Cage of Evil

Last updated
Cage of Evil
"Cage of Evil" (1960).jpg
Directed by Edward L. Cahn
Screenplay by Orville H. Hampton
Based onstory by Orville H. Hampton and Alexander Richards
Produced by Edward Small (executive)
Robert E. Kent
Starring Ron Foster
Patricia Blair
Harp McGuire
Cinematography Maury Gertsman
Edited byMichael Minth (as Michael J. Minth)
Grant Whytock
Music by Paul Sawtell
Bert Shefter
Production
company
Robert E. Kent Productions (as Zenith Pictures)
Distributed by United Artists
Release date
July 1960 (US)
Running time
70 mins
CountryUSA
LanguageEnglish

Cage of Evil is a low-budget 1960 crime film starring Ron Foster and Patricia Blair. [1] [2]

Contents

Plot

Scott Harper is a frustrated police detective who is constantly passed over for promotion. When he is assigned to gain the confidence of Holly, the girlfriend of a robbery suspect, the couple fall in love and then plot to murder Holly's boyfriend and run off to Mexico with the loot.

Cast

Reception

In a contemporary review for the New York Daily News, critic Maxine Dowling called Cage of Evil "a bitter and contrived tale...It's an uninteresting, slowly paced melodrama that does nothing for anyone concerned, least of all our much maligned police." [3]

The New York Post commented that "performances are better than fair," and that the film "is a shoot-it-out opus with little surprise. The audience knows from the beginning that detective Ron Foster is unhappy with his lot. Much work, no promotion. We wait for him, on the trail of a diamond thief, to go over to the other side. This he does, not only because he envies the spoils, but because he has fallen for the crook's moll, Pat Blair. They get theirs!" [4]

TV Guide wrote that "it's not bad for grade-B crime drama." [5]

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Crime fiction</span> Genre of fiction focusing on crime

Crime fiction, detective story, murder mystery, mystery novel, and police novel are terms used to describe narratives that centre on criminal acts and especially on the investigation, either by an amateur or a professional detective, of a crime, often a murder. It is usually distinguished from mainstream fiction and other genres such as historical fiction or science fiction, but the boundaries are indistinct. Crime fiction has several subgenres, including detective fiction, courtroom drama, hard-boiled fiction, and legal thrillers. Most crime drama focuses on crime investigation and does not feature the courtroom. Suspense and mystery are key elements that are nearly ubiquitous to the genre.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Father Brown</span> Character created by British writer G.K. Chesterton.

Father Brown is a fictional Roman Catholic priest and amateur detective. He is featured in 53 short stories by English author G. K. Chesterton, published between 1910 and 1936. Father Brown solves mysteries and crimes using his intuition and keen understanding of human nature. Chesterton loosely based him on the Rt Rev. Msgr John O'Connor (1870–1952), a parish priest in Bradford, who was involved in Chesterton's conversion to Catholicism in 1922. Since 2013, the character has been portrayed by Mark Williams in the ongoing BBC Television Series Father Brown.

<i>State of Grace</i> (1990 film) 1990 film by Phil Joanou

State of Grace is a 1990 American neo-noir crime drama film directed by Phil Joanou and starring Sean Penn, Ed Harris and Gary Oldman, also featuring Robin Wright, John Turturro, and John C. Reilly. Written by playwright Dennis McIntyre, the film was produced by Ned Dowd, Randy Ostrow, and Ron Rotholz, with a musical score by Ennio Morricone.

<i>M Squad</i> American TV crime drama (1957–1960)

M Squad is an American crime drama television series that ran from 1957 to 1960 on NBC. It was produced by Lee Marvin's Latimer Productions and Revue Studios. Its main sponsor was the Pall Mall cigarette brand; Lee Marvin, the program's star, appeared in its commercials during many episodes. Alternate sponsors were General Electric (GE), Hazel Bishop and Bulova watches.

The Iceman Cometh is a play written by American playwright Eugene O'Neill in 1939. First published in 1946, the play premiered on Broadway at the Martin Beck Theatre on October 9, 1946, directed by Eddie Dowling, where it ran for 136 performances before closing on March 15, 1947. It has subsequently been adapted for the screen multiple times. The work tells the story of a number of alcoholic dead-enders who live together in a flop house above a saloon and what happens to them when the most outwardly "successful" of them embraces sobriety and reveals that he has been on the run after murdering his "beloved" wife.

<i>The Alienist</i> 1994 novel by Caleb Carr

The Alienist is a crime novel by Caleb Carr first published in 1994 and is the first book in the Kreizler series. It takes place in New York City in 1896, and includes appearances by many famous figures of New York society in that era, including Theodore Roosevelt and J. P. Morgan. The sequel to the novel is The Angel of Darkness. The story follows Roosevelt, then New York City police commissioner, and Dr. Laszlo Kreizler, as their investigative team attempts to solve gruesome murders through new methods including fingerprinting and psychology. The first murder victim investigated is a 13-year-old immigrant who has had his eyes removed, his genitals removed and stuffed in his mouth, and other injuries. The investigators deal with various interest groups that wish to maintain the status quo regarding the poor immigrant population in New York City.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Harry Lauter</span> American actor (1914-1990)

Herman Arthur "Harry" Lauter was an American character actor.

<i>Raw Deal</i> (1948 film) 1948 film by Anthony Mann

Raw Deal is a 1948 American film noir crime film directed by Anthony Mann and starring Dennis O'Keefe, Claire Trevor and Marsha Hunt. It was shot by cinematographer John Alton with sets designed by the art director Edward L. Ilou. An independent production by Edward Small, it was distributed by Eagle-Lion Films.

<i>Father Dowling Mysteries</i> American TV series or program

Father Dowling Mysteries, known as Father Dowling Investigates in the United Kingdom, is an American mystery television series first aired from January 20, 1989, to May 2, 1991. The series was preceded by the 1987 television movie Fatal Confession. NBC aired the first season, while ABC broadcast two additional seasons.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ron Harper (actor)</span> American television and film actor (1933–2024)

Ronald Robert Harper was an American television and film actor.

<i>The Karate Dog</i> 2004 US television film by Bob Clark

The Karate Dog is a 2004 American made-for-television crime comedy film directed by Bob Clark and produced by Frank Hübner. It stars Chevy Chase, Simon Rex, Jon Voight, and Jaime Pressly. Nicollette Sheridan and Pat Morita also make appearances.

<i>All That Remains</i> (novel)

All That Remains is a crime fiction novel by Patricia Cornwell. It is the third book of the Dr. Kay Scarpetta series.

Gang Busters is a 1942 Universal movie serial based on the radio series Gang Busters.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Patricia Blair</span> American TV and film actress (1933–2013)

Patricia Blair was an American television and film actress, primarily on 1950s and 1960s television. She is best known as Rebecca Boone in all six seasons of NBC's Daniel Boone, with co-stars Fess Parker, Darby Hinton, Veronica Cartwright, and Ed Ames. She also played Lou Mallory on the ABC western series The Rifleman, in which she appeared in 22 episodes with Chuck Connors, Johnny Crawford and Paul Fix.

<i>Pool of London</i> (film) 1951 British film

Pool of London is a 1951 British noir crime film directed by Basil Dearden. It stars Bonar Colleano, Earl Cameron and Susan Shaw.Set in post-war London, the film is of note for portraying the first interracial relationship in a British film.

<i>Griff</i> (TV series) American TV series or program

Griff is an American crime drama starring Lorne Greene and Ben Murphy, which aired on ABC from September 29, 1973, to January 4, 1974.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ron Foster (actor)</span> American actor

Ronald R. Foster was an American actor.

Double Exposure is a 1994 crime drama, starring Ron Perlman, Ian Buchanan, and Dedee Pfeiffer.

<i>The Frozen Ground</i> 2013 American thriller film by Scott Walker

The Frozen Ground is a 2013 American thriller film directed and written by Scott Walker, in his directorial debut, starring Nicolas Cage, John Cusack, Vanessa Hudgens, Katherine LaNasa, Radha Mitchell, and 50 Cent. Based on the crimes of the real-life Alaskan serial killer Robert Hansen, the film depicts an Alaskan State Trooper seeking to apprehend Hansen by partnering with a young woman who escaped from Hansen's clutches.

<i>Law & Order: Organized Crime</i> 2021 American police procedural drama television series

Law & Order: Organized Crime is an American crime drama television series that premiered on April 1, 2021, on NBC. The seventh series in the Law & Order franchise and a spin-off of Law & Order and Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, the series stars Christopher Meloni as Elliot Stabler, reprising his role from SVU. The show features a "single-arc" storyline that takes multiple episodes to resolve.

References

  1. "Foster in Film". Los Angeles Times. July 27, 1960. p. 24.
  2. "Cage of Evil". BFI. Archived from the original on 2012-07-15.
  3. Dowling, Maxine (1960-06-30). "A Sequel to 'Hercules' on For Brooklyn". Daily News . p. 71.
  4. "'Cage of Evil' Opens at Loew's Metropolitan." New York Post, 30 June 1960.
  5. "Cage Of Evil". TVGuide.com.