Pun Salad

Consumer alert: yes, that is Marilyn Monroe up front on the DVD box. But in actual fact, her role is pretty small, not big enough to make the opening credits.

The story is set in an anonymous midwestern city, one of the more depressing hellholes you'd ever want to see; the citizenry seems to consist mainly of crooks, cops, and floozies. The main character, Dix (played by Sterling Hayden), is a low-level stickup artist. His hooliganish talents get him a spot on a heist team hoping to knock over a jeweler for a fortune in gems and metal. The plan is masterminded by Doc, an elderly crime wizard just out of the joint.

Dix is the hero, of sorts: yes, he's a crook, but he's an honest crook: he's loyal to his associates and true to his word. Unfortunately, his associates don't return the favor, and things go very wrong.

The wonderful Jean Hagen has a big role as "Doll", one of the previously-mentioned floozies who desperately wants to be an Honest Woman, and unwisely hitches her wagon to Dix's doomed star. Before she was Lina Lamont ("a shimmering, glowing star in the cinema firmament"), Ms Hagen did quite well playing this sort of role. She does not say Ehnd I cayyyn't stehnd im! in this movie, unfortunately.