I, The Jury (1953)

[cigar joe]

Director: Harry Essex, Director of Photography John Alton, Writers: Harry Essex, Mickey Spillane (novel) Stars: Biff Elliot, Preston Foster, Peggie Castle, Tani Guthrie, Dran Hamilton, (3 Stooger) Joe Besser, and Noir regular Elisha Cook Jr.



I, The Jury became the first of Mickey Spillane's Mike Hammer Detective series to be made into a movie. Hammer is a no holds barred bull in a china shop type of PI. Spillane wrote Mike Hammer starting with the first 1947 novel "I, the Jury" as a traditional Pulp/Noir Detective but he pushed the bubble with the lid off/over the top sexuality of the women going 20 years ahead of his time, films wouldn't be that explicit enough to do Hammer justice until the late 1960's, but by then the ability to do stylized noir with its stable of character actors is gone, its like two ships passing in the night.

Biff Elliott is a bit miscast as Hammer, he looks a bit too young a bit too green, I would have picked someone like say Charles McGraw as closer to Spillane's brutish hair-triggered PI.

Biff Elliot



The tale starts when his best friend Jack, an insurance investigator and combat amputee, gets himself shot in the guts, and puts Hammer out on a personal revenge rampage.

Now to be honest this is the first film with director of photography John Alton, where I've been a bit letdown, the films seems too washed out and gray than his usual inky blacks and silvery white work, it could be the fault of the DVDr I viewed. Who knows how many copies removed it is from the source print. But there are a lot of sequences that are not very stylistically lighted at all and there are very few, I would go as far as say there is a paucity of outside NYC location shots compared to other Noirs set in NYC (not one skyline shot, bridge shot, nothing, street shots of building entrances are square on, no 3/4 shots showing some of the street perspective, very uninteresting camera angles for the most part) and for a Mike Hammer NYC based film this is a big mistake. Think of all the great NYC city local based Noirs, Where The Sidewalk Ends, The Naked City, Kiss of Death, Side Street, The Phantom Lady, The Window, The Dark Corner that gave you a feel for the city, you don't get that here.

One of the few real outside location shots of an ambulance



A shot typical of almost all the un-imaginative building entrance shots



There is a very nice fight scene on a staircase in what looks like the Bradbury Building in LA this is probably where it was filmed (not from the film)



This would explain the lack of NYC locations if it was all shot in LA

Also Alton here in this film tried his hand at the 3-D process, maybe that is the reason for the films look, but some of the stills posted here show different though, see below. Anyway if any of you have seen better prints of the film, comment, thanks.

A nice stylistic noir shot


A murder scene the party is definitely over


Peggy & Biff


The now iconic ending sequence.


All in all I'll give this on second viewing a 6.5-7/10

[noirguru]

Cigar Joe, it's funny only four films that you site where actually filmed in NYC, The Naked City, Kiss of Death, Side Street and The Window. The rest where shot on backlots with some on location establishing shots for atmosphere!

[cigar joe]

Cigar Joe, it's funny only four films that you site where actually filmed in NYC, The Naked City, Kiss of Death, Side Street and The Window. The rest where shot on backlots with some on location establishing shots for atmosphere!

I was mentioning all those that I could think of, off the top of my head, other than the I guess what you would sort of call them chapter "cards" there are absolutely no establishing anything that "says" New York City. The Phantom Lady had that beautiful matte backdrop painting of an El station and another of an El Platform with the city skyline. This film had basically nothing comparable.

[Adam Lounsbery]

Even though The Dark Corner was mostly filmed on backlots, it has a lot of beautiful shots of New York, and the "feeling" in the soundstage work is just right. Sure, the chase Mark Stevens leads the cops on doesn't exactly seem to be conforming to the real geography of Manhattan, but neither do plenty of movies actually filmed in New York.

I've never seen this, but I'd love to see it on the big screen in 3D. I don't think I've ever seen a black and white 3D movie. I've seen a few classic '50s 3D movies on the big screen -- House of Wax, Dial M for Murder -- but they've all been in color.

I agree with you about Charles McGraw playing Mike Hammer. I think he would have been perfect. My personal choice for Hammer in the early '50s would have been Lawrence Tierney, but his star was fading at that point.

I've got a soft spot for Mickey Spillane. I haven't read any of his novels since high school, but I was pretty into them back then.

[noirguru]

I was mentioning all those that I could think of, off the top of my head, other than the I guess what you would sort of call them chapter "cards" there are absolutely no establishing anything that "says" New York City. The Phantom Lady had that beautiful matte backdrop painting of an El station and another of an El Platform with the city skyline. This film had basically nothing comparable.

C J, you're right! Some films made use of matte's, stock footage, backlots, some used city street sets inside the soundstage, when the budget was big enough they sometimes sent a second unit to NYC to shoot some background footage. I, The Jury (1953) was shot on the cheap at the Sam Goldwyn Studios, the exterior shot of the Packard ambulance was probably stock footage. I agree with you, Charles McGraw would have been a good Mike Hammer but my choice would have been Bob Mitchum!

[cigar joe]

C J, you're right! Some films made use of matte's, stock footage, backlots, some used city street sets inside the soundstage, when the budget was big enough they sometimes sent a second unit to NYC to shoot some background footage. I, The Jury (1953) was shot on the cheap at the Sam Goldwyn Studios, the exterior shot of the Packard ambulance was probably stock footage. I agree with you, Charles McGraw would have been a good Mike Hammer but my choice would have been Bob Mitchum!

I like that Lawrence Tierney suggestion from Adam also

[Adam Lounsbery]

I like that Lawrence Tierney suggestion from Adam also

CJ, have you ever seen The Girl Hunters from the early '60s, in which Mickey Spillane himself plays Mike Hammer?

One reason I've always thought Tierney would make a great Hammer is that he looks a lot like Spillane, and Mike Hammer always seemed like a sort of "projection" of Spillane's own persona. Tierney also had a mean streak, which I think is a big part of Hammer's appeal.

The Girl Hunters is worth seeing if you've never seen it. Spillane isn't much of an actor, but it's fun.

[MartinTeller]

(review from November 20, 2010)

While his old war buddy gets murdered, Mike Hammer sets out to find the killer. This movie has a number of interesting facets. It's the first Mike Hammer movie, before Kiss Me Deadly. Transitions between locations are announced with Christmas card titles. The movie was shot in 3D, and although I didn't get to watch it in that format, of course, I could see how they intended to use it... the opening sequence in which the victim crawls towards the camera, reaching out to the audience, and a few other little gimmicky moments. John Alton was the cinematographer, so I hardly need mention that there are any number of glorious shots. Likewise, the Franz Waxman score is pretty good. The film is quite lurid, with loads of sexual innuendo, rough violence, references to drug use, and even a hint of homosexuality. And I enjoyed the operatic melodrama of the finale (despite being kind of a rip-off of Double Indemnity). But there are problems. The first is something I also experienced with Kiss Me Deadly: I don't like Hammer. His solution to everything is to throw a few punches, he doesn't have the cunning of Spade or Marlowe. The film is almost entirely Hammer visits some guy, beats him up, Hammer visits some dame, makes out with her, goes to beat up another guy, goes to kiss another gal. I just don't enjoy watching this character, at least not as the protagonist. This problem is compounded by star Biff Elliott, a lousy actor with very little screen presence. This guy should be relegated to roles like "Heavy #3"... not the lead actor. Another thing is that the movie is rather dull. Anyone ought to be able to guess the killer the moment he (or she) appears onscreen, and even if you don't, all the information being provided is too convoluted to keep track of, and I wasn't invested at all. So it's a rough and tumble film with some intriguing elements, but fails to satisfy. Rating: 5

[Adam Lounsbery]

Martin Teller, I'm surprised you don't like Mike Hammer, since your avatar is a picture of Mickey Spillane.

[cigar joe]

CJ, have you ever seen The Girl Hunters from the early '60s, in which Mickey Spillane himself plays Mike Hammer?

One reason I've always thought Tierney would make a great Hammer is that he looks a lot like Spillane, and Mike Hammer always seemed like a sort of "projection" of Spillane's own persona. Tierney also had a mean streak, which I think is a big part of Hammer's appeal.

The Girl Hunters is worth seeing if you've never seen it. Spillane isn't much of an actor, but it's fun.

I think I've seen every film representation of Hammer

The Girl Hunters (1963) Did a re-watch of the film. Its got some positives & negatives.

Positive:

Lots of New York City establishing & location shots, this was "my" city, the 1963 NY I remember as a kid the police black white & olive green squad cars (BTW they changed to todays white & blue color scheme during 1973-74), the yellow cabs, the store fronts. Mike Hammer in his correct environment, but most of the film is shot in Great Britian.

Shirley Eaton, "hammertomically" correct in every way, she is the femme fatale of the piece and a knockout. For those of you not familiar with the name she later became the iconic girl in gold in the James Bond flick "Gold Finger". She also has a memorable final denouement.

Loyd Nolan makes a nice supporting appearance.

Negative:

Not really filmed in the Noir style, "Kiss Me Deadly" nails this aspect beautifully.

Mickey Splillane plays Hammer, now if he was a better actor it may have been better, he looks a bit ridiculous in the pork-pie hat. I still say Charles McGraw would have been ideal.

No Velma.

Could have used more of everything its a bit too sparse as it is, more interesting interiors, transitions, shots, lighting, camera angles, more time with bit part characters, again see "Kiss Me Deadly" as a comparison.

Score is a bit way too one note and somewhat overpowering where it is used. I prefer "Harlem Nocturne" which was used as the main theme in the Keach TV Hammer series.

And what is with this fetish with bullets, and linking crimes with bullets fired by the same gun, this and "I, The Jury" use this device and you got to think to yourself that any criminal with a brain is going to get rid of the murder weapon and not conveniently keep reusing the same gun over and over.

Not enough sex & graphic violence, again the books were ahead of the films in this department.

6.5/10


"My Gun Is Quick" (1957) Robert Bray puts in a passable portrayal as Mike Hammer he's Hammer-esgue but again here is a case where the action is moved to California and the talent to make an acceptable Noir-ish stylized Mike Hammer film is noticeably lacking, it looks made on the cheap, it plays like a TV film and is nowhere near Aldrich's film noir masterpiece. The broads Whitney Blake, Patricia Donahue, Pamela Duncan, prostitute Jan Chaney, and stripper Genie Coree are again "hammer-tommically" correct but again as in both "I The Jury" (1953), and "Kiss Me Deadly" (1955) the slightly gratuitous sexuality which should be a touchstone in any Mike Hammer based film is PG-13 if even that. To put it bluntly the hammer babes (save for Velda) peal for Mike at every opportunity.

Another big faux pas in hammer-city is where is the Colt .45 automatic ?, Bray runs around with what looks like a .38 special a popgun in comparison, come on right from the get-go with the scene in the lunch counter you know its gonna be off.

Margin For Murder (1981) TV movie directed by Daniel Haller, with Kevin Dobson as Mike Hammer, Charles Hallahan as Pat Chambers. Cindy Pickett as Velda, and New York City.

I'll give this one credit for being almost completely shot in the grittier neighborhoods of New York City, and it has plenty of night shots, decrepit building interiors, and to boot, Hammer actually wears a fedora in a couple of sequences, bravo, better in those areas than Assante's film which seemed a bit too antiseptic, in that respect. But again we are hampered by being in the contemporary modern era with a discotheque and its music and all the visions of "Saturday Night Fever" that that, conjures up. Dodson at least plays Hammer as tough as Assante, and the babes are again "hammertomically" correct.

Velda is more of a plain Jane secretary in this one not as pro-active as Laurene Landon in "I, The Jury" (1982). More fisticuffs than bullets flying in this Hammer version, don't think its based on any particular novel, this one also has a sidebar story of Hammer & Velda trying to find a home for stray puppies. Again as in "I, The Jury" there seems to be a penchant for making Spillane's stories into over blow conspiracy stories, trying to go for more spectacle, don't know if this was the trend in most of Spillane's stories or not, the only two I've read seemed simpler tales.

Not as much graphic violence and no nudity (its a TV film after all) as next years "I, The Jury" would have also the Nelson Riddle score pales in comparison to Bill Conti's for the 1982 film. 7/10

I, The Jury (1982) I like this slightly over the top interpretation of Mike Hammer, especially after viewing all the previous watered down versions.

Directed by Richard T. Heffron, starring Armand Assante, as Mike Hammer, Barbara Carreram as Dr. Charlotte Bennett, Laurene Landon as Velda, Alan King as Charles Kalecki, Geoffrey Lewis as Joe Buttler, and Paul Sorvino as Det. Pat Chambers.

I first saw this probably sometime in the late 80’s once, had nothing to compare it to, and barely remembered it so it was a delight to get to view this the other day, especially since I‘ve recently been revisiting Spillane and the films based on his novels.

It took 30 some odd years for a film to really do full justice to the zeitgeist of a Mickey Spillane novel. The best looking and true Noir adaptation is still “Kiss Me Deadly” (1955) with Ralph Meeker, Jack Elam, Strother Martin, Jack Lambert, Gabby Rogers, and Cloris Leachman, but it was hampered by being made while the Hays Code was still in effect. The original “I, The Jury” (1953) was DOA having non presence Biff Eliot in the title role, but at least the babes were “hammertomically” correct , “My Gun is Quick” (1957) starring Robert Bray as had the right caliber of women, but had the action not in NYC, but in some seaside resort and Hammer was running around with a pop gun not his trademark .45 Colt Automatic. “The Girl Hunters” (1963) had Spillane in the title role, but he was no actor, and aside from the establishing shots of NYC , the film was shot in England. At least it had the babes.

But WOW!, right from the opening credits of I, The Jury (1982) you know you are in Mike Hammer land with the emphasis on women and the Colt .45 automatic, Broads & Bullets, Girls and Guns (both kinds). I’m sure graphic novelist Frank Miller (Sin City) had to have seen this graphic opening sequence in three colors black, white, and red, and was influenced by it. If not, it predates that style by 10 years.

This version has Hammer’s office located above Times Square, set in the post Vietnam 80’s. Hammer is a sleazy detective working divorce cases. We first see him pulling a dead fish out of his tank and holding it while talking to another fish/client, who is worried about his wife cheating on him. Hammer asks to see her picture notices that she is beautiful, then tells the client that he’s in trouble. Next shot has Hammer screwing the clients wife while fielding a call from him, the conversation is humorous along the lines of , “yea I’m right on top of her”, and “yea, don’t worry, I’m very familiar with all her moves”.

Hammer’s one armed war buddy Jack takes a slug in the guts and dies crawling across his living room, notified of his death Hammer (like a licensed rogue cop with full access to NYPD info) acts like bull in a china shop and the action (along with the catchy and wonderfully complementary score) never quits… that is unless a broad drifts into range, and a bevy of lovelies do so.

In this version Velda who in the novels was also a licensed detective holds her own doing double duty as a competent secretary/associate, and quasi love interest, she shows flashes of jealousy when Mike returns to the office disheveled and bruised from his escapades.

All the actors put in decent performances, I just wish Geoffrey Lewis had a bigger part, my only quibble.

What’s not to like.

Barely Neo Noir if that. The one noir lit sequence that I do remember was when Hammer goes to pay respects to Jack's creepy wife. Most of the film is too brightly lit.

No first person narrative.

And well, this version deviates a bit from the novel, i.e., using a surrogate serial killer in place of Kaleki’s henchman to the detriment of the novel‘s excellent Bellamy Twins sequences, the substitution of the sex clinic for the whorehouse, and bringing an ex-CIA paranoid operative “house as fortress” character into the story.

Armand Assante as Hammer hews closer to the Ralph Meeker look than what you picture Mike Hammer should look like (for me that would have been the great Charles McGraw), but he has the machismo and misogynistic qualities right, lol .

The cinematography is adequate, very pedestrian, nothing stylistic.

Setting the story in the post Vietnam 1980’s takes away the dirtier, grittier, sleazier, New York of the late Forties to early Sixties. There’s no street level connection to the Burlesque Joints, XXX Movie Theaters, The “Live Nude Girl” Peep Shows, the Arcades, the newspaper stands, the street vendors, the con games, the Dime A Dance Ballrooms, the bums, the panhandlers, the hookers, etc., etc., New York was starting to loosing that real ambiance, too bad. I remember The 42nd St. Times Square area ridden with the above in 1970, and by the time I returned in 1996 it had changed to Disneyland. Minor quibbles.

Still excellent film 8.5/10,some funny bits, almost the perfect Hammer with an excellent score.

The only way to improve would be a Sin City type treatment keeping the machismo and misogynistic qualities this film has with the dirtier, grittier, sleazier, New York of the late Forties to early Sixties.

[Adam Lounsbery]

I've seen all of those flicks, CJ, except for Margin for Murder and feel about the same way that you do about them, though I wasn't crazy about I, the Jury. Barbara Carrera was hot stuff, but I really didn't like the serial killer addition. And I like Armand Assante, but he's just not how I picture Hammer.

I grew up with the Stacy Keach show, so I still can't hear the Viscounts "Harlem Nocturne" without thinking of Mike Hammer. (Was it their version or another that was used as the theme music?)

[cigar joe]

I've seen all of those flicks, CJ, except for Margin for Murder and feel about the same way that you do about them, though I wasn't crazy about I, the Jury. Barbara Carrera was hot stuff, but I really didn't like the serial killer addition. And I like Armand Assante, but he's just not how I picture Hammer.

I grew up with the Stacy Keach show, so I still can't hear the Viscounts "Harlem Nocturne" without thinking of Mike Hammer. (Was it their version or another that was used as the theme music?)

Its kind of pathetic that no one can make a definitive version set in NYC with all the elements in place in the correct time frame. Bah!

I'm not sure which version they used for the show, but its on Youtube don't remember if they show who performs it in the credits. BTY the Darren McGavin Mike Hammer is out now on DVD He's not packing the .45 Automatic though. ;-)

[Adam Lounsbery]

Whoa! It's clearly been a long, long time since I saw the Stacy Keach Mike Hammer show. I remembered the opening theme being a lot cooler and more atmospheric than it was. Clearly I've only been listening to the Viscounts' version in the intervening years and conflated them:



This version's not bad, but it's more "disco" than I remember. At least they got Hammer's .45 right, at least at the 1:00-minute mark -- The rest of the shots show him firing a small revolver, maybe a .38? (Also, the only version I could find on YouTube was the German version of the show ... "Mike's ungewöhnliche Heirat" means "Mike's Unusual Marriage," so this is probably the opener for the April 15, 1987, episode "Mike Gets Married.")



I've never seen Darren McGavin's version, but I'd like to check it out. I loved McGavin in Kolchak: The Night Stalker, so I picture him as more of a lovable sad sack than Mike Hammer, but I could see buying him as the character.

It looks as if there are a bunch of full episodes on YouTube:

[MartinTeller]

Martin Teller, I'm surprised you don't like Mike Hammer, since your avatar is a picture of Mickey Spillane.

I think that's just the default avatar. I haven't bothered to change it.

[noirguru]

CJ, have you ever seen The Girl Hunters from the early '60s, in which Mickey Spillane himself plays Mike Hammer?

One reason I've always thought Tierney would make a great Hammer is that he looks a lot like Spillane, and Mike Hammer always seemed like a sort of "projection" of Spillane's own persona. Tierney also had a mean streak, which I think is a big part of Hammer's appeal.

The Girl Hunters is worth seeing if you've never seen it. Spillane isn't much of an actor, but it's fun.

Adam, I agree that Mickey wasn't very good as Hammer, guess doing Miller Lite commercials was his forte! The film is fun but not very good, it would be nice if it was remade on location with a good cast and a talented director. What do you think of Bruce Willis as Mike Hammer? I think Stacy Keach might be a too old to play Hammer now!

[cigar joe]

Thanks for the Youtube links.

noirguru I think Bruce Willis would make a good Hammer