Pushover (1954)

[David]

Streamlined and brisk, Richard Quine's nocturnal 'b' thriller 'Pushover' remains
one of noirs lesser-appreciated 'dirty-cop' entries - despite it's boasting strong
writing, directing, and two fine lead performances from respectively ; Fred
MacMurray, in a nice companion piece to his lustful dupe role in 'Double Indemnity'
; and fledgling screen siren Kim Novak, who brings a sleek modernity to the noir
vixen.

Having fallen for the breathtaking young girlfriend of the vicious bank robber he's
assigned to nab, broke middle-aged cop Paul Sheridan (MacMurray) agrees to put
kept dame Leona's (Novak) suggested plan into motion - and murder the thug
when he sneaks back to collect her, before making his way with her and the thug's
ill-gotten gains to the exit from his quiet desperation.

In the cleverly-constructed script (by 'Fugitive' creator Roy Huggins), Sheridan is
the one over-seeing the stakeout of Leona's apartment - in anticipation of her
man's return from being on the lam - but as the secret lovers near their goal they
must navigate dangerous waters - populated with Paul's fellow officers, their
hard-nosed captain (an irritating E.G. Marshall), and the object of Paul's partner's
affection (Dorothy Malone).

A refreshing and decidedly more romantic variation on the murderous love-triangle
blueprint - 'Pushover's Paul and Leona appear to genuinely care for one another.
Not simply a tale of illicit lovers double-crossing each other - 'Pushover's plot
concerns a star-crossed pair's attempt to put one over on life itself - leaving
their respective stale existences behind for a life of warm love and cold cash - and
all to the strains of Arthur Morton's maddeningly catchy score.

Never a scenery-chewer, MacMurray quietly shines in his role - giving a restrained
and authentic performance. Addled with bills and complexes, his weary flatfoot
aches to break free - and with Leona's insistence that .."Money isn't dirty, just
people..", mulls it over, goes against his better judgment, and concludes that the
iron's just hot enough. Complementing MacMurray in her debut lead role, Novak
delivers the goods - equal parts beauty and raw talent. Sort of a 'fatale-in-training',
her Leona is less guilty of treachery than of youthful inexperience - in her scheme
to 'rob Peter to pay Paul'.

Showing a real knack for noir, Quine (who's only other genre credit is the passable
'Drive A Crooked Road') keeps his compositions tight, confining - and his streets
rain-slicked. His flat 50's cinematography is perfect for showcasing the story's
late-night dives, back alleys, and shadow-laced apartments.

Released the same year as 'Shield For Murder', 'Rogue Cop', and 'Private Hell 36',
'Pushover' may prove to be less memorable than those more melodramatic 'cop-
gone-bad' entries, but Quine's engrossing and poignant nail-biter does not suffer
in comparison.

[HJ]

I've watched this movie several times and like it well. And Kim Novak is beyond question a lovely young woman, but Dorothy Malone is the one who rings my chimes!

[MartinTeller]

(review from July 31, 2010)

10 years after the fact, Fred MacMurray returns to familiar Double Indemnity territory: guy gets seduced into committing the very crime he's supposed to investigate. But the similarities are actually rather slight, and this doesn't feel entirely like a rehash. Kim Novak is a more romantic, less femme fatale-ish character than Stanwyck, for one thing. There's a heavy voyeurism vibe going on that's very interesting. Richard Quine's direction is not terribly inventive, but it's solid, and the story is quite well-plotted with a lot of tension as MacMurray and Novak's scheme unravels. For the average joe this is probably a weak film, but for a noir fan it does the trick. The leads are both strong, with good supporting performances by E.G. Marshall, Dorothy Malone and Philip Carey. The photography is a little flat at times, but some scenes really shine, especially towards the end. Lousy music, though. Rating: 8

[JohnChard]

Pushover (1954)
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0047377/

Money isn't dirty. Just people.

Pushover is directed by Richard Quine and adapted to screenplay by Roy Huggins from stories written by Bill S. Ballinger and Thomas Walsh. It stars Fred MacMurray, Phillip Carey, Kim Novak, Dorothy Malone and E. G. Marshall. Music is scored by Arthur Morton and cinematography by Lester White.

Straight cop Paul Sheridan (MacMurray) is on the trail of the loot stolen in a bank robbery where a guard was shot and killed. He is tasked with getting to know Lona McLane (Novak), the girlfriend of the chief suspect in the robbery. But once contact is made, and surveillance set up over the road from her apartment complex, Sheridan begins to fall in love and lust with the sultry femme.

Comparisons with the superior Double Indemnity are fair enough, but really there is enough here, and considerable differences too, for the film to rightfully be judged on its own merits. Also of note to point out is that one or two critics have questioned if Pushover is actually a film noir piece? Bizarre! Given that character motives, destinies and thematics of plot are quintessential film noir.

A good but weary guy is emotionally vulnerable and finds his life spun into a vortex of lust, greed and murder. Yet the femme fatale responsible, is not a rank and file manipulator, she too has big issues to deal with, a trophy girlfriend to a crook, she coarsely resents this fact. The cop who never smiles and the girl who has forgotten how too, is there hope there? Do they need the money that has weaved them together? What does that old devil called fate have in store for them? Classic noir traits do pulse from the plot. True, the trajectory the pic takes had been a well trodden formula in noir by the mid fifties, where noir as a strong force was on the wane, but this holds up very well.

It isn't just a piece solely relying on two characters either, there's the concurrent tale of Sheridan's voyeuristic partner Rik McAllister (Carey), who has caught the eye of Lona's next door neighbour, Ann Stewart (Malone). Both these characters operate in a different world to the other two, yet the question remains if a relationship can be born out from such shady beginnings? The presentation of relationships here is delightfully perverse. The visual style wrung out by Quine (Drive a Crooked Road) and White (5 Against the House) is most assuredly noir, with 99% of the film set at night, with prominent shadows, damp streets lit by bulbous lamps and roof top scenes decorated sparsely by jutting aerials. The L.A. backdrop a moody observer to the unwrapping of damaged human goods.

Cast are very good, all working well for their reliable director. Novak sizzles in what was her first credited starring role, she perfectly embodies a gal that someone like Paul Sheridan could lose his soul for. MacMurray is suitably weary, his lived in face telling of a life lacking in genuine moments of pleasure. Carey, square jawed, tall and handsome, he is the perfect foil to MacMurray's woe. Malone offers the potential ray of light trying to break out in this dark part of America, while Marshall as tough Lieutenant Eckstrom and Allen Nourse as a copper riding the noir train to sadness, score favourably too.

It opens with a daylight bank robbery and closes in true noir style on a cold and wet night time street. Pushover, deserving to be viewed as one of the more interesting 1950s film noirs. 8/10