Plot Synopsis:
A late ’50s upgrade of the 1931 film by the same title, this version of trouble on death row by Howard Koch is more violent than its predecessor — a hint of the trend toward shock for its own sake that would one day dominate action films and thrillers. The setting is a cell block of nine inmates scheduled for execution and the first half of the drama focuses on the horror of that last walk. A grim death in the electric chair is in no way glossed over. All nine prisoners are more appealing than any single guard, giving rise to the question of whether or not the men should exchange places. Then “Killer” John Mears (Mickey Rooney) comes along. His vicious attitude infects the environment and his plans to break out of prison are the catalyst for tragedy. by Eleanor Mannikka

0.99GB | 1h 22m | 640×480 | avi

https://nitro.download/view/7D350B9CA2B55D5/The.Last.Mile.1959.Howard.W.Koch.avi
or
https://tezfiles.com/file/2906117f2cc2d/The.Last.Mile.1959.Howard.W.Koch.avi

Language(s):English
Subtitles:None

The post Howard W. Koch – The Last Mile (1959) first appeared on Cinema of the World.

Quote:
David Wilentz writes:
Shield for Murder predates Touch of Evil with its gloomy tale of police corruption. Edmund O’Brien stars as a brooding police detective consumed by greed. In a chilling set piece O’Brien corners a drug runner, shoots him dead, takes twenty five grand off the corpse and then yells ‘Stop or I’ll shoot’. He plans to buy a tract home for he and his girl: the classic American dream.

O’Brien, slightly overweight and out of shape, plays his good cop gone bad with a desperate, edgy fervor. He’s quick to lose his temper and doesn’t hesitate to threaten or pistol-whip anyone that gets in his way, allowing for some startling moments of violence. This is a dark tour-de-force for O’Brien, who also co-directed with Howard Koch. John Agar, on the other hand, is typically wooden as O’Brien’s suspicious protégée, while female lead Marla English is pouty and disposable. Of course, O’Brien ends up slapping her around. Carolyn Jones stands out with a brief but welcome appearance as a peroxide floozy.

This is the sort of true crime tale that marked a shift away from the more expressionistically existential noirs of the ‘40s. Content moved towards a ‘50s post-industrial cynicism. A nice touch has O’Brien donning his old uniform as a disguise after his villainy has been exposed, only to engage in a shootout with other cops, raising some way-noir issues about a cherished ‘50’s institution.

2.26GB | 1 h 22 min | 1024×576 | mkv

https://nitro.download/view/3FE7A667841EDAC/Shield.for.Murder.1954.576p.BluRay.AAC.x264.mkv
or
https://tezfiles.com/file/717cb80935b35/Shield.for.Murder.1954.576p.BluRay.AAC.x264.mkv

Language:English
Subtitles:None

The post Howard W. Koch & Edmond O’Brien – Shield for Murder (1954) first appeared on Cinema of the World.