Short Cut to Hell *** (1957, Robert Ivers, Georgann Johnson, William Bishop, Murvyn Vye, Yvette Vickers, Roscoe Ates, Jacques Aubuchon) – Classic Movie Review 7138

Asked to make his directorial debut by longtime producer friend A C Lyles, James Cagney takes his one and only walk behind the cameras to direct this carefully made, fairly successful and effective American film noir version of Graham Greene’s novel A Gun for Sale, already famously filmed as the Alan Ladd – Veronica Lake classic This Gun for Hire (1942).

It stars Robert Ivers, Georgann Johnson, William Bishop, Murvyn Vye as Nichols, Yvette Vickers as Daisy, Roscoe Ates, Peter Baldwin as Carl Adams, Richard Hale as AT, Douglas Spencer and Jacques Aubuchon.

Short Cut to Hell is filmed in striking black-and-white and VistaVision, and is propelled by the sturdy tale about a hitman called Kyle Niles (Robert Ivers) hired to kill two people, who is then set up by his double-crossing employer Bahrwell (Jacques Aubuchon) by being paid in stolen money so the police can trace it, and then seeks revenge by kidnapping singer Glory Hamilton (Georgann Johnson), the girlfriend of police Sergeant Stan Lowery (William Bishop), the detective in charge of his case.

Short Cut to Hell is directed by James Cagney, runs 89 minutes, is made by A C Lyles productions, is released by Paramount, is written by Ted Berkman and Raphael Blau, based on Graham Greene’s novel A Gun for Sale, is shot in black and white by Haskell B Boggs, is produced by A C Lyles and is scored by Irvin Talbot.

As well as being Cagney’s directorial debut, and only directorial effort, it is the producing debut of A C Lyles and the film debut of Yvette Vickers.

It premiered in September 1957, and in October 1957 it hit drive-in cinemas in a double bill with The Devil’s Hairpin (1957).

Cagney’s only other venture behind the cameras was as producer on The Gallant Hours.

Ted Berkman (January 9, 1914 – May 12, 2006) and his brother-in-law Raphael Blau (August 11, 1912 – March 31, 1996) are best known for writing the screenplay for Bedtime for Bonzo. But their story credit for Fear Strikes Out (1957) brought them their greatest acclaim.

© Derek Winnert 2018 Classic Movie Review 7138

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