When Gangland Strikes (1956)
When Gangland Strikes (1956)
„When Gangland Strikes“ is a 1956 Black & White film-noir crime film directed by R. G. Springsteen from a screenplay by John K. Butler and Frederick Louis Fox.
Gangster Duke Martella, accompanied by his lawyer, Leo Fantzler, goes to pick up his girl friend, Hazel Worley. Upon her release after serving a one-year prison sentence, Hazel explains she promised her cellmate she’d deliver a letter to Luke Ellis.
Luke, the Lawndale County Prosecutor, reluctantly cross-examines Jerry Ames, a young Korean War veteran, accused of stealing from his employer, Walter Pritchard, local hardware store owner. When Luke argues that Jerry only borrowed the money to buy his wife an anniversary present, the jury finds him innocent and the courtroom erupts in applause.
Attorney Bob Keeler, Pritchard’s nephew, who is engaged to Luke’s daughter, June, warns Luke that his uncle has told him to draw up a petition recalling him from office.
Upon reaching Lawndale, Martella asks Luke’s fishing buddy, Slim Pickett, where he can find Luke Ellis. At Fansler’s behest, Martella’s trial is moved to Lawndale.
On opening day of the trial, Martella barges into Luke’s office and hands him the letter. In it, the woman Luke sent to prison thanks him for raising the baby daughter she bore in prison as his own child. Martella then threatens to expose June’s parentage unless Luke „throws the trial.“ As the trial begins, Luke moves to quash the first count against Martella, then sabotages the state’s case by failing to debunk the alibi witness’ testimony. At the close of the trial, the judge instructs the jury that the prosecutor has failed to provide enough evidence of guilt and dismisses the case.
Outraged by Luke’s ineptitude, the townsfolk unanimously endorse the recall petition. Bob decides to run for the prosecutor’s office, June, feeling that Bob has betrayed her father, breaks their engagement.
Bob wins the election, and announces he’s reopening the Martella case. Martella tries to bribe Pritchard to convince his nephew to cancel the trial. Pritchard refuses, and picks up the phone to notify the police, prompting Martella to attack him. A fight ensues, as Slim pulls up to the office with June. Martella shoots Pritchard, then speeds off in his car. Sheriff Mack McBride books June for Pritchard’s murder.
At the trial, hard-boiled attorney Dixon Brackett contends that June’s motive was vengeance. Certain that Martella murdered Pritchard, Luke subpoenas Martella to testify, and to have Martella’s driver, Charles Clark aka Chip Martin placed in protective custody.
Martella pulls out his gun and aims at Chip, Slim grabs the weapon, sending the bullet into the ceiling. After a ballistics test confirms that the bullet came from the gun that killed Pritchard, June is exonerated, after which Bob presents her with a diamond engagement ring.
Cast:
- Raymond Greenleaf – Luke Ellis
- Marjie Millar – June Ellis
- John Hudson – Bob Keeler
- Anthony Caruso – Duke Martella
- Marian Carr – Hazel
- Slim Pickens – Slim Pickett
- Mary Treen – Emily Parsons
- Ralph Dumke – Walter Pritchard
- Morris Ankrum – Leo Fantzler
- Robert Emmett Keane – Judge George Walters
- Addison Richards – Mark Spurlock
- John Gallaudet – Charles Clark aka Chip Martin
- Paul Birch – Sheriff Mack McBride
- Dick Elliott – Ames Jury Foreman
- Fred Sherman – Arthur Livingston
- Jim Hayward – Bert Sample
- Frank Kreig – Chubby Johnson
- Walter Bacon – Court Clerk
- Norman Leavitt – Court Clerk
- Rankin Mansfield – Court Clerk
- Dick Cherney – Courtroom Spectator
- Norman Stevans – Courtroom Spectator
- Richard Deacon – Dixon Brackett
- Pauline Drake – Helen Crain
- James Best – Jerry Ames
- James Gonzalez – Juror
- Lillian O’Malley – Juror
- Joe Ploski – Juror
- Jack Chefe – Member of the Jury
- Peter Mamakos – Mr. Thorndyke
- Jack Perrin – Policeman
- Scott Douglas – Reporter
- Nancy Kilgas – Sarah Ames
- Frank O’Connor – Second Jury Foreman
„When Gangland Strikes“ ist ein Film-Noir-Krimi von 1956 unter der Regie von R. G. Springsteen nach einem Drehbuch von John K. Butler und Frederick Louis Fox.
Der Gangster Duke Martella, begleitet von seinem Anwalt Leo Fantzler, holt seine Freundin Hazel Worley ab. Nach ihrer Entlassung aus dem Gefängnis erklärt Hazel, sie habe ihrer Zellengenossin versprochen, Luke Ellis einen Brief zu überbringen.
Luke, der Staatsanwalt von Lawndale County, nimmt widerwillig Jerry Ames ins Kreuzverhör, einen jungen Koreakriegsveteranen, der beschuldigt wird, seinen Arbeitgeber, Walter Pritchard, den örtlichen Eisenwarenhändler, bestohlen zu haben. Als Luke argumentiert, dass Jerry sich das Geld nur geliehen hat, um seiner Frau ein Geschenk zum Jahrestag zu kaufen, befinden ihn die Geschworenen für unschuldig und der Gerichtssaal bricht in Beifall aus.
Der Anwalt Bob Keeler, Pritchards Neffe, der mit Lukes Tochter June verlobt ist, warnt Luke, dass sein Onkel ihm aufgetragen hat, eine Petition zu verfassen, um ihn aus dem Amt zu drängen.
In Lawndale angekommen, fragt Martella Lukes Angelkumpel Slim Pickett, wo er Luke Ellis finden kann. Auf Fanslers Betreiben hin wird Martellas Prozess nach Lawndale verlegt.