"99 River Street" Review

 

by Daniel White

Fans of film noir always make a fuss about Dick Powell's transformation from juvenile crooner to detective Philip Marlowe. But nobody seems to gush over John Payne and his cinematic about-face. Both men came to prominence in musicals: Dick, singing his heart out to Ruby Keeler at Warner Brothers, while Payne was over at Twentieth Century Fox romancing Betty Grable. And both men carved out a second act in the movies playing gumshoes, gamblers, grifters, and tough guys.

In Phil Karlson's 99 River Street, Payne is Eddie Driscoll, a washed-up pugilist turned taxi cab driver. Saddled with an embittered, unfaithful wife ("I could have been a star if I hadn't married you!"), Eddie is still in a funk that he never made the big time as a boxer. A brooding has-been and a two-timing bombshell, we are in legitimate noir land and the film stays there when Driscoll gets framed for his wife's murder - by her suave, sociopathic lover (Brad Dexter).

It's a screwy, unconventional flick (and, at times, unconvincing) but there's enough shady, after dark shenanigans being showcased that make it a fairly satisfying romp. Evelyn Keyes shows up as a struggling actress who sticks by Payne after his frame-up. Dodging the police, in hot pursuit of his wife's killer, the two find themselves on the docks of Jersey City. There, in a dive bar, Miss Keyes engages in a hootchie cootchie dance that sends this crime caper careening into goofball territory. I personally applauded her terpsichorean endeavors. Anything to lift this so-so film from the average to the oddly entertaining.

Produced by Edward Small for United Artists, 99 River Street is the second of three noirs Karlson and Payne did together. It packs a somewhat solid punch, if not a resounding wallop. With Peggie Castle as Payne's wandering wife, Frank Faylen, Jay Adler, and Jack Lambert, 99 River Street is available on YouTube.