Review of Rogue Cop

Robert Taylor was a wonderful choice for this film about a crooked cop, who likes the high life and has little respect for his honest colleagues. What would eventually stop Chris Kelvaney (Taylor), would be the death of his brother Eddie played by Steve Forrest. He was an honest cop and crosses the mob by identifying a killer, they are tied to by blackmail. This is the part of a lifetime for Taylor as he walks with the dirt and corruption of the mob boss, George Raft. Raft is icy, his black eyes never showing any emotion until he dumps his girl (Anne Francis) of Honey West fame, and sends her to the gutter "giving" her to his friends. Janet Leigh does a nice job as Eddie's reluctant girl, not knowing if she loves him, and when she is confronted by Chris about her shady past with the mob, falls apart. Taylor is trying to make her help him save Eddie, telling her he will spill the beans about her back- ground. She refuses and he roughs her up, ending the confrontation by kissing her, and after she somewhat submits to the embrace, he tells her she is no better than he. Robert Ellenstein is Kelvaney's partner, and is sick of the "take," but in the end helps Chris get the killers. This film is a favorite of the NYPD along with another Taylor film "Johnny Eager." Taylor's performance as "Johnny Eager" was superb, but I think this mature role with Taylor fighting, snarling, and just in general being disgusted with everything out shines even that much ignored Oscar caliber performance of 1942. Great noir, for all those crime film fans. 2008 By the way, if you watch closely, the scene in the brothers house, the photo on the mantle is really Taylor's baby picture with his mother holding him and his father kneeling next to her. I have watched this film dozens of times and never noticed it till today.