This satisfying little noir gem may be the definitive Phil Karlson movie. The ever-underestimated John Payne, a solid actor, stars as a washed-up boxer named Ernie Driscoll, who just lost a heavyweight championship match and drives a taxi for a living, much to the chagrin of his awful, unfaithful wife (Peggy Castle), who blames Eddie for him for her own failure. When his two-timing wife ends up dead, murdered by her paramour, Eddie is framed for her death and needs to prove his innocence.
He gets off-beat assistance from a terrific Evelyn Keyes who plays a spunky actress who tricked Eddie with a scam of her own and now uses her wiles and creatively fertile mind to help prove that Eddie is part of a set-up and the two have to elude traps on their road to the truth.
"99 River Street" is terse, snappy and gorgeously photographed by the great Franz Planer (Audrey Hepburn's "house cinematographer," so to speak).
Not available on home entertainment, "99 River Street" and another Karlson gem with Payne, "Kansas City Confidential," will be showcased at a rare double-bill screening at Hollywood's fabulous New Beverly Theatre, 7165 West Beverly Blvd., Los Angeles, Ca. 90036 (one block west of La Brea_, on Wednesday and Thursday, 24 and 25 March. Phone: 323) 938-4038
9 comments:
I'm a movie fan. I go to many, I read reviews. This one is definitely new to me and I want to see it. Wish I lived closer to CA. Phil Karlson was one of the B-movie greats.
I remember seeing this movie and liked it. I believe it was a follow up to "Kansas City Confidential," right? I'm an old movie fan and I miss seeing some of my favorites. Hope this one ends up on DVD eventually. Like Jeff, I wish I was closer to the venue playing it.
I live in Marin County. This movie got a rare screening in San Francisco about a two or so years ago. It's great.
"One did it with sheer stockings, the other did it for sheer excitement" has got to be one of the great tag lines ever. It reminds me of my all-time fave, from "Re-Animator": "Herbert West has a very good head on his shoulders...and another one in a dish on his desk."
I love Karlson and both "99 River Street" and "Kansas City Confidential" are among my favorite films. Turner has shown several Karlsons, including "Kansas City Confidential," "The Phenix City Story," "Tight Pot" and "Five Against the House." But not "99 River Street." And Karlson's last movie, "Framed," came out on DVD a couple years ago and is definitely worth the watch.
When are you going to write about an interesting movie, like "Robo-Cop" or "Brain Donors", two very overlooked classics.
Terry- I sense you're joking but Dennis Dugan's "Brain Donors" is an unnderrated (often demonized) minor comedy classic, with John Turturro doing a great take on Groucho Marx. It's actually a Marx Bros. film updated, perhaps dubiously so, for the frat-house generation of young male moviegoers.
Thanks for the nice appreciation of this film. Those who can't make the screening should know that "99 River Street" is available for viewing at hulu.com
Jeff Stanzler- Many thanks for the heads up about hula.com. -J
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