B-movie masochist Hugo Haas gets worked over by lanky ballbuster Evelyn Michaels in the B queen's first lead where she lays waste to a couple of paramours who fail to see past her pretty face into her ugly soul before falling victim. Haas may gain sympathy but Michaels commands the screen.
Widower Jan"Hunky" Horak runs the train depot away from town. Melancholy over the recent death of his dog Haas goes to the town fair to purchase a dog but he haggles over the price and instead finds himself distracted by Betty awing the local males while riding side saddle displaying some impressive gams. Instead of bringing a puppy home he brings her and they soon wed. Being a stationmaster's wife may not be her cup of tea but she's seen his bank book which makes her stay put. She's soon flirting with Steve (Allan Nixon) who fills in at the station and when Horak suddenly loses his hearing they brazenly plot in front of him.
The limited acting abilities of Michaels are simply cancelled out by the uber cynical Betty with her relentless pursuit of a life on easy street if only momentarily. She can toy but once in charge holds nothing back. Haas is a bit of a European Steiger before Steiger does some interesting emoting especially when confronting the ugly truth while pretending to hear nothing. Nixon's ambiguity gives Steve a decency allowing for conflicting emotion while Howard Chamberlain as a vagabond and on to Betty's game remains on the periphery getting his barbs in.
Haas direction is both steady and imaginative especially when dealing with Jan's deafness and while some scenes have a ragged finish there are flashes of suspense that crackle as Michaels emasculates and Haas crumbles. His introduction of Betty riding side saddle on a merry go round, the horse moving her body up and down in low angle dominating both the shot and the gaze of nearly every man at the fair is as in your face a femme fatale introduction as you might find in noir.
Haas would later trade in Michaels in favor of Cleo Moore as his B queen. The more voluptuous Moore may have had more talent and range as an actress but she lacked her ability to convey the tough as nails resolve and misandry Michaels possessed.
Widower Jan"Hunky" Horak runs the train depot away from town. Melancholy over the recent death of his dog Haas goes to the town fair to purchase a dog but he haggles over the price and instead finds himself distracted by Betty awing the local males while riding side saddle displaying some impressive gams. Instead of bringing a puppy home he brings her and they soon wed. Being a stationmaster's wife may not be her cup of tea but she's seen his bank book which makes her stay put. She's soon flirting with Steve (Allan Nixon) who fills in at the station and when Horak suddenly loses his hearing they brazenly plot in front of him.
The limited acting abilities of Michaels are simply cancelled out by the uber cynical Betty with her relentless pursuit of a life on easy street if only momentarily. She can toy but once in charge holds nothing back. Haas is a bit of a European Steiger before Steiger does some interesting emoting especially when confronting the ugly truth while pretending to hear nothing. Nixon's ambiguity gives Steve a decency allowing for conflicting emotion while Howard Chamberlain as a vagabond and on to Betty's game remains on the periphery getting his barbs in.
Haas direction is both steady and imaginative especially when dealing with Jan's deafness and while some scenes have a ragged finish there are flashes of suspense that crackle as Michaels emasculates and Haas crumbles. His introduction of Betty riding side saddle on a merry go round, the horse moving her body up and down in low angle dominating both the shot and the gaze of nearly every man at the fair is as in your face a femme fatale introduction as you might find in noir.
Haas would later trade in Michaels in favor of Cleo Moore as his B queen. The more voluptuous Moore may have had more talent and range as an actress but she lacked her ability to convey the tough as nails resolve and misandry Michaels possessed.