''Flaxy Martin'' is a 1949

film noir Film noir (; ) is a cinematic term used primarily to describe stylish Hollywood crime dramas, particularly those that emphasize cynical attitudes and motivations. The 1940s and 1950s are generally regarded as the "classic period" of American ' ...

starring

Zachary Scott Zachary Scott (February 21, 1914 – October 3, 1965)Obituary ''Variety'', October 6, 1965. was an American actor who was known for his roles as villains and "mystery men". Early life Scott was born in Austin, Texas, the son of Sallie Le ...

and

Virginia Mayo Virginia Mayo (born Virginia Clara Jones; November 30, 1920 – January 17, 2005) was an American actress and dancer. She was in a series of comedy films with Danny Kaye and was Warner Brothers' biggest box-office money-maker in the late 1940s. ...

, and featuring

Elisha Cook Jr. Elisha Vanslyck Cook Jr. (December 26, 1903 – May 18, 1995) was an American character actor famed for his work in films noir. According to Bill Georgaris of TSPDT: They Shoot Pictures, Don't They, Cook appeared in a total of 21 film ...

Dorothy Malone Dorothy Malone (born Mary Dorothy Maloney; January 29, 1924 – January 19, 2018) was an American actress. Her film career began in 1943, and in her early years, she played small roles, mainly in B-movies, with the exception of a supporting role ...

, and Douglas Kennedy. The crime thriller was directed by Richard L. Bare based on a story written by David Lang. The film tells of mob lawyer Walter Colby (Zachary Scott), whose involvement with a crime syndicate and a ''

femme fatale A ''femme fatale'' ( or ; ), sometimes called a maneater or vamp, is a stock character of a mysterious, beautiful, and seductive woman whose charms ensnare her lovers, often leading them into compromising, deadly traps. She is an archetype of ...

'' (Mayo) get him in trouble.

Plot

A murder occurs, and a witness tells the police that she will never forget the killer’s face. Mob attorney Walter Colby (Scott) is called by crime boss Hap Richie ( Douglas Kennedy) in the middle of the night to arrange bail for his hood Caesar (Jack Overman). After doing so Colby tells his girlfriend, showgirl Flaxy Martin (

), that he wants to quit the organization and become respectable. She pooh-poohs the idea, spiting him that he does not have enough money to do so, or afford her. She would know, as she is two-timing him with Hap. Meanwhile, Hap arranges through Flaxy for a perjurer, Peggy Farrar (

Helen Westcott Helen Westcott (born Myrthas Helen Hickman, January 1, 1928 – March 17, 1998) was an American stage and screen actress and former child actress. She is best known for her work in ''The Gunfighter'' (1950). Early years Westcott was the daughte ...

), to testify on behalf of Caesar, clearing him of the crime. Afterwords she seeks to blackmail Happ for $10,000 to maintain her silence. Outraged at the double cross, Flaxy loudly assails Peggy at her hotel apartment, drawing the attention of its desk clerk. Caesar silently shows up and kills her, leaving Flaxy later accused of the crime. She goes to Colby for help, who comes up with a plan to clear her by confessing to be the murderer himself. With absolutely no evidence connecting him to the crime he is confident of his own acquittal. All goes well during the trial until an obvious perjurer takes the stand, again arranged by Hap, clearly with the acquiescence at the least of Flaxy. Colby is convicted on his testimony and sentenced to hard time. Before he is transferred to prison, he is visited by Sam Malko (Tom D'Andrea), a former client who feels he owes Colby a good turn. Sam tells him that Cesar has been getting drunk and bragging how Colby was convicted instead of him. Colby’s suspicions towards Flaxy begin to grow. En route to the 20 years awaiting him, Colby slugs his guard and jumps off a train in the countryside. Injured, he passes out in front of motorist Nora Carson (Malone), who takes him home and nurses him. She proves inexplicably attracted to him, in spite of his self centeredness and repeated lack of gratitude. A statewide manhunt seeks his every trace, which he and Nora elude. He returns to the city and seeks Sam‘s help, leaving Nora behind as he arranges a rendezvous with Cesar. When he gets there he finds Cesar dead, and once again ends up at gunpoint with Caesar’s hood Roper. The two have a violent showdown on a rooftop, with Colby forcing his pursuer over the edge to his death. He then heads for Flaxy’s apartment for a confrontation. When Hap arrives she pulls a gun on both men, seeking to disappear with $40,000 of Hap’s money and leave the pair of rivals hanging. Colby tells her she can’t shoot both men at once, and whomever she doesn’t will get her. Colby flicks off the lights and she shoots wildly at both, killing Hap. Colby calls the police, who come and arrest her. Arriving back at Sam’s with the stolen $40,000 he insists he’s going to go on the lam alone. Nora wants to go with him. Sam councils reason. Colby gives into it, and calls the police to turn himself in.

Cast

as Flaxy Martin *

as Walter "Walt" Colby *

as Nora Carson *

Tom D'Andrea Thomas J. D'Andrea (May 15, 1909 – May 14, 1998) was an American actor in films and on television. Early years D'Andrea was born May 15, 1909, in Chicago, Illinois. He graduated from high school with honors and excelled in basketball. Ca ...

as Sam Malko *

as Peggy Farrar * Douglas Kennedy as Hap Richie *

as Roper *

Douglas Fowley Douglas Fowley (born Daniel Vincent Fowley, May 30, 1911 – May 21, 1998) was an American movie and television actor in more than 240 films and dozens of television programs, He is probably best remembered for his role as the frustrated m ...

as Max, Detective *

Monte Blue Gerard Montgomery Blue (January 11, 1887 – February 18, 1963) was an American film actor who began his career as a romantic lead in the silent era; and for decades after the advent of sound, he continued to perform as a supporting player ...

as Joe, Detective * Jack Overman as Caesar *

Max Wagner Max Wagner (November 28, 1901 – November 16, 1975) was a Mexican-born American film actor who specialized in playing small parts such as thugs, gangsters, sailors, henchmen, bodyguards, cab drivers and moving men, appearing more than 400 ...

as Charles McMahon

Reception

Critic Hal Erickson lauded the film director, writing, "Director Richard L. Bare had only recently moved up from the "

Joe McDoakes ''Joe McDoakes'' is an American short film comedy series produced and directed by Richard L. Bare for Warner Bros. A total of 63 black and white live action one-reel short subjects films were made and released between 1942 and 1956. The ''Joe ...

" comedy shorts to features when he guided Flaxy Martin with skill and aplomb."Erikson, Hal. .

References

External links

* * * * * {{YouTube, xRjNM-gkv_o, ''Flaxy Martin'' film trailer 1949 films 1940s mystery drama films American black-and-white films American crime drama films American mystery drama films American chase films Film noir Films directed by Richard L. Bare Films scored by William Lava Warner Bros. films 1949 crime drama films 1940s English-language films 1940s American films