and we fan of film noir prize nastiness and cold heartedness . we also like small movie . gene nelson be very affecting a a parolee who be drag into a crime against his will . phyllis kirk be fine a his wife . she doesn not add much flavor but she believably loyal . for flavor and we have none other than timothy carey . he be one of the bad guy . charles bronson and early in his career and be another . carey add a great deal of creepiness to the going on . sterling hayden be excellent a the cynical cop who call in . though the plot tell u nothing about him other than that he give up smoking and miss it and he be clearly not a warm human be . his eye squint and shift . he doesn not trust anyone and it very possible he doesn not like much of anyone and either . the movie begin with dub taylor a an exceptionally goofy gas station attendant . he like a character from the ma and pa kettle series . but our villain knock him out and rob him and which be a jarring contrast . the character be very well draw in crime wave . it have a tough plot but the people be what elevate it to a high status .