THE NAKED STREET

US, 1955, 84 minutes, Black and white.
Anthony Quinn, Farley Granger, Anne Bancroft, Jerry Paris, Peter Graves.
Directed by Maxwell Shane.

The Naked Street is one of the many efficiently made small black and white gangster movies of the '40s and '50s. The plot outline and characters provided the staple for many episodes of subsequent television series. This film takes its style from the significant The Naked City, which brought a semidocumentary look to crime films. There is similarity of title, investigation (via a crime reporter) and a moralising voiceover commentary. The film was written and directed by Maxwell Shane, who specialised in small crime thrillers. However, in retrospect the film is interesting in comparison with later gangster films as The Godfather series and in presenting Anthony Quinn and Anne Bancroft in roles at the beginning of more successful later careers. Farley Granger repeats the style of performance he capitalised on in such films as They Live By Night, Edge of Doom, Rope. Peter Graves has a substantial supporting role. Dated but efficient, enjoyable melodrama.

1. Audience interest in gangster films? The American tradition of the '30s? Changing style of '40s and '50s? Subsequent television series? The Godfather, etc.? The place of the '50s contribution to the genre?

2. The title and reference to The Naked City? Crime in the city? The moralising voice-over and commentary? The tradition of social conscience?

3. Black and white photography, locations? The stars and their subsequent careers?

4. The plausibility of the plot: the familiarity of American gangster organisations, crime, murders, hit men? Petty hoodlums and their ambitions? The code of honour within the criminal group? The importance of honesty to the bosses? The protection of the virtue of the women, etc.? Violence, poetic justice? The picture of American crime in the '50s? New York? The police, district attorneys, crime reporters? The presentation of Phil Regal and his Brooklyn background, family, rise to power, ruthlessness, concern about his family? Nicky as the petty hoodlum? Rosalie and her not wanting to face the truth? Phil's mother and her love for her son? The newspaper reporter able to move to university and to a career in journalism? The background of petty crooks, frame ups, doublecrosses? Prison?

5. The film's focus on Phil Regal? Anthony Quinn's presence? His stories about his upbringing, the memory of playing on the roof and jumping? His ruthlessness in murders? His standover tactics and torture? His getting Nicky out of Sing Sing and forcing witnesses? His power over crooked lawyers? His concern about Rosalie? Family concern? Pressures on Nicky? Nicky's reaction and his decision to frame him? The stillbirth of the child and his reaction? His family refusing to believe the truth about him? His girlfriend? Henchmen? Power to plan a frame up and commit murder? The turning against him by Rosalie? The pursuit by the crime reporter? Nicky's final confrontation with him in prison? His flight and death? The conventional picture of the gangster?

6. Nicky and the young gangster? The flashback to his robbery and murder ? motivation and brutality? Trial? His being about to be executed? Relationship with Rosalie? Not knowing about the baby? The retrial, his puzzle. gratitude to Phil? The reconciliation with Rosalie? The marriage? His trying hard as a truckie, the resentment of Phil? The death of the baby and its repercussions? Phil's antagonism? His taking up with women, drinking, gambling? The inevitability of Phil's revenge? His arranging for the truck hijack? His not being aware of what would happen to him? The build-up to his being framed? His reaction to his arrest? Rosalie's disgust? Sing Sing and his contact with the newspaper reporter? The final confrontation with Phil? His execution but his being the means of Phil's downfall?

7. The character of Rosalie, place in the family, religious background, her love for her mother, respect for Phil. not wanting to know the truth? The pregnancy and her reaction? Her love for Nick and the wedding? The house, married life? Hospitality to her mother and to Phil? Her pleasure in Nick's job? The pregnancy, the difficulty of the birth? Her coping? Her glossing over Nicky's behaviour? Her disillusionment? The encounter with Joe and the memory of old friendships? The possibility for a happy ending? Her having to face the truth, her hoping Phil would escape?

8. The presentation of minor characters: Phil's mother and her love for her children, the migrant background, living in New York? The neighbours? The gangsters and their deals, truck driving, gambling? The murder victims? The newspaper reporter and his education, inquiry, being bashed, courageous relentlessness?

9. The portrait of gangster activity ? organisation, hit men, murders, violence, corruption? The irony of a code of honour within the gangster world?

10. This kind of film contributing to the continuance of the gangster genre? Its contribution?