Here's a movie I discovered at 4-something in the morning a few nights ago. It's a "reality-based noir," as the description I found it labeled under calls it, based on the same true-life events as the slightly-later and more famous film Call Northside 777.
So, how does "Railroaded!" stack up?
So, how does "Railroaded!" stack up?
Well.
It's a pretty basic plot: Steve Ryan, average Joe Citizen (whose van is being used for an illegal gambling operation without his knowledge) is tagged with a murder rap he didn't commit; honest, hard-working policeman dutifully gathers evidence and goes through his process, despite everyone being convinced they already know who the killer is, and in the process becomes convinced Ryan is innocent.
There's really not much to it. It's pretty rote.
You may notice on the poster, though, (which I hadn't seen until I wrote this) that noir-favorite bad-guy John Ireland is in this. Here, he plays one of the real killers:
It's a pretty basic plot: Steve Ryan, average Joe Citizen (whose van is being used for an illegal gambling operation without his knowledge) is tagged with a murder rap he didn't commit; honest, hard-working policeman dutifully gathers evidence and goes through his process, despite everyone being convinced they already know who the killer is, and in the process becomes convinced Ryan is innocent.
There's really not much to it. It's pretty rote.
You may notice on the poster, though, (which I hadn't seen until I wrote this) that noir-favorite bad-guy John Ireland is in this. Here, he plays one of the real killers:
He's dark and ice-cool and he'd kill you as soon as look at you... and he douses his bullets in perfume, which is what he's doing here. Yes, he's giving himself an absolutely ridiculous calling card as a gunman that would instantly implicate him in any crimes he commits. It's that kind of movie and even a great villain character-actor couldn't save it.
Maybe it was my exhaustion at the time, but this movie didn't even not hold my attention, it opened the front door and made shooing motions, encouraging me to find something better to do. It's definitely forgotten for a reason.
Watch Call Northside 777, it's a better film and truer to the real facts of the case.
Maybe it was my exhaustion at the time, but this movie didn't even not hold my attention, it opened the front door and made shooing motions, encouraging me to find something better to do. It's definitely forgotten for a reason.
Watch Call Northside 777, it's a better film and truer to the real facts of the case.
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