The Threat (1949)

It's curious that I happened to see The Threat now as we in my area of Western New York are now in the wake of the killing of one and the capture of a second fugitive who broke prison. It was reported that one of them was just like Charles McGraw, known to have a grudge against the people who sent him to prison. McGraw would have been better off had he kept running as he's not only a mean customer, but a very shrewd one.McGraw busts out of the joint and he'll flee to Mexico, but first he's got a score to settle with detective Michael O'Shea and District Attorney Frank Conroy who put him in the joint. He captures both of them and also O'Shea's car equipped of course for police calls so he's keeping track of the manhunt. McGraw also takes his former girlfriend Virginia Grey by force because he's not sure if she didn't rat him out. And Grey can't convince him she didn't.The Threat is one no frills and never let up exciting short film about a manhunt for a dangerous man. McGraw who played a lot of mean hoods was never meaner and threatening than in The Threat.Robert Shayne also has a plum role as the police inspector coordinating the manhunt who doesn't know that O'Shea is a captive until almost the end. How he tips him off is something you have to see. Shayne is best remembered as Inspector Henderson on the Superman show and usually it was nothing more for him to do than take in the bad guys after Superman captures them. I'd like to think Shayne's role here was something that showed Henderson capable of real police work without Superman.The Threat is really top notch Charles McGraw and a top notch noir thriller.

Except for the light-hearted beginning and end, this is one hard-boiled cookie of a movie, (my apology to gourmets). Kluger (McGraw) may take hostages for criminal purposes, but the screenplay takes no prisoners. It's smart, tough, and efficient, another minor gem from RKO's golden post-war period. And who better to act out the gritty script than the jut-jawed McGraw, a role that fits him like a glove. And when he barks out orders to his underlings, I had to remind myself I wasn't included. If there were B-movie Oscars, which there should have been, he would be richly deserving.Anyhow, the plot manages to turn the familiar prison break fugitive into an exciting chase across California, replete with a number of clever touches and a few surprises from an unflinching camera. I also like Virginia Grey (Carol) who specialized in sad-eyed, soulful parts as she does here. Still, I'm not sure the movie did O'Shea's (Ray) career much good since he's definitely second fiddle to the all-dominating Mc Graw. Too bad the movie's so obscure, since it shows in spades the vigor of the B-movie at its purest level.

As a kid I loved those Warner Bros. and RKO Pictures cops and robbers movies. In a way, I still do. Some are real classics, but many, like The Threat, were churned out for the likes of me -- age 8. If you're over 8 this one's a waste of time. I still like Michael O'Shea, though.

As is the case in hundreds of Hollywood films, "The Threat" was filmed on location throughout the Los Angeles and Southern California area. Cities like Barstow, Palm Springs and Riverside are mentioned constantly. The story climaxes in the ubiquitous desert hide-a-way.The Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department is after escaped psycho killer "Red" Kluger, played brilliantly by veteran actor Charles McGraw. Inspector Murphy (Robert Shayne, known to many of us as Inspector Henderson of "Superman" fame) leads the manhunt. Average story line.