The Film Noir Collection: Trapped

This is one of those movies that turn up from time to time in pound shops as part of a triple bill. Having bought a few in my time, they generally turn out to be low grade transfers, available in the public domain, and look suspiciously like they may even have made a reverse move from a VHS master back to DVD. In other words - not great! Well, despite the nice packaging, be warned. This version is in no better shape than the three-for-a-pound version.

As a movie, 'Trapped' is pretty watchable. It starts out looking and acting just like a period documentary and slowly segues into a thrilling film noir - full of tense action, plot twists and smart-ass dialogue, Chandler style.

The film kicks off with an explanation of how the US Treasury Department works and the extraordinary measures it takes to ensure that its currency is not undermined by counterfeits. When a few turn up, the Feds decide to spring a known counterfeiter on the understanding that he will lead them to the gang behind this new wave of fake currency. Only the ex-counterfeiter, Tris Stewart, played by a young Lloyd Bridges ('Airplane' not even a glint in his eye at this stage), has other ideas and uses the opportunity to slip away from his minders and make a bid for freedom.



'Trapped' was directed by Richard Fleischer ('10 Rillington Place') and he makes a good, tight job of a low budget pot-boiler, creating a good pace and plenty of tense action and snappy dialogue, leading to a pretty exciting ending. In other words, all the right ingredients for a thoroughly watchable thriller.

Maybe Fleischer was in cahoots with the Government in this barely post-war effort (1949) where 'positive propaganda' was an acceptable ingredient in film-making. It certainly packs a fairly hefty 'crime don't pay' message.

Once Tris Stewart 'escapes' (it's all a set up remember by the Secret Service) he then decides to knock out his 'babysitter' and go track down his old girlfriend, Meg Dixon, played by an absolutely stunning Barbara Payton. (Sadly, Payton, known for her promiscuity and penchant for dating other people's husbands, died a penniless drug riddled prostitute - a criminal end for such a natural beauty). She's now working as a scantily clad cigarette seller in an LA nightclub under an assumed name, Laurie Fredericks.




Stewart has plans to not only get his dame back, but to also track down the plates from his old partner, grab them for himself and make off to Mexico. But as this is a moral movie, we know that's never going to happen. The Feds have bugged Meg's apartment,
And then things start to go awry. It turns out his alcoholic ex-partner sold the plates and he ends up having to negotiate for them with a shady real estate developer (James Todd). What he doesn't know though is that he is being funded by the Secret Service who are back on his tail and using him to get at bigger fish.

Bridges plays the part of an increasingly desperate hood to a tee. The crackling chemistry between himself and Payton is likely to have been as the result of a rumoured affair during the making of this fast turnaround picture - at least according to the author her salacious biography.

It's a hugely enjoyable hour and twenty minutes, though for those hoping to replace their '3 in 1' pound DVD with a better print it really won't be worth it. This isn't as bad as the 'Woman on the Run' print (also issued as part of this set) but it ain't too pretty either. (And that's yer actual film noir dialogue).