T-Men
Directed by Anthony Mann
Written by John C. Higgins; story by Virginia Kellogg
1947/USA
Edward Small Productions
First viewing/Netflix rental
[box] Dennis O’Brien: Did you ever spend ten nights in a Turkish bath looking for a man? Don’t.[/box]
This police procedural is enlivened by the direction of Anthony Mann and the gorgeous cinematography of noir master John Alton.
A new batch of counterfeit bills is in circulation that is printed on dangerously good paper. Treasury Agents Dennis O’Brien (Dennis O’Keefe) and Tony Genaro are assigned to infiltrate a conterfeiting gang and determine the source of the paper. They elaborately plan their new identities down to the last detail.
The Schemer (Wallace Ford), a small time hood who puts the bills into circulation, leads them to the mob bosses. After that it is a deadly game of cat and mouse as the agents offer some excellent printing plates to go with the paper. With Charles McGraw as an assassin.
This is an early police procedural with extensive third-person voice-over narration. It was made with the cooperation of the Treasury Department and shows the work of its Secret Agents in considerable detail. The story could be pretty dry but for Anthony Mann’s mastery at creating tension and framing shots and the low-key lighting provided by Alton. The scenes in the steam bath are particularly impressive.
T-Men was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Sound, Recording.
Clip – the bathhouse murder (spoiler) – cinematography by John Alton
