Fri 25 Aug 2017
A Movie Review by Jonathan Lewis: F.B.I. GIRL (1951).
Posted by Steve under Crime Films , Reviews[6] Comments
F.B.I. GIRL. Lippert Pictures, 1951. Cesar Romero, George Brent, Audrey Totter, Tom Drake, Raymond Burr, Raymond Greenleaf. Director: William Berke.
There are plenty of shadows in FBI Girl. Unfortunately, they are a product of bad lighting rather than a film noir aesthetic. And that’s not necessarily the worst thing about this rather poorly constructed black-and-white semi-docudrama crime film. No. The worst aspect about the whole affair is that it wastes the talents of both Cesar Romero and Raymond Burr on a movie with a less than compelling plot and stilted, unrealistic dialogue.
Romero portrays FBI Agent Glen Stedman. He’s tasked with investigating the suspicious death of a female FBI clerk working in the fingerprint division. Little does he know that his investigation will lead him straight into a morass of political corruption in Capitol City and the shrewd machinations of Grisby, a Southern politician (Raymond Greenleaf) and Blake, his corrupt, violent henchman (Raymond Burr). Much of the film follows Stedman as he travels from Washington D.C. to Capitol City and back again in search of possible clues.
It’s a potentially intriguing premise for a movie, but FBI Girl never really gets off the ground. It’s consistently bogged down by either poor acting, an intrusive score, or as I mentioned earlier, bad lighting. There’s also a sound stage quality to the whole affair, making it seem a lot less like a feature film and more like a television show from the same era. Overall, a rather below average production.
August 25th, 2017 at 1:18 pm
Agreed that this is a lousy pictures, but in addition to Romero and Burr, Brent and Totter are also wasted. In fact, let’s go on a hunt to find a Lippert Film that does not flat out stink. And there may be one or two — but if those exist, then surely the co-productions.
August 25th, 2017 at 1:58 pm
Sad to hear that all of the talent was wasted on this movie. Aside from that, how did my favorite film noir lady, Audrey Totter look in this flick? I’d pretty much watch anything she was in.
August 25th, 2017 at 6:53 pm
she was fine, albeit also given unforgettable lines. here’s an example of a very good to above average cast that were given very little to work with
August 25th, 2017 at 8:54 pm
The original story for FBI Girl was written by Rupert Hughes, brother of Howard Hughes, Sr. and therefore uncle of …Howard, Jr., a fairly famous person.
August 26th, 2017 at 12:43 am
Romero was better in a couple of Brit films from the era. This is more static than his television series.
August 26th, 2017 at 7:36 am
I think I wrote someplace, “It’s a Lippert Picture, and therefore beneath contempt.”
Of course being me, I rather enjoy some of them…..