BRUTE FORCE (1947)

 

Directed By: Jules Dassin Written By: Richard Brooks  Story By: Robert Patterson Cinematography: William Daniels Editor: Edward Curtiss 

Cast: Burt Lancaster, Hume Cronyn, Charles Bickford, Yvonne De Carlo, Ann Blyth, Ella Raines, Anita Colby, Sir. Lancelot, Jeff Corey, John Hoyt, Roman Bohnen 

At overcrowded Westgate Penitentiary, where violence and fear are the norm and the warden has less power than guards and leading prisoners, the least contented prisoner is tough, single-minded Joe Collins. Most of all, Joe hates chief guard Captain Munsey, a petty dictator who glories in absolute power. After one infraction too many, Joe and his cell-mates are put on the dreaded drain pipe detail; prompting an escape scheme that has every chance of turning into a bloodbath.

NIGHT AND THE CITY (1950)

 

Directed By Jules Dassin Written By: Joe Eisinger  Based on the Novel By: Gerald Kersh Cinematography: Max Greene Editor: Nick Deamaggio & Sidney Stone 

Cast: Richard Widmark, Gene Tierney, Google Withers, Herbert Lom, Mike Mazurki, Charles Farrell, Hugh Marlowe, Francis L. Sullivan, Stanislaus Zbysko, Ada Reeve 

A small-time grifter and nightclub tout takes advantage of some fortuitous circumstances and tries to become a big-time player as a wrestling promoter.

THIEVES' HIGHWAY (1949)

Directed By: Jules Dassin 
Written & Based On The Novel By: A.I. Bezzerides 
Cinematography By: Norbert Brodine 
Editor: Nick DeMaggio 


Cast: Richard Conte, Valentina Cortese, Lee J. Cobb, Barbara Lawrence, Jack Oakie, Millard Mitchell, Jospeh Pevney 

A war-veteran-turned-truck driver attempts to avenge the crippling and robbing of his father at the hands of an amoral produce scofflaw. What I like about this film is that inherently it is a simple film. It's has a simple premise that has monkey wrench a thrown into plans that generally shock the audience as considering the time it came out. It has such a cynical heart and unpleasent scenes mixed in with some they are more jolly.