Kansas city confidential is a 1952 film noir about an excon trying to go straight who is framed for a million dollar armored car robbery and must go to mexico in order to unmask the real culprits. Kansas city confidential is an early example his second crime movie. Kansas city confidential 1952 depicts a violent criminal underworld. Kansas city confidential is an almost perfect compact noir thriller, a clever caper that often approaches the charge of crime novels by jim thompson.
Kansas city confidential is a 1952 movie in the filmnoir genre, directed by phil karlson. He finds himself set up as a patsy who is picked up on suspicion of committing a robbery that was actually orchestrated by a former kansas city police officer tim foster played by. Kansas city confidential, dvd, manufactured on demand, suspensefilm noir, 889290005212. The trail leads him into mexico and a web of hired killers and corrupt cops. John payne, preston foster, lee van cleef, coleen gray, jack elam, neville brand, phil. Released in a woefully substandard version from alpha watch the video wiggle at the bottom of the screen every 10 seconds, and a much better, but still flawed version from image the picure is just a bit too dark and has some minor print damage, along with several dollar dvd versions that were. Dont look now, but the mainstream news outlets in kansas city are asleep at the wheel again.
Kansas city confidential the film detective restored. Kansas city confidential is a low budget bgrade film noir that holds up quite well 60 years after its theatrical release. If your cloud dvr fills up, well make space by deleting your. Joe rolfe payne, a downonhisluck flower delivery truck driver is accused of being involved and is roughly interrogated by local police. For everyone else out there this is a happening noir, well worth the viewing. Kansas city confidential is a 1952 film noir crime film directed by phil karlson and starring john payne. Kansas city confidential is one of my favorite noir films and films of john payne. Kc confidential hearne christopher, uncensored page 2. Kansas city confidential film by karlson 1952 britannica. The film was marketed with the tagline exploding like a gun in your face. The edward small production is along with scandal sheet the first of a series of topnotch crime dramas by the great phil karlson, whose filmography is a top list of noir pictures missing on dvd. He finds himself set up as a patsy who is picked up on suspicion of committing a robbery that was actually orchestrated by a former kansas city police officer tim foster played by preston foster. But it is the purpose of this picture to expose the amazing operations of a man who conceived and executed a perfect crime, the true solution of which is not entered in any case history, and could well be entitled kansas city confidential. You can watch recordings anytime, anywhere with your cloud dvr.
And as the saying goes, a drowning man will clutch at a straw. Kansas city confidential is a 1952 american film noir and crime film directed by phil karlson starring john payne and coleen gray. Or as the cambridge dictionary defines it, someone who is in a very difficult situation will take any available opportunity to improve it. Should phil karlsons kansas city confidential also make it in. Terse and tough, kansas city confidential is one of the great lean, mean b crime thrillers, with a bangup opening, a deadly payoff and a shifting set of identities and alliances that keep pulling. Framan favorite favorite favorite favorite favorite june 30, 2012. Media in category kansas city confidential the following 9 files are in this category, out of 9 total. Kansas city confidential, phil karlsons low low budget, bgrade film noir, opens on a kansas city armoredcar robbery perpetrated by cynical, corrupt expoliceman timothy foster preston s. Kansas city confidential internet movie firearms database.
And now, thanks to image entertainment, kansas city confidential 1951 comes to dvd. Also sign me up for fanmail to get updates on all things movies. Kansas city confidential is one of the essential heist films, elements of it have reappeared in countless movies since like the thomas crown affair and the usual suspects. It was directed by phil karlson at his peak just after scandal sheet and right before 99 river street. And now, thanks to image entertainment, kansas city confidential1951 comes to dvd. This is certainly a film that fans of film noir will appreciate and. Kansas city confidential manufactured on demand on tcm shop. Kansas city confidential is noteworthy chiefly for the gritty and violent underworld vision of director karlson, the immediacy of the semidocumentary cinematography, and the complexity of its. John payne is a excon who drives a florist truck and one of his usual stops is a delivery next door to a bank. For example, nobody even noticed that crossroads kc, wakarusa and thunder on the mountain founderconcert promoter brett mosiman has been going through a particularly dramatic state of good and bad times. Karlsons reputation is largely based on the crime movies he made in the mid1950s.
For years kansas city confidential has languished in the public domain hell. An uncommon lot of face slapping, stomach punching, and kicking in the groin, the standard manifestations of the virulence of mobsters and criminals on the screen. Jun 15, 2019 kansas city confidential 1952 depicts a violent criminal underworld. Kansas city confidential is an american film directed by phil karlson, released in 1952.
Kc confidential is a 5 star example as to what makes a good crime story. Kansas city confidential is noteworthy chiefly for the gritty and violent underworld vision of director karlson, the immediacy of the semidocumentary cinematography, and the complexity of. Kansas city confidential 2002 a mysterious fellow preston foster contacts a trio of criminals jack elam, neville brand, lee van cleef to help with a bank heist. Kansas city confidential was filmed in 1952 with john payne playing a excon down on his luck. Aug 31, 2012 kansas city confidential is a 1952 film noir crime film directed by phil karlson and starring john payne.
In kansas city confidential, four robbers hold up an armored truck, getting away with over a million dollars in cash. Looking to watch kansas city confidential on your tv, phone, or tablet. Like last fall, when mosiman parted company at seasons end with the. This package includes a bluray and dvd of an absolute gem from film noir s golden era kansas city confidential. Finding a streaming service to buy, rent, download, or view the phil karlsondirected movie via subscription can be a huge. Kansas city confidential is a 1952 american film noir and crime film directed by phil karlson.
Seems like anything goes at the kansas city star these days. Released in a woefully substandard version from alpha watch the video wiggle at the bottom of the screen every 10 seconds, and a much better, but still flawed version from image the picure is just a bit too dark and has some minor print damage, along with several dollar dvd versions that were even more flawed. Kansas city confidential the secret four 1952 rotten. A downonhisluck exgi finds himself framed for an armored car robbery. An excon trying to go straight is framed for a million dollar armored car robbery and must go to mexico in order to unmask the real culprits. Kansas city confidential 1952 was another effective noir, with john payne well cast as an exconvict seeking retribution after nearly being framed for an armed robbery. Kansas city confidential, lobbycard, lee van cleef, john payne. Karlson achieves a very paranoid atmosphere throughout the. Like a gun in your face four robbers hold up an armored truck getting away with over a million dollars in cash. The musical score of kansas city is integrated into the film, with modernday musicians recreating the kansas city jazz of 1930s the film was entered into the 1996 cannes film festival.
Kansas city confidential manufactured on demand on. You can watch the complete 1952 noir crime picture, now in the public domain, and decide for yourself. Its brutal, hardedged, and unflinching, but its also livened by a distinct streak of optimism. Joe rolfe john payne is an excon on the road to rehabilitation when he s framed for a million dollar robbery staged by tim foster preston s. The title has been out for years in miserable graymarket versions, but mgm has possession of the original united artists elements and it looks and sounds great. The musical score of kansas city is integrated into the film, with modernday musicians recreating the kansas city jazz of 1930s. Kansas city confidential is available for free download at the internet archive kansas city.
Siskoid behind its lackluster title, kansas city confidential hides a fun little crime picture with an interesting hook. I hope it is restored someday like the big combo, it really deserves a decent release. Mar 06, 2017 an excon trying to go straight is framed for a million dollar armored car robbery and must go to mexico in order to unmask the real culprits. Good movie, but the only thing kansas city in it is that single still at the beginning. John payne, coleen gray, preston foster, neville brand, lee van cleef. The four men, having worn masks during the crime, are complete strangers and are anonymous to one another, but plan to meet. Kansas city confidential is a 1952 film noir about an excon trying to go straight who is framed for a million dollar armored car robbery and must go to mexico in order to unmask the real culprits directed by phil karlson. Kansas city confidential 1952 phil karlson synopsis. Joe rolfe john payne, a downonhisluck delivery driver who is accused of involvement in the heist, sets out to discover who set him up and to. When hes finally released for lack of evidenceafter having been beaten up and tortured by the policehe sets out to discover who set him up, and why. Get it today with same day delivery, order pickup or drive up. Kansas city confidential click to enlarge 1 hr 39 min 1952. Following the aftermath of a gangs armoredtruck heist, the film has received attention as a. Following the aftermath of a gangs armoredtruck heist, the film has received attention as a possible influence on reservoir dogs.
Four men plan and pull off a heist while masked and only the boss knows who everyone is. Kansas city confidential, lobbycard, lee van cleef, john payne, neville brand. Kansas city confidential the film detective restored version 1952 bluray in kansas city confidential, four robbers hold up an armored truck, getting away with over a million dollars in cash. Luckily, however, karlsons kansas city confidentialhas been an exception. In this noirthriller, three convicts are contracted by a mysterious benefactor to pull a bank heist. The new york times criticized the film for its excess use of violence. The film was released in the united kingdom as the secret four. The film was known particularly for its brutality, and it later developed a cult following. Kansas city confidential free a film noir gem that inspired quentin tarantinos reservoir dogs. Joe rolf john payne, an excon, tries to make an honest living in kansas city.
John payne coleen gray preston foster 1952 an exconvict john payne is framed for a bank holdup done by a police captain preston foster and men wearing masks. Kansas city confidential seems to be a public domain title, there are various versions of it on dvd, all of varying quality. Jun 20, 2015 an excon trying to go straight is framed for a million dollar armored car robbery and must go to mexico in order to unmask the real culprits. Four men plan and pull off a heist while masked and.
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