''Rogue Cop'' is a 1954 American

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 '' ...

directed by Roy Rowland, based on the novel by William P. McGivern, and starring Robert Taylor,

Janet Leigh Jeanette Helen Morrison (July 6, 1927 – October 3, 2004), known professionally as Janet Leigh, was an American actress, singer, dancer, and author. Her career spanned over five decades. Raised in Stockton, California, by working-class parents, ...

, and

George Raft George Raft (born George Ranft; September 26, 1901 – November 24, 1980) was an American film actor and dancer identified with portrayals of gangsters in crime melodramas of the 1930s and 1940s. A stylish leading man in dozens of movies, Raft is ...

.Everett Aaker, ''The Films of George Raft'', McFarland & Company, 2013 p 159

Plot

Christopher Kelvaney is a crooked police officer who takes bribes and payoffs from criminals and other nefarious folk. His brother Eddie is a young member of the police force who is honest and loyal. In a penny arcade, a drug dealer is stabbed to death by a man who claims the territory for himself, and Eddie witnesses the murderer flee. Mob boss Dan Beaumonte gives orders to Kelvaney to buy his brother's silence. Eddie refuses, and Kelvaney is unable to persuade Eddie's sweetheart,

nightclub singer A nightclub act is a production, usually of nightclub music or comedy, designed for performance at a nightclub, a type of drinking establishment, by a nightclub performer such as a nightclub singer or nightclub dancer, whose performance may ...

Karen Stephenson, to change his mind. The ruthless Beaumonte brutally mistreats his moll Nancy Corlane, who then tries to help Kelvaney do what he has to do. Kelvaney exposes the fact that Karen was once a mobster's girlfriend in Miami. He gets her to admit that she's not in love with Eddie and is willing to let him go if it will save his life. An out-of-town button-man named Langley is brought in to kill both brothers, but succeeds only in killing Eddie. His conscience aroused, Kelvaney goes after the mob leaders himself. He admits his corruption to superiors, but asks for a chance to bring them evidence that will convict those responsible for his brother's murder. In order to bring down Beaumont's entire syndicate, Kelvaney his prepared to tell what he knows about all of their illegal activities, even though this will implicate himself. Kelvaney succeeds in apprehending Langley, although he is shot in the process. He asks for forgiveness for his crooked ways on the way to the hospital

Cast

* Robert Taylor as Det. Sgt. Christopher Kelvaney *

as Karen Stephenson *

as Dan Beaumonte * Steve Forrest as Eddie Kelvaney *

Anne Francis Anne Francis (also known as Anne Lloyd Francis; September 16, 1930 – January 2, 2011) was an American actress known for her ground-breaking roles in the science-fiction film ''Forbidden Planet'' (1956) and the television action-drama seri ...

as Nancy Corlane *

Robert Ellenstein Robert Ellenstein (June 18, 1923 – October 28, 2010) was an American actor. The son of Meyer C. Ellenstein, a Newark dentist, Ellenstein grew up to see his father become a two-term mayor from 1933 to 1941. He served in the United States Army ...

as Det. Sidney Y. Myers *

Robert F. Simon Robert Frank Simon (December 2, 1908 – November 29, 1992) was an American character actor. Earlier years Simon began acting with Mansfield's Community Players organization when he worked as a clerk in a meat market. Following that experience ...

as Ackerman *

Anthony Ross Anthony Ross (born Rosenthal, February 23, 1909 – October 26, 1955) was an American character actor whose career extended to Broadway stage, television and film. Born in New York City, Ross was the son of Charles M. Rosenthal and Cora S. Rose ...

as Father Ahearn *

Alan Hale, Jr. Alan Hale Jr. (born Alan Hale MacKahan; (March 8, 1921 - January 2, 1990) was an American actor and restaurateur. He was the son of actor Alan Hale Sr. His television career spanned four decades, but he was best known for his secondary lead role ...

as Johnny Stark *

Peter Brocco Carl Peter Brocco (January 16, 1903 – December 20, 1992) was an American screen and stage actor. He appeared in over 300 credits, notably '' Spartacus'' (1960) and ''One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest'' (1975), during his career spanning over 60 ...

as George 'Wrinkles' Fallon *

Vince Edwards Vince Edwards (born Vincent Edward Zoine; July 9, 1928 – March 11, 1996) was an American actor and director. He was best known for his TV role as doctor Ben Casey and as Major Cliff Bricker in the 1968 war film '' The Devil's Brigade''. Ear ...

as Joey Langley * Olive Carey as Selma * Roy Barcroft as Lt. Vince D. Bardeman * Dale Van Sickel as Manny *

Ray Teal Ray Elgin Teal (January 12, 1902 – April 2, 1976) was an American actor.The book ''Celebrities in Los Angeles Cemeteries: A Directory'' gives Teal's birth date as January 12, 1908. His most famous role was as Sheriff Roy Coffee on the televis ...

as Patrolman Mullins *

Nesdon Booth Nesdon Foye Booth (September 1, 1918 – March 25, 1964) was an American film and television actor. He appeared in over 100 films and television programs, and was known for his recurring role as Frank the bartender in the American western televi ...

as Detective Garrett *

Robert Burton Robert Burton (8 February 1577 – 25 January 1640) was an English author and fellow of Oxford University, who wrote the encyclopedic tome '' The Anatomy of Melancholy''. Born in 1577 to a comfortably well-off family of the landed gentry, Bur ...

as Inspector Adrian Cassidy

Production

The film was based on a 1954 novel by William McGiven, who had written the novel on which ''The Big Heat'' was based. The ''New York Times'' called it "a classic study in guilt, retribution and atonement - without for an instant forgetting to tell an exciting story of swift action." MGM bought the screen rights prior to publication in November 1953 and assigned Nicholas Nayfack to produce. Sidney Boehm, who had adapted ''The Big Heat'', wrote the script. In March 1954 MGM assigned Robert Taylor to star, with shooting to begin in May. Filming was pushed back on another Taylor film, ''Many Rivers to Cross''. In April 1954 Roy Rowland was assigned to direct Support roles were given to Janet Leigh, Steve Forrest and George Raft; the latter was making his first "A" picture in some years. It was the last film Leigh made under her contract at MGM where she had been for eight years. Anne Francis was cast as Raft's moll. Francis described it as "the one part I've been waiting for" and it led to her being signed to a long term contract by MGM.

Reception

Box Office

According to MGM records the film earned $1,417,000 in the US and Canada and $1,092,000 elsewhere resulting in a profit of $920,000.

Critical response

Film critic

Bosley Crowther Francis Bosley Crowther Jr. (July 13, 1905 – March 7, 1981) was an American journalist, writer, and film critic for ''The New York Times'' for 27 years. His work helped shape the careers of many actors, directors and screenwriters, though his ...

gave the film a positive review and wrote, "This is not a new thesis. They've been making movies on it for years. And ''Rogue Cop'' is not so exceptional in its construction or performance that it is likely to cause surprise. But it is a well-done melodrama, produced and directed in a hard, crisp style, and it is very well acted by Robert Taylor in the somewhat disagreeable title role...For what it is in the line of crime pictures, there's a lot to be said for ''Rogue Cop.''" It led to a brief comeback in "A" pictures for George Raft.

Awards

Nominations *

Academy Awards The Academy Awards, better known as the Oscars, are awards for artistic and technical merit for the American and international film industry. The awards are regarded by many as the most prestigious, significant awards in the entertainment ind ...

: Oscar, Best Cinematography, Black-and-White,

John F. Seitz John Francis Seitz, A.S.C. (June 23, 1892 – February 27, 1979) was an American cinematographer and inventor. He was nominated for seven Academy Awards. Career His Hollywood career began in 1909 as a lab assistant with the Essanay Film M ...

; 1955.

References

External links

* * *
''Rogue Cop''
essay by author Stone Wallace at Film Noir of the Week
Review of film
at Variety * {{Roy Rowland 1954 films 1954 crime drama films American black-and-white films American crime drama films Film noir Films about brothers Films based on American novels Films based on crime novels Films directed by Roy Rowland Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer films 1950s English-language films 1950s American films