User Reviews

M-SQUAD – Diamond Hard -1957

This is the tenth episode of the 1957 to 1960 Crime series, M-SQUAD. The series ran for 117 episodes and features Lee Marvin as the headliner. Marvin is a Lt with the elite M-Squad unit of the Chicago Police.

M-Squad gets involved in the hunt for a man who held up a drug store. The thug, William Phipps is a rather nasty piece of work who is not adverse to the laying on of fists, or pulling iron. He is a regular at a low rent tavern ran by, Mike Ragan.

Marvin, while out looking for suspects, runs into B-girl, Angie Dickinson. Dickinson is coming out of a high end jewelry shop. The shop is way out of Dickenson's price range, so Marvin puts the grab on her. Dickinson tells Marvin she has changed her ways and is getting married. She was in the shop looking at wedding rings. Marvin wishes her luck.

Marvin happens to stop by the same bar Phipps is drinking at. He wants a few words with Ragan but is waved off by the bartender. Ragan looks at Phipps, and then back at Marvin. Marvin takes the hint and does not identify himself as a cop. There must be something "funny" about Phipps. Marvin tries to engage the man in small talk but is growled at in return. Marvin returns to the squad room for a look at the mug books.

Marvin quickly ids Phipps as a suspect in the drug store hold up, as well as several other jobs. He tells his Captain, John Halloran, that he intends to bait Phipps into confessing. He takes fellow M-Squad member, DeForest Kelly with him. The two return to Ragan's bar where Kelly enters and takes a spot by Phipps. Now Marvin enters and pretends to be half drunk.

He bumps in between Phipps and Kelly. "Can I buy you a drink buddy?" he says to Phipps as he throws his arm around Phipps' shoulders. Phipps responds by shoving Marvin off. Marvin then falls into Kelly. Kelly tells Marvin and Phipps he is a cop and to behave themselves. Marvin laughs and shoves Kelly away. Kelly now says the two are under arrest. Marvin pulls a .45 and shoots Kelly twice. Phipps and Marvin of course take to their feet. They exit and jump into Marvin's car.

Needless to say the shots were blanks. It was all a stunt to spook Phipps. Phipps likes Marvin's style and asks him to join on a job he is pulling that night. They are going to hit a jewelry store for 100 large. It turns out to be the same store where Marvin had found Miss Dickinson earlier.

Now the getaway driver Phipps has hired beforehand shows. And who should it be, none other than our girl Angie Dickinson. She sees Marvin, but says nothing and does not give it away to Phipps that Marvin is a cop.

After the job has been pulled, Marvin reveals himself as a cop. Phipps of course has no intention of coming quietly. A sound thumping is needed by Marvin first. Joining in the fun is now store owner, Than Wyenn. The shop owner had arranged the robbery as an insurance scam. Wyenn collects a bullet for his troubles.

Dickinson was in on the deal to help finance her new life. Marvin gives her a break and lets her go.

This is a very good episode, which moves along at a rocket like pace. The story is by Leo Gordon. Gordon was an actor who specialized in gunsels, thugs and other assorted villains. He also wrote for television and film. Gordon knew all about crooks, as he had done time himself in San Quentin for armed robbery. (b/w)