Crime Wave

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Crime Wave ★★ 1954

Cons break out of San Q and then botch a gasstation robbery. They head for the home of excellmate Steve Lacey (Nelson), who's married Ellen (Kirk), gone straight, and doesn't want the trouble landing at his door. Steve's willing to cooperate with hardboiled detective Sims (Hayden) but Penny (de Corsia) and Hastings (Bronson) take Ellen hostage and threaten Steve unless he helps them in a bank job. Nelson was better known as a song-and-dance man, but he's good in this noir role, and the toothpick-chewing Hayden can snarl with the best of them. 73m/B DVD . Sterling Hayden, Gene Nelson, Phyllis Kirk, Ted de Corsia, Charles Bronson, Jay Novello, Nedrick Young, Timothy Carey; D: Andre de Toth; W: Bernard Gordon, Crane Wilbur, Richard Wormser; C: Bert Glennon; M: David Buttolph.

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