Tuesday's Overlooked Films: THE CROOKED WEB Starring Frank Lovejoy (1955)

This 1955 film directed by Nathan Juran stars Frank Lovejoy, Richard Denning, and Mari Blanchard. It is an above-average crime movie I watched because I liked Frank Lovejoy featured in Ida Lupino's The Hitch-Hiker and in Bogie's best film in my opinion, In A Lonely Place. This time out, Lovejoy plays an Army sergeant who kills an MP while still in post-World War Two Germany. He gets discharged and returns to California where he opens a fast food joint and hires the effervescent Maria Blanchard to work there as a waitress. Richard Denning, posing as Blanchard's brother, shows up with a get-rich-quick scheme that involves travel back to Germany. Lovejoy knows he's wanted for murder in Germany, but he can't resist making the big score. Plus, the nubile Blanchard is egging him on to take Denning's offer to cut them in on the scheme. Lovejoy, who proves he isn't the brightest bulb on the porch, goes for it, and the real trouble begins when they get to Germany. I won't say anything else about the plot which I found a bit confusing at times. Blanchard, who later died of cancer at age 43, is a delight to watch. Denning, later appearing on Jack Lord's TV crime drama Hawaii Five-0, does a solid job in his role. On the other hand, the laid-back Lovejoy is a bit of a disappointment, or maybe it's just the character's role he plays. I wouldn't go out of my way to watch The Crooked Web, but it's not a terrible movie either. IMDb.com rates it 6.2/10.0 which also shows it is okay but not great.