Tuesday's Overlooked Films: Side Street

This fine 1950 film noir also fits the bill as a police procedural. The cast pairs the charismatic Farley Granger and doe-eyed Cathy O'Donnell again after their earlier successful crime film "They Live By Night" (1948) which I also saw and liked (except the sound quality was so scratchy on the DVD I had). Farley plays a part-time mail deliveryman who sees an opportunity to swipe what he thinks is $200 but turns out to be 30 grand. O'Donnell plays his pregnant wife, and they really need the money like most young newlyweds do. After a change of heart, Granger decides to return the money which sounds like a simple matter except there are complications thwarting his intentions. According to Wikipedia, the film actually lost money which surprised me. I liked the camera work, especially the overhead shots of New York City. Granger plays a good desperate man determined to get out of his jam. The car chase scene is handled well. IMDb.com gives "Side Street" a strong 7.2/10.0 score, so the film still resonates with modern viewers.