I bought this recently released double feature mostly for "The Big Steal", so I'll start with that. Just a fun fast-moving film, dominated by the reluctant unfolding romantic duo of Robert Mitchum and Jane Greer, but with a fine supporting cast, headed by William Bendix. While Bob is chasing Jane(so to speak), the long car chase through mostly rural Mexico adds to the feeling of exotic fun. The commentary version, featuring Richard Jewell, is well worth listening to. We learn this film underwent considerable revision during production because of multiple censor board problems, thus explaining some of the lapses in plot continuity. Thus, it ended up a chase thriller-scewball comedy combo rather than the film noire it apparently was supposed to be(I'm glad). During production, Mitchum spent a short stretch in jail in connecion with his drug possession charge. Apparently, it was hoped the judge would not sentence Mitchum to jail time during shooting. Howard Hughes was forced to cast Jane Greer as the female lead despite his desire to end her career for spiteful reasons. No other potential female lead approached would risk her career to play opposite Mitchum after his much publicized drug bust. As it turned out, the movie-going public immediately forgave Mitchum, perhaps because it seemed to fit his typical screen persona as a devil-may-care rebel. The sizzling on-screen chemistry between Mitchum and Greer demonstrated in a prior film sizzled again in this one, as far as the censor board would allow it.
I'm not much into Eddie Robinson films, except for his mesmerizing performance in "The Sea Wolf". However, I found "Illegal" to be moderately entertaining, if sometimes bewildering, with too many convenient coincidences. Don't expect any big overt romances, although Eddie clearly has feelings for Nina Foch's character. Robinson plays
a pretentious lawyer, bent on winning every case, no matter how low he has to stoop to get the job done. Obviously, he has a severe Napoleon complex. After sending an innocent man to the electric chair, as a prosecuting attorney, he decides to become a defense attorney. In most cases dramatized, he knows the defendant is guilty, but sometimes resorts to unbelievable courtroom theatrics to convince the judge or jury otherwise. In other cases, he weasels a victory from questional legal or arm twisting tactics. He is a marked man in his last and personally most important case, when he is sure the accused is innocent...Jayne Mansfield appears in her first film role, with limited screen time. It's nice to see her portrayed as freshly naive and musically talented, before her conversion into a vulgar MM-mimic sex siren....The commentary version, featuring Nina Foch, the female lead, is worth going through, especially for a glimpse of the limitations of the filming technology of the times.
Both DVD transfers are of excellent quality and the special features are a plus. These two films are also now available in a 10 film package for 3X the price.
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Illegal / The Big Steal (Film Noir Double Feature) dvd movie.