The Big Steal (1949)
Directed by Don Siegel

Film Review

The Big Steal is a somewhat crude attempt to parody the film noir thriller, marred by script weaknesses that are just about compensated by its tongue-in-cheek performances and a well-photographed exotic location.   The film stars Robert Mitchum and Jane Greer, who had previously starred in an earlier film noir classic, Out of the Past (1947).

The film was directed by Don Siegel, who is perhaps best-known for his hardboiled thrillers Dirty Harry (1971) and The Killers (1964), as well as his classic sci-fi movie Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1956).   The Big Steal is not the most engaging or intellectually demanding of films, the plot largely consisting of protracted car chases across open Mexican countryside, the illusion of which is spoiled somewhat by many of the scenes being shot in the studio with poor-quality back-projection.

The performances and some witty dialogue just about make up for the ramshackle plot and weak characterisation, and The Big Steal, whilst clearly not the best film noir, has some merit.  Originally released in black and white, the film now also exists in a colorized version, which definitely should be avoided, as the colorization removes every scintilla of atmosphere of the original film.

Film Synopsis

Duke Halliday, a lieutenant in the United States army, finds himself in deep water when Jim Fiske robs him of a substantial payroll.  His superior, Captain Vincent Blake, naturally assumes that Halliday stole the money, so, to clear his name, the lieutenant has no choice other than to go after Fiske and recover the lost cash.  His journey takes him as far as Mexico, and on the way he meets up with the robber's former girlfriend, Joan Graham. 

Joan has her own reasons for wanting to get even with Fiske, so she agrees to team up with Halliday and help bring the crook to justice.  Meanwhile, Blake has set out in pursuit of Halliday, unaware that his quarry has stolen his identification.  Arriving at a remote house in the desert, Halliday and Joan are confident they have finally cornered Fiske, but they end up being captured by the latter's fence, Seton.  Help appears to be at hand when Blake appears unexpectedly, but things are not quite what they seem...