Crashout *** (1955, William Bendix, Arthur Kennedy, Luther Adler, William Talman, Gene Evans, Marshall Thompson, Beverly Michaels, Gloria Talbott) – Classic Movie Review 12,411

Director Lewis R Foster’s excellent 1955 film noir crime thriller Crashout stars William Bendix as convict Van Duff, who leads a prison breakout of six desperate men, who are after some hidden stolen bank gold-coin loot, but destined for disaster after he is wounded in the escape.

Crashout is a tough, credible and involving drama, very well handled by Foster, and acted with much passion and conviction by the interesting cast.

The six hide out in a forgotten mine near the prison and then set out on a long, dangerous journey by foot, car, train and truck to get the loot, meeting a farm woman (Beverly Michaels), a kidnapped doctor (Percy Helton) and a young woman on a train (Gloria Talbott) along the way.

The cast include William Bendix as Van Morgan Duff, Arthur Kennedy as Joe Quinn, Luther Adler as Pete Mendoza, William Talman as Luther Remsen, Gene Evans as Maynard ‘Monk’ Collins, Marshall Thompson as Billy Lang, Beverly Michaels as Alice Mosher, Gloria Talbott as young woman on train, Adam Williams as Fred Summerfield, Percy Helton as Doctor Louis Barnes, Melinda Markey as Girl in Bar, Christopher Olsen [Chris Olsen] as Timmy Mosher, Adele St Mauer as Mrs Mosher, Edward Clark as Conductor, and Tom Dugan as Ed the Bartender.

The Fast and the Furious was shot in nine days in April 1954 under the title Crashout but they changed the title and it was later used by this 1955 film.

© Derek Winnert 2023 – Classic Movie Review 12,411

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