Two bank robbers get away with 250,000 dollars in unmarked, unrecorded bills, murdering a guard in the process. The police know the leader was Harry Wheeler (Paul E. Richards) and turn their attention to his girlfriend, Leona McLane (Kim Novak), detective Paul Sheridan (Fred MacMurray) arranging to pick her up in a "chance" meeting at a movie and spend some time with her. After one day, he knows what he needs to -- that she's not in touch with Wheeler, but expects to be -- but he keeps things
going between them for three more days. By the time the department has a full surveillance team in place, he can't get her off his mind, and when she discovers that he's a cop and raises the notion of letting events take their course with Wheeler (i.e., him ending up dead) and the two of them keeping the money, he's hooked. Sheridan is fast on his feet and a quick thinker and sees how he might pull this off and get the two of them away clean. But he doesn't bargain for the alcoholism of one of the detectives (Allen Nourse) on the surveillance team, the inquisitive nature of his squad commander (E.G. Marshall), or the attachment that his younger associate (Philip Carey) develops for a nurse (Dorothy Malone) living in the building they're observing. Kim Novak had previously appeared in small roles in some films at RKO, but The Pushover marked her formal introduction to audiences as a star, and she more than lives up to the billing and the buildup she received, her acting ability and her physique easily carrying her end of the picture (she's onscreen alone for long minutes under observation, and is convincingly seductive), while MacMurray gives one of the best performances of his career, rivaling his work in Double Indemnity, The Caine Mutiny, and The Apartment. ~ Bruce Eder, Rovi
Although it's a reworking of MacMurray's far superior Double Indemnity this is still a decent little crime caper. Kim Novak is utterly ravishing in her first big screen role, showing herself already possessing undeniable screen presence and star charisma. Even if she never was the best actress on the block she
registers on screen, you eye is drawn to her even when she isn't saying anything. There's also solid support from Phil Carey and Dorothy Malone and efficient direction by Quine. Look very fast for a dark haired Marion Ross in a quick bit walking out of a building with Dorothy Malone.
July 7, 2010
jay nixon
Super Reviewer
Police detective Paul Sheridan (Fred MacMurray) falls for the uber-hot girlfriend (Kim Novak) of a bank robber that he's tracking. When the girl suggests that they make off with the loot and start a new life of their own, Sheridan starts to contemplate putting a plan together that will leave him with a gorgeous woman
and $200,000 cash.For a B-movie that few people have ever heard of and even fewer have ever seen, this is surprisingly good. How is it that a studio could put together two stellar leads in classic 50's film noir style and have it go virtually unnoticed for so long? This is about as underrated as a film ever gets. A true hidden gem.
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