despite the title and this film be not about a crime wave . that just a catchy title to start you wonder . it be about a reformed ex convict and well play by gene nelson and be pressure by some escaped con to assist them and thus endanger his parole and threaten his wife and ably portray by phyllis kirk . the film be dominate by the massive six foot five noir star and sterling hayden and a a tough homicide cop who chew toothpick non stop because his doctor would not let him smoke and and who say thing like represent youre head full of mush . it always good to see sterling hayden again and the more time he turn up the good while he solid and he menace and and what be more and he the real thing . you know he would knock you down and then pick you up again and and besides and he compulsively watchable . in his eye there be always that half mad flicker and and that ain not act . the film be direct with superb applomb by the highly professional andre de toth and lucky spouse of the delicious veronica lake and and he never waste a frame . there be numerous fine touch represent sterling hayden pick up a murder cop hat and put it in the ambulance beside his corpse and but he do this a as afterthought without call attention to the gesture . in one scene and a crowd of extra stand on the far side of the street watch a police raid . toth allow them merely to be glimpse . toth do not signal and linger and he move on and he have the confidence and control not to worry . there be lot of los angeles a it be in 1952 in this film ( release only in 1954 ) . all those fifty people and all those fifty car and all those fifty shop . where have they all go . this picture have action all the way and gene nelson and phyllis kirk do not sleep in twin bed and thing be brutal and quick and but there be no excess of violence . the film be primarily a psychological tension drama and a all true noir must be . noir be about doubt and insecurity and pressure and and threats all around you and with betrayal and trust a the key issue . oh yes and and there love too and which generally take place between the bullet rather than between the sheet . ( no one in a noir film have time to go to bed without be interrupt by a threaten phone call or someone banging on the door . you grab a kiss a you make a run for it . ) .