Day 21 of Noirvember: Have You Seen It?
The more I see William Talman, the more I like him. That is, the more I see him outside of a courtroom with Perry Mason. That’s where I first met this actor and first grew to view him with equal parts dislike and disdain. But boy, his film noir performances are a whole ‘nother thing.
One of his best is in Armored Car Robbery, a small noir with a first-rate cast headed by Talman as Dave Purvis, a highly intelligent crook with an ultra-careful mode of operation (“No loose ends,” he insists) and no qualms whatsoever about using his rod. Purvis puts together a crew to knock off an armored car parked outside a ballgame – the heist is pulled off (almost) without a hitch by Benny McBride (Douglas Fowley), Al Mapes (Steve Brodie), and Ace Foster (Gene Evans). Unfortunately, like the best-laid plans of mice and men, this intricately devised effort goes off the rails, with an ending you’ve just got to see to believe.
Favorite character: My first thought was to say Dave Purvis, but my true favorite is Benny’s estranged wife, Yvonne LeDoux (Adele Jergens), who makes a living by shaking her money maker down at the Bijou Theater. She’s practically the only female in the whole movie, but she’s no dyed in the wool femme fatale. Yvonne doesn’t use her feminine wiles to coax any weak-willed gents into doing her bidding – but she doesn’t shrink from a stack of c-notes when they make their appearance, if you get my drift. Basically, she’s a straight-shooting sister who knows what she wants, knows how to get it, and knows who to get it from. I like that in a dame.
Favorite quote:
“Look Dave, I know she’s strictly high-rent, and I’m broke, but I can’t forget her that easy.” Benny McBride
Join me tomorrow for Day 22 of Noirvember!
shadowsandsatin 
One of my favourite movies. I love how Talman is so sure all the loose ends are tied up – as they unravel before him!
And a shout out for Douglas Fowley whom one can never forget as the harassed director in “Singin’in the Rain”.
A terrific cast
Douglas Fowley! Seeing him pop up in a picture always gives me a happy jolt!!
Me, too!
It’s such a great little noir. So many good performances!
“Yvonne doesn’t use her feminine wiles to coax any weak-willed gents into doing her bidding – but she doesn’t shrink from a stack of c-notes when they make their appearance, if you get my drift. Basically, she’s a straight-shooting sister who knows what she wants, knows how to get it, and knows who to get it from. I like that in a dame.”
If umami applied to writing, this paragraph would be the perfect example of it — totally and utterly delicious! After reading it, I feel like I know what Yvonne would carry in her cosmetics case. So good!
In other news, I now have a date with this picture on Internet Archive. It’ll be a first-time watch for me!
I hope you enjoy the movie, Maudie! And thanks for the new word!
Great actor. I love him in Ida Lupino’s The Hitch-Hiker.
He was first-rate in The Hitch-Hiker, for sure!
Talman in the back seat is never a good thing
Ha! You got that right!