Where the Sidewalk Ends (1950) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Where_the_...nds_(film)
Thug cop gets demoted for being too physical with the criminals he arrests. A floating crap game ends with a whale into the bank for $19000. As the whale is about to leave, Paine insists that he and his girl stay with the whale so the house can win back its money. Paine slaps his girl. Fists fly, and the whale ends up dead. Our man arrives on scene and interrogates the mob goon running the game. Someone stabbed the whale. The goon fingers Paine, an associate who brought the whale to the game. Our man goes to interview Paine, fists fly once more, and Paine is killed when he hits his head. Our man was defending himself, but now fears for his job. He moves the body to conceal the killing. The tension of his guilt and his feelings for Paine's girl come to a head when the girl's father is framed for the killing of Paine. Our man struggles.
The code of the 1950's was that no character can get away with it. So we know how this was going to turn out. The darker, more sinister alternative would make for a more clever movie, but such were the times. A good, if sometimes clumsy noir.
Thug cop gets demoted for being too physical with the criminals he arrests. A floating crap game ends with a whale into the bank for $19000. As the whale is about to leave, Paine insists that he and his girl stay with the whale so the house can win back its money. Paine slaps his girl. Fists fly, and the whale ends up dead. Our man arrives on scene and interrogates the mob goon running the game. Someone stabbed the whale. The goon fingers Paine, an associate who brought the whale to the game. Our man goes to interview Paine, fists fly once more, and Paine is killed when he hits his head. Our man was defending himself, but now fears for his job. He moves the body to conceal the killing. The tension of his guilt and his feelings for Paine's girl come to a head when the girl's father is framed for the killing of Paine. Our man struggles.
The code of the 1950's was that no character can get away with it. So we know how this was going to turn out. The darker, more sinister alternative would make for a more clever movie, but such were the times. A good, if sometimes clumsy noir.
