Tight Spot (1955)

[cigar joe]

Directed by Phil Karlson with Ginger Rogers, Edward G. Robinson, Brian Keith, and Lorne Greene. Another not very Noir noir, listed on IMDb & in Shelby's book as noir, but not in the First Edition of Silver and Ward's Film Noir: An Encyclopedic Reference to the American Style. The story takes place for the most part in a hotel room and add to that almost 80% of it goes by before it gets interesting. Ginger Rogers is miscast opposite Brian Kieth, she looks a bit too frumpy and long in the tooth for the part she is attempting to portray, sort of looks like an old Doris Day in this. Janet Leigh, Julie London, Monroe, or any of the staple Noir Femmes Fatales, Totter, Keyes, Windsor, would have been better eye candy. She could easily have pulled it off 10 years earlier probably. The poster below is misleading, we never see Ginger that undressed ;-).



Story is, witnesses are being bumped off before they can testify against mobster Benjamin Costain (Greene) Vince Striker (Kieth) is assigned to guard Sherry Conley (Rogers), Edward G. plays the DA. Greene is pretty good going against his Pa Cartwright Bonanza image.

Kieth & Greene confrontation



A Review from an IMDBer:

A competent vehicle for Ginger Rogers, with a solid performance by Edward G. Robinson, 15 March 2008

Author: Terrell-4 from San Antonio, Texas
*** This review may contain spoilers ***

Tight Spot has a potentially taut story going for it, as well as some noirish photography, a skilled performance by Edward G. Robinson and a solid, conflicted performance by Brian Keith. Unfortunately, it also is primarily a vehicle for a big star who was facing age and a new generation of movie goers. The film also was adapted from a stage play. Much of the movie feels declarative, with far too many opportunities for Ginger Rogers to "act."

A key witness who can send vicious crime boss Benjamin Costain (Lorne Greene) into the slammer and then have him deported is shot down on Gotham's courtroom steps. Government lawyer Lloyd Hallet (Edward G. Robinson) discovers another possible witness who could incriminate Costain if she'll testify. She's Sherry Conley (Ginger Rogers), a feisty, smart-mouth con who is in prison doing a five-year term for a crime she says she had nothing to do with. Hallet pulls her out of prison and installs her in a fancy hotel. He assigns police detective Vince Slater (Brian Keith) and a team of officers to protect her. And then he tries to convince her to testify against Costain. He promises to cancel the rest of her sentence. He describes how bad a guy Costain is. He appeals to her sense of justice. But Sherry knows the other witness was gunned down. She's tough and no one's patsy. While this is going on, Costain has been busy. He's learned which hotel she's at, even the room. We know anyone staying in 2409 at the St. Charles Hotel is going to be in for an upsetting night. The hotel's lobby is dark and lonely. The hallways are empty and seem to go on forever. Sherry and Vince, who initially is tense and disdainful toward her, begin to warm up to each other. We learn Sherry isn't the playgirl her reputation would have us believe. When the first assassination attempt takes place, windows are smashed, a gunman almost breaks in and bullets go flying. Sherry and a police woman she has come to like are wounded, the woman seriously. It takes a death to convince Sherry that a man as ruthless as Costain must be put away. Despite another assassination attempt, we last see her sitting in the witness box, staring at Costain, as Hallet begins his questions.

Rogers was 44 when she made this movie. She looks great but it's obvious she's playing below her age. She also has a tendency to chew the scenery. Her wise-guy persona simply doesn't ring true. We know it's Ginger Rogers acting. There are far too many opportunities for her to have dramatic moments...Sherry telling us about herself...Sherry and her sister arguing...Sherry describing her life when she was just 16. None of it seems authentic. The movie is a vehicle for an aging star who could still command above-the-title roles, but where those roles were more and more often in second-rate movies.

Rogers might make us a little uncomfortable, but Edward G. Robinson made me really sad. Here was this great actor, placed unfairly and unofficially on the Hollywood blacklist at the start of the Fifties, unable to get roles worthy of him in first-rate films, having to take work in stuff like this. Remember films of his like Vice Squad, The Big Leaguer, The Glass Web and Black Tuesday? Didn't think you did. They were all scarcely more than programmers made by Hollywood journeymen. They were all from this period. Robinson, as far as I'm concerned, never turned in a bad performance despite all this. With Tight Spot he effortlessly dominates all the scenes he's in. He doesn't try to steal any glory from Rogers, but it is his performance which seems the most authentic and interesting.

Tight Spot is at best a competent film tailored to the needs of Ginger Rogers. It's not bad; it's just workmanlike. If you like old films, Tight Spot may be worth a watch.

rent 6/10

[noirguru]

Ginger is miscast, the film is based on a play and it shows!

[noirton mcgraw]

i taped 'tight spot' recently, maybe a few months ago off TCM, i was excited to watch it because of the cast(i wasn't too excited to see ginger rodgers included, i knew she was older, they could have done better then her), i like brian keith, edward g, and there were some other good bit characters also. i was very very dissapointed, the very beginning opening looked like it was gonna be good, but after that, it was a big dissapointment, i quickly deleted it after watching it, no way was it a good noir for me, i don't even considerite a noir

[MartinTeller]

[review from February 18, 2012]

Sherry Conley (Ginger Rogers) is a convict who happens to be the government's last chance witness against a gangster (Lorne Greene). While an attorney (Edward G. Robinson) tries to convince her to testify, a cop (Brian Kieth) has to protect her from being rubbed out. This is my 8th noir by director Phil Karlson, who helmed some of the finest the genre has to offer -- Kansas City Confidential, The Phenix City Story, Scandal Sheet, 99 River Street. While this one has some strong elements, it doesn't reach those lofty heights.

Rogers, in her mid-40's at this point, doesn't get to do any fancy stepping (although there is a brief slow dance). But her comic chops come in handy... she's a brassy, streetwise gal with a quick comeback for any situation. There are a lot of juicy zingers in the script, and most of them come from her mouth. But even hard-boiled dialogue can be overcooked, and one starts to grow weary of her constant one-liners. It's a welcome relief when she starts to show a bit of vulnerability. It's an excellent performance and a side of Rogers we don't get to see very often, but the writing is a little too clever.

The cinematography by the great Burnett Guffey makes superb use of shadows, especially in the dynamite location work. Problem is, for the most part the film is confined to a hotel room. It often feels more like a chamber drama than a noir, with little action to break up the monotony. Sure, it's a fine character study of a woman who hasn't caught many breaks, but after such a tantalizing opening it's a bit stifling to have so many dialogue-heavy scenes without any real tension. I won't go so far as to call it dull, because it isn't. I suppose it's just a matter of adjusting your expectations.

Worth seeing for Rogers and Robinson, some sharp (although sometimes too sharp) writing, and an unexpected third act twist. But I'd have to call it the weakest of this box set. Rating: Fair