Sun 3 Jun 2018
TRAPPED. Eagle-Lion Films, 1949. Lloyd Bridges, Barbara Payton, John Hoyt, James Todd. Director: Richard Fleischer.
Leading man Lloyd Bridges had been around for a while when this movie was made, but this was co-star Barbara Payton’s first credited role in a full-length film. In spite of opening in full-tilt documentary style, expounding the many jobs done by the Treasury Department, and needfully shot on a low budget, the movie definitely falls into the film noir category, and one which definitely needs to be watched by aficionados of such films — once they’ve see all of the better ones.
It was at first difficult to see Lloyd Bridges as a villain — he’s a little too “honest looking” (if not clean cut) for that — but he was also a good enough actor that he gradually starts to make his role as the former owner of some counterfeit plates more and more believable as time goes on.
Sprung from jail, nominally having agreed to work undercover for the Treasury Department, he pulls a fast one on them and heads straight for his old girl friend (you know who that is) and the fellow who has the plates now. There’s nothing you haven’t seen before happens from here on in, but it is well filmed and choreographed.
No, I’ll take that back. I don’t think I’ve ever seen a film before in which neither of the two primary leads appear in the last 10 to 15 minutes. (One is dead, the other is in jail. I won’t tell you which is which.)
In the meantime it is John Hoyt (good) on the chase of James Todd (bad) in the Los Angeles Trolley Barn (very picturesque) that takes the spotlight in the long action-packed finale of this moderately entertaining crime film. Overall, better than expected, but not that much better.
June 3rd, 2018 at 10:45 pm
I never see Lloyd Bridges in anything without remembering that one of the first movie serials I saw as a kid was the second Secret Agent X-9 serial in which he played the title role. I think I saw most of the chapters at the time when my brother and I went to the Saturday matinee westerns. I remember I managed to see the final chapter at the time. I now own a DVD of the serial which I found to be an excellent B mystery film and think I ought to find time to watch it again.
For some reason Secret Agent X-9 and The Phantom with Tom Tyler remain in my memory as highlights of my childhood.
June 4th, 2018 at 12:26 am
You’re a few years older than I am, Randy. I’m far too young to have seen SECRET AGENT X-9 at a movie theater.
And those of us who remember Lloyd Bridges in all those TV series in the 60s and 70s, it’s hard to imagine he made his first film appearance in 1936.
June 4th, 2018 at 6:31 am
My reaction to TRAPPED was similar to Steve’s. Thought it was full of interest in relation to noir and other semi-documentary thrillers. But not good enough to recommend. I need to see this again!
SECRET AGENT X-9 is a good comic strip, by Dashiell Hammett and Alex Raymond, no less. It has been much reprinted. Didn’t know there was a film serial version. Need to track this down too.
June 4th, 2018 at 8:11 am
Richard Fleischer was just hitting his stride at this time, with some fine films noirs in the next few years.
June 4th, 2018 at 2:51 pm
He had quite a career ahead of him, that’s for sure.