“DOCU-NOIR AT ITS FINEST”

By Raymond Benson

A sub-genre of film noir is that of the so-called “docu-noir,” a crime drama usually based on a true story and told as a Dragnet-style procedural. Most likely there is an omniscient voiceover narrator, a focus on the lawmen who are investigating the case, and all the other stylistic and thematic elements associated with film noir in general: starkly contrasting black and white photography, urban locations, shadows, gritty realism, angst and cynicism, and sometimes brutal violence.

Eagle-Lion Films was a British/American production company that existed for only a few years in the late 40s, disbanding in the early 50s. There was some talent involved, and they produced a variety of genres and pictures of varying quality (Powell and Pressburger’s The Red Shoes was a rare Best Picture nominee). Many of the studio’s pictures were films noir that were shot as B-movies with low budgets and barebones casts and crews. Anthony Mann directed a couple of their classic crime movies—T-Men and Raw Deal, both of which fall into the “docu-noir” category. Unfortunately, due to bad management or foresight, many of Eagle-Lion’s titles fell out of copyright and currently reside in the public domain. Hence, one can often find bargain bin, cheap knock-off DVDs and Blu-rays of these films.

Classic Flix is a company relatively new to the home video scene, and they have begun restoring and issuing some of these relics of yesteryear. He Walked by Night is a prime example of a quality presentation of an equally impressive little movie. Made in 1948, Walked is a true story loosely based on the crime spree by Erwin “Machine Gun” Walker, who shot cops and committed burglaries and armed robberies in Los Angeles in the mid-40s. In real life, Walker was arrested and sentenced to prison, but he was paroled in the 70s. This is not the ending to the story that is depicted in the film.

A young Richard Basehart portrays disturbed war veteran Roy Morgan, a habitual burglar and armed robber. When an off-duty cop on the street suspects Roy of being a burglar, he is shot and killed. The POV switches to the police, especially Lt. Marty Brennan (Scott Brady), who is based on the investigator of the true case, Captain Breen (Roy Roberts), and forensics man Lee Whitey (Jack Webb, in an early screen appearance). The story follows the police investigation juxtaposed with Morgan’s eccentric and lonely existence, and the criminal’s increasingly violent crimes. The big break comes when a stolen item is recovered by an electronics pawn dealer (Whit Bissell), who has been unwittingly fencing for Morgan.

It’s all engaging stuff, and Basehart delivers an outstanding, creepy performance as Morgan. The police procedural sequences are done well, such as when a composite drawing of the suspect is created by all the witnesses to the crimes. The climactic set piece of a chase in LA’s sewer system is exciting, atmospheric, and pure noir. Oddly, it is similar to the ending of The Third Man, which was released a year later.

Even though Alfred Werker is credited as director, the talking heads in the “making of” documentary supplement on the disk speculate that Anthony Mann stepped in to helm some of the movie. Is it one of those Christian Nyby/Howard Hawks (The Thing) or Tobe Hooper/Steven Spielberg (Poltergeist) controversies? No one seems to know. He Walked by Night, however, does contain several sequences—including the final sewer chase—that are stylistic stamps of Mann. That said, much of the credit for the picture’s success goes to celebrated noir cinematographer John Alton.

Another sidebar related to the picture is Jack Webb’s meeting and further networking with the picture’s technical adviser Detective Sergeant Marty Wynn. This led to the ultimate creation of Dragnet as a radio and television show.

Classic Flix’s new high definition restoration looks quite wonderful, a remarkable step-up from other public domain transfers that are out there. It comes with English subtitles for the hearing impaired, as well as an audio commentary by biographer and producer Alan K. Rode, and writer/film historian Julie Kirgo. Both appear in the aforementioned documentary about the making of the film, which also includes critic Todd McCarthy, cinematographer Richard Crudo, and film historian/director Courtney Joyner. There is also an image gallery with rare stills and ephemera. The package contains an impressive illustrated 24-page booklet with an essay by author Max Alvarez.

For fans of film noir, police procedurals, and gritty crime dramas, He Walked by Night is a good time at the movies.

CLICK HERE TO ORDER FROM AMAZON