Undertow (1949)

Undertow (1949)

„Undertow“ is a 1949 film noir crime film directed by William Castle from a screenplay by Arthur T. Horman and Lee Loeb.

After buying a half-interest in a small lodge near Reno, Tony Reagan, a recently discharged veteran, runs into Danny Morgan, an old friend from Chicago. Danny, who operates a Reno casino owned by Chicago racketeer Big Jim Lee, offers Tony a job, but Tony declines, stating that he gave up the „business“ long ago. Tony shows Danny the engagement ring he plans to give Sally Lee, Big Jim’s niece and ward, and Danny, in turn, shows off the ring he has bought for his girl. Confident and carefree, Tony then helps novice gambler Ann McKnight win at the craps table.

The next day, after he wires Sally that he will be seeing her soon, Tony boards the same Chicago-bound airplane on which Ann is traveling. Tony and Ann, a schoolteacher, spend the flight chatting, and Ann can barely hide her disappointment when Tony tells her about Sally. As Tony deplanes in Chicago, he is met by police detective Charles „Chuck“ Reckling, a childhood friend, who informs him that his captain, Kerrigan, wants to see him.

At the police station, Kerrigan advises Tony to leave town, but Tony refuses. Kerrigan has one of his men tail Tony, but Tony loses him and meets secretly with Sally.

That night, two men jump Tony, blindfold him, shoot him in the arm, drive Tony to a remote location, and he finds a gun in his car. He hears a police radio report announcing that Big Jim has been murdered and he, Tony, is the prime suspect. Panicked, the wounded Tony heads for Ann’s home. Believing in Tony’s innocence, Ann puts him up for the night.

In the garage of Danny’s apartment building, Gene, a large man who was a devoted employee of Big Jim, beats Tony for killing his hero but is finally stopped by Danny.

Chuck tries to convince Kerrigan of Tony’s innocence, but the captain is unimpressed and suspends Chuck for failing to report his meeting with Tony.

Tony finds Danny at the Lee house and asks him for help in the search. Danny and Sally go along with Tony’s request, but when Tony recognizes the ring on Sally’s finger as Danny’s engagement ring, he infers their betrayal. Maintaining his composure, Tony accompanies Danny and two of his men, Stoner and Frost, to Danny’s apartment building. Moments after they enter Danny’s garage, Chuck shows up. Trapped, Danny and his men draw their guns on Tony and Chuck. Noticing that Gene is hiding nearby, Tony loudly accuses Danny of killing Big Jim and jumps Stoner. Tony and Chuck then disarm Stoner and Frost, while Gene attacks Danny, killing him despite being shot several times. Later, Ann and Tony look forward to a happy future together in rural Nevada.

Cast:

• Scott Brady – Tony Reagan
• John Russell – Danny Morgan
• Dorothy Hart – Sally Lee
• Peggy Dow – Ann McKnight
• Bruce Bennett – Det. Charles Reckling
• Gregg Martell – Frost
• Robert Anderson – Stoner
• Dan Ferniel – Gene
• Rock Hudson – Detective
• Charles Sherlock – Cooper
• Anne P. Kramer – Telegraph Clerk
• Franklyn Farnum – Airplane Passenger
• Forbes Murray – Airplane Passenger
• Perc Launders – Bartender
• Donald Kerr – Craps Shooter
• Hugh Sanders – Dice Table Bettor
• Edward Clark – Drugstore Clerk
• Stuart Wilson – First Plainclothesman
• Robert Easton – Fisher, Parking Lot Valet
• James Conaty – Gambler
• Sayre Dearing – Gambler
• Jack Gordon – Gambler
• William H. O’Brien – Gambler
• Francis Pierlot – Husband at Reno Bar
• Almira Sessions – Miss Prentiss
• Isabel Withers – Mrs. Humes
• Lewis Howard – Norm
• Thomas Browne Henry – Police Capt. Kerrigan
• George Eldredge – Pop
• Smoki Whitfield – Sally’s Servant
• Earl Smith – Shoeshine Sammy
• Billy Wayne – Stickman
• Robert Hyatt – Teddy Reckling
• Bobby Barber – Tony
• Marjorie Bennett – Wife at Reno Bar

„Tödlicher Sog“ (Undertow) ist ein Film Noir-Kriminalfilm von 1949 unter der Regie von William Castle nach einem Drehbuch von Arthur T. Horman und Lee Loeb.

Nachdem er eine halbe Beteiligung an einer kleinen Hütte in der Nähe von Reno erworben hat, trifft Tony Reagan, ein kürzlich entlassener Veteran, auf Danny Morgan, einen alten Freund aus Chicago. Danny, der ein Kasino in Reno betreibt, das dem Chicagoer Gauner Big Jim Lee gehört, bietet Tony einen Job an, aber Tony lehnt ab und erklärt, dass er das „Geschäft“ schon lange aufgegeben hat. Tony zeigt Danny den Verlobungsring, den er Sally Lee, Big Jims Nichte und Mündel, schenken will, und Danny zeigt im Gegenzug den Ring, den er für sein Mädchen gekauft hat. Selbstbewusst und sorglos hilft Tony der unerfahrenen Spielerin Ann McKnight, am Craps-Tisch zu gewinnen.