Both on and off screen, Sterling Hayden was kind of a badass, and I could never shake the impression that most of the tough guys he played were basically an extension of himself. While I doubt he possessed the ability to ‘disappear’ into a character, that towering (often menacing) persona served him well. Absolutely nobody could steal a scene from Sterling Hayden.
His most famous roles are arguably those in Dr. Strangelove and The Godfather, but my personal favorite performances were the antiheroes he played in the film noir classics, The Killing and The Asphalt Jungle. Though he plays a cop in 1955’s Crime Wave, the only discernible difference between Detective Sims and Dix Handly is the former is on the right side of the law (well, that and Sims is always seen chomping a toothpick in an effort to quit smoking). As the head of L.A.’s homicide division, Sims is intense, intimidating and not above threatening informants or witnesses to get what he wants. And Hayden looks like he had a great time playing him.
The story begins - pretty violently - with three escaped convicts robbing a gas station, killing a cop in the process. One of them gets shot, as well, and ends up at the apartment of old prison-mate Steve Lacey (Gene Nelson), who has since gone straight and has a wife, Ellen (Phyllis Kirk). However, the robber, Gat Morgan (Ned Young) dies shortly after. The police arrive, led by Sims, who suspects Steve knows the whereabouts of the other two, threatening to send him back to prison if he doesn’t cooperate.
The man who invented road rage.
A few days later, those other two men, Doc Penny (Ted de Corsia) and Ben Hastings (Charles Bronson), show up and force Steve to take part in a daring bank robbery, holding Ellen hostage to assure his cooperation. By this time, Steve has also become the primary suspect in a murder committed by Hastings and is now the subject of a citywide manhunt, with Sims chomping-at-the-bit to nail him. It’s an exciting, fast-paced story with a couple of nifty twists during the climax. Nelson makes a likable, sympathetic protagonist, and it’s a lot of fun seeing a very young Bronson playing a hot-headed killer. But Crime Wave is most compelling whenever Hayden is onscreen, even though we’re kinda rooting against Sims throughout most of the movie.
While I wouldn’t rank Crime Wave among the greatest of the genre, it’s a solidly entertaining film noir that makes great use of its star and Los Angeles locations. In addition to a nice Blu-ray transfer, this release from Warner Archive comes with a good assortment of bonus features.
EXTRA KIBBLES
FEATURETTE - Crime Wave: The City is Dark is a retrospective appreciation featuring numerous directors, historians and critics.
SHORT - “Gadgets Galore,” from 1955, this is a brief history of the automobile.
LOONEY TUNES SHORT - “Baby Bunny Bunny” has Bugs getting the best of a bonk robber.
TRAILER
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