1955 must have been Percy Helton's annus horribilis. Fingers crushed to a pulp in a drawer by Ralph Meeker in 'Kiss me Deadly'and much worse was to follow. Railroaded by a merciless gang of escaped convicts in 'Crashout', as a good-natured doctor, forced to treat and indeed save the life of William Bendix, who's been shot so full of lead he could have been sold for scrap metal.
Bendix, who spends the early part of the movie, falling down rocks and into puddles, being shot and then swarmed upon by ants, begins to assert his power over the remaining five, by revealing that he has a vast stash of hot cash that he's prepared to share. Just one problem. It's three days journey away and hidden in a remote mountain location. Why couldn't he have stuffed it in a mattress and made life easier for everyone?
The Bill Bendix Sextet inevitably starts shedding members as they undertake their challenge, driven by greed and desperation. Whenever one of the Inside Out Belly men auto-destructs, Bendix observes with cool detachment, calmly aware that an increased share in the spoils awaits him.
Still, following a rumbling tum build-up, they eat well, have a ride aboard a steam train, view some breathtaking scenery and meet several AWFULLY nice people along the way.
A rare leading role for Bendix and a change of pace from his more familiar likeable rogue persona. He largely nails it as the thoroughly odious, callous, ruthless crook, who emerges from a position of life-threatening helplessness to manipulate and orchestrate every move, preying upon the insatiable desire of the others to lay their grubby paws on the loot. His Brooklyn brogue intermittently slides into a gravelly Eastwood style rasp, depending upon the amount of pain he's in.
Competently directed, well paced and featuring a solid supporting cast, including Arthur Kennedy and William Talman, as a phony, debauched man of the cloth, who conducts the most convoluted baptism by immersion (on Bendix) in Christian history. There have probably been faster drownings!
Docked a Brownie point for its somewhat formulaic narrative and for a laughable sequence in which Talman runs down a motor cycle cop, who has sufficient time to make a will before the vehicle hits him. Didn't he consider dodging out of the way?
Nevertheless, an entertaining minor noir, which provided some light relief in the wake of England's dismal performance in India. "See ya sucker(s)," could well have been Virat Kohli's dismissive farewell to the forlorn tourists.
Bendix, who spends the early part of the movie, falling down rocks and into puddles, being shot and then swarmed upon by ants, begins to assert his power over the remaining five, by revealing that he has a vast stash of hot cash that he's prepared to share. Just one problem. It's three days journey away and hidden in a remote mountain location. Why couldn't he have stuffed it in a mattress and made life easier for everyone?
The Bill Bendix Sextet inevitably starts shedding members as they undertake their challenge, driven by greed and desperation. Whenever one of the Inside Out Belly men auto-destructs, Bendix observes with cool detachment, calmly aware that an increased share in the spoils awaits him.
Still, following a rumbling tum build-up, they eat well, have a ride aboard a steam train, view some breathtaking scenery and meet several AWFULLY nice people along the way.
A rare leading role for Bendix and a change of pace from his more familiar likeable rogue persona. He largely nails it as the thoroughly odious, callous, ruthless crook, who emerges from a position of life-threatening helplessness to manipulate and orchestrate every move, preying upon the insatiable desire of the others to lay their grubby paws on the loot. His Brooklyn brogue intermittently slides into a gravelly Eastwood style rasp, depending upon the amount of pain he's in.
Competently directed, well paced and featuring a solid supporting cast, including Arthur Kennedy and William Talman, as a phony, debauched man of the cloth, who conducts the most convoluted baptism by immersion (on Bendix) in Christian history. There have probably been faster drownings!
Docked a Brownie point for its somewhat formulaic narrative and for a laughable sequence in which Talman runs down a motor cycle cop, who has sufficient time to make a will before the vehicle hits him. Didn't he consider dodging out of the way?
Nevertheless, an entertaining minor noir, which provided some light relief in the wake of England's dismal performance in India. "See ya sucker(s)," could well have been Virat Kohli's dismissive farewell to the forlorn tourists.