Quick Ratings – Pushover (1954)

Have you ever seen a ‘Pushover (1954)’ into the world of crime? Watch Richard Quine´s Film Noir very closely and you might easily get seduced yourself. Femme Fatale Lona McLane (Kim Novak) knows her stuff, on day 15 of ’Noirvember 2023.’ Meet famous faces of the industry and how they are connected to other movies. Suspense guaranteed.

“Money isn´t dirty. Just people.” This quote from Lona (Kim Novak) describes the message of this movie in a short and precise manner. Well timed suspense peaks, a young, fresh female lead and an experienced male star make it a great watch. A cat and mouse play with an intense screenplay based on Thomas Walsh´ novel ‘The Night Watch’ released in 1953. Atmospheric cinematography and a solid supporting cast. What else do you need for ’Noirvember?’

Many similarities to one of Noir´s milestones ten years prior are undeniable. To which movie am I referring to? Come on! You know it! If not, don´t worry and keep on reading.

1954 is also the movie year of voyeurism. Why you might ask? In ‘Pushover,’ several policemen constantly watch two women with binoculars. But surveillance was only ordered for one dame. Hitchcock´s ‘Rear Window,’ the ultimate peaking flick, was released the same year.

Paul (Fred MacMurray) and Lona (Kim Novak) team up for a double cross, to get their hands on 210.000 US-Dollars. Novak was only 21 years old during filming . It was her first major role, before she reached world wide fame as Madeleine / Judy in Hitch´s ‘Vertigo (1958).’

Cop Paul Sheridan (Fred MacMurray) begins to dig his own grave, by falling for the beautiful dame. Hasn´t the reincarnation of Walter Neff from ‘Double Indemnity (1944)’ learnt anything at all? It seems that ten years wasn´t enough …

Ann Stewart is the girl next door. Dorothy Malone plays the hard working and grounded nurse as an exact opposite to Kim Novak´s Lona. Malone had a very successful movie and television career, but for the Noir community she is best known as the seducing ACME book shop girl in Howard Hawks´ ‘The Big Sleep (1946).’

Philip Carey´s character Rick McAllister is the ‘good cop.’ He falls in love with Ann (Dorothy Malone) and is on Paul´s (Fred Mac Murray) trail. Carey has experience in peaking on nurses with a pair of binoculars. Why? He did the same thing as Mannion in ‘Mister Roberts (1955)’ on year later.

E.G. Marshall ´s most acclaimed performance is probably Juror Number Four in ‘12 Angry Men (1957).’ In ‘Pushover (1954),’ he plays Lieutenant Carl Eckstrom, which is head of the police department.

Everything around detective Paddy Dolan (Allen Nourse) happens to fast. He is in trouble, but realizes too late. Nourse was mainly a television actor.

James Anderson has a minor, uncredited role as a mechanic. Nevertheless, I noticed his face and connected it to one of the best courtroom drams ever made. He played Bob Ewell, an evil racist, in ‘To Kill a Mockingbird (1962).’

Rating:

‘Pushover (1954)’ reached the ‘Breathless Heights‘ on the ‘Rating Mountain:‘

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