Crime Wave

Synopsis: Three San Quentin escapees (Penny, Hastings and Morgan) kill a cop in a gas-station holdup. Wounded, Morgan flees through black-shadowed streets to the handiest refuge: with former cellmate Steve Lacey, who's paroled, with a new life and lovely wife, and can't afford to be caught associating with old cronies. But homicide detective Sims wants to use Steve to help him catch Penny and Hastings, who in turn extort his help in a bank job. Is there no way out for Steve?
Director(s): André De Toth
Production: Warner Bros.
 
IMDB:
7.4
Rotten Tomatoes:
67%
APPROVED
Year:
1953
73 min
153 Views


Hiya.

Hear that record?

I wrote in and asked for it.

- Fill her up.

- That's Gershwin.

They're playing it especially for me.

You know, the Night Watch program.

That sure is a swell platter, ain't it?

That's Doris Day singing.

- It's regular.

- Yes, sir.

If any cars come, Morgan,

you're selling gas.

Right.

Keys.

These hicks stash their dough

all over the place in case of a holdup.

They don't trust anybody.

Hey, where's Snider?

He went home sick.

I'm taking his place.

Who are you?

Friend of Snider's.

I never saw you before.

That's funny. I've been around.

Do you have any identification?

Sure.

- Is he hurt bad?

- Bad enough.

You drive the car, Morgan.

- How am I gonna drive with a slug in me?

- You'll drive.

Unit 1A-16, 1A-16, code 6.

Unit 1A-16, 1A-16, code 6.

Operator, police!

Police department 22.

I want to report a holdup

and the shooting of an officer.

Just a minute, please.

I can't tell for sure,

but I'm afraid the officer's dead.

He was a swell guy, a friend of mine.

What's the address?

Gas station on Maple between 7th and 8th.

- Your name, please?

- Gus Snider. I'm the night man here.

Hurry and get an ambulance over here.

All units in the vicinity

on Maple between 7th and 8th,

it's a gas station,

a 211 and shooting just occurred,

an officer involved.

187, handle call, code 3.

It's the phone, Steve. It's the phone.

- Hello.

Steve?

- Yeah.

- Steve Lacey?

Yeah.

Hello.

Hello, this is Lacey.

Hello!

Who was it?

I don't know. They hung up.

- Probably was the wrong number.

- No.

He asked for me.

Then he hung up.

I think I know that voice,

but I can't place him.

Why didn't he tell me what he wanted?

Well, who could it be

at this time of the night

except one of those men again?

Go on.

"One of those men again. " Say it.

An ex-con, like me.

Sure, they're always passing

through town,

trying to put the bite on me

for this or that.

I told you how it'd be.

And I didn't mind, did I? I love you.

I wanted you,

and now that I've got you, I care a lot less.

I can't figure it.

What do you see in a guy like me?

I see a guy who's swell,

who's kind and strong.

That's what I see.

Unit 1A-16, 1A-16, code 6.

Take a roll on Olympic.

Unit 1A-14, 1A-14,

1300 block, South Flower, a 390 fight.

Yes, there were two of them.

The man behind the wheel was dark,

needed a shave,

something wrong with his nose

and no hat.

That's right. The other one,

he looked kind of normal.

The one who socked me

was strong as a bull.

All units, all units, 211,

and the shooting of officer at gas station

on Maple between 7th and 8th.

The two suspects are

white, male Americans.

Number one, approximately 40 years,

175 pounds, black hair, brown eyes.

The heat's on all over town.

...approximately 40 years, 5'10",

175 pounds, black hair, brown eyes,

dressed in a gray suit

and wearing a gray hat.

Hello, Lefty. Where're you going?

Chicago. What's the idea?

I think Sims wants to talk to you.

- What about?

- He wants to know what you know.

I know nothing.

Take him in.

Now, look, you're making a big mistake.

...New York, now ready.

Gate number 17.

Dragnet's been out for some time,

brought in quite a crowd.

- You wanna see them?

- No, I'll look later.

- You say they took 130 bucks?

- Yes, sir.

I know that's chicken feed to some,

but it's a big night for us.

- Chicken feed, huh?

- Yes, sir.

Are you sure there were only two of them?

Why, yes, that's all I saw.

One night last week, three men

stuck up a lunchroom in Modesto.

A couple of days later, they put

the bite on a gas station in Merced,

and after that,

a hamburger stand in Tulare.

Each time, a different car,

every job a soft touch.

Chicken feed, eating money.

You talking about the three cons

that busted out of Quentin 10 days ago?

I am. They didn't want to stir up

too much excitement

so they grabbed their chow money

in little towns off 99.

And the three of them kept heading south.

There were two of them.

Take a look. Doc Penny.

It all happened so fast.

No, sir, I didn't see him.

Gat Morgan? Ben Hastings?

I'm sure about him, and him, too.

He was standing at the wheel

and this guy told me to fill up the tank.

You know, I had a feeling

there was another guy in that car,

but I never got a chance to look

because they hit me over the head.

All right, all right,

you hold it quiet. Let the lady talk.

What happened between you two?

Oh, it was just one of those things.

You know how it is.

Jess and I have been going together

for years and tonight...

I was tired and wanted to go home

and go to bed.

We got back to my apartment

and I wanted to go out

and have a little fun or something and,

well, we had sort of a little lover's quarrel.

It was nothing, nothing at all.

We don't really fight.

We're just sort of playful.

The last time I threw a lamp at him

he thought it was cute,

but tonight he forgot himself

and screamed

and the neighbors called the police.

It was ridiculous of them to call the police

especially as we have invited them

to all our parties.

Do you have an aspirin?

Stop that crying.

It won't get you to first base.

Your boyfriend was Ben Hastings,

wasn't he?

Yes, but I haven't seen him in four years.

But he still has a wire on you

and now he's loose.

What would you do

if he rang your doorbell some night?

Well, if you think I'd cover up for him,

you're crazy.

Not after what he did to me.

I wouldn't help him or any of his friends.

If he rang my doorbell, I'd run, I'd hide.

I hate his stinking guts.

I've been the pipeline at the department

ever since I was paroled.

You shouldn't have picked me up

in the middle of the night

and brought me down here.

You know what'll happen to me when

them boys find out that I'm the pigeon?

We want you to buzz around

and see what you can pick up

off the grapevine.

Then get me some other way.

Don't send cops out to get me out of bed.

I live in a decent neighborhood.

I've got a good job.

Let me keep it, will you?

He's right. You shouldn't have

brought him in. Let him go.

All units, all units.

Car used by three escaped convicts

who held up gas station

and shot an officer

has been found abandoned

at the junction of Glenwood and Highland.

This is a stolen car.

Bloodstains on the front seat indicate

that one of the suspects is wounded.

Use caution in apprehension

as these men are armed and dangerous.

Kelly, dig into the files quick

and get me a list of the ex-cons

living in that vicinity

within a two-mile radius of 7th and Maple.

- Hop to it.

- Yes, sir.

Car 46, car 46.

Sergeant Ryan, call dispatcher.

Sergeant Ryan, call dispatcher.

Unit 1A-16, 1A-16, code 6.

Figaro and Olympic.

You own this Rx hospital?

No, I work there.

- Yeah. What's your name?

- Hessler. Otto Hessler.

What are you doing out this time of night?

I went to pick up a patient.

Unit 1A-14, 1A-14.

1300 block, South Flower, a 390 fight.

All right, thanks. Go ahead.

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Crane Wilbur

Crane Wilbur (November 17, 1886 – October 18, 1973) was an American writer, actor and director for stage, radio and screen. He was born in Athens, New York. Wilbur is best remembered for playing Harry Marvin in The Perils of Pauline. He died in Toluca Lake, California.He was a prolific writer and director of at least 67 films from the silent era into the sound era, but it was as an actor that he found lasting recognition, particularly playing opposite Pearl White in the iconoclastic serial The Perils of Pauline. He brought to the first motion pictures merry eyes, a great, thick crop of wavy, black hair and an athlete's interest in swimming and horseback riding. Twelve years of stage experience prepared him for his venture into the new art of silent motion pictures. He was one of the first to explore the techniques required to communicate through the wordless shadows of the movies. more…

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Submitted on August 05, 2018

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