He Walked By Night (1948)

This little-known gem marked the advent of the police procedural drama and formed the inspiration for the long running hit series Dragnet.

He Walked By Night is characterized by a documentary style, sonorous voice-over narration, and emphasis on police work; exactly the things that Jack Webb took from his experience and parleyed into a long career as Sgt. Joe Friday - "just the facts, ma'am," on Dragnet. Webb played a supporting role here, but he learned enough to realize that a factual approach to police procedure was what the viewing audience craved.

Prior to He Walked By Night, police dramas were sensational, featuring flamboyant detectives fighting off gangsters while simultaneously romancing a beautiful dame on the side - entertaining, yes, but highly improbable. In contrast, He Walked By Night followed the progress of the most challenging manhunt in LAPD's history. Based on a true story, it was presented to the viewer almost as if being read from a case file. Because the Director, Alfred Werker, used an objective approach to the story - you only know what he shows you - the motivations of the master criminal are never revealed; he remains an enigma.

Richard Basehart (Moby Dick, The Brothers Karamazov) does all the heavy lifting in this one in a bravura performance as Roy Martin an introvert who has a flair for crime like few others. The film opens with Basehart attempting to break into an electronics shop after hours. A passing off-duty police officer attempts to question him and Basehart coldly shoots him down. When the investigators arrive on the scene, they find all Basehart's tools and equipment - a very impressive array - and no fingerprints or identification of any kind.

A piece of military surplus electronic equipment does point to a possible avenue of investigation, and that's what Detective Marty Brennan (Scott Brady) follows up leading to a near miss at the electronics lab owned by Paul Reeves (Whit Bissell - Seven Days in May, Soylent Green). Basehart proves to be as cunning as a cat, and to have nine lives, too. He shoots his way out of the police ambush and escapes. We later see him probing his bullet wound himself, as he whimpers and grimaces, his only friend, a dog, crouching nearby.

The killer goes through several changes of modus operandi that baffles the police. Just when they were beginning to know what he was up to, he changed his routine. How he is able to keep out of their dragnet for so long leads to the thrilling final act, with a chase through the sewers of Los Angeles that may have inspired the brilliant finale in Carol Reed's The Third Man.

He Walked By Night was filmed in a typically film noir style - black and white, unusual camera angles, and dramatic lighting by cinematographer John Alton. Anthony Mann was the uncredited assistant to Director Alfred Werker. Suitably dramatic music was provided by Leonid Raab. Supporting cast was full of familiar faces, including a young Jack Webb (Sunset Boulevard) as a police technician who showed a lot of the behind the scenes scientific techniques. Apart from the gritty realism that paved the way for future police dramas, the real revelation here was Richard Basehart. Basehart played an enigmatic, paranoid genius who stayed a couple jumps ahead of the police in a classic portrait that puts him in my personal hall of fame as one of the most memorable villains ever to grace the silver screen.

The Alpha Video DVD is presented in well preserved black and white in 1.33:1 theatrical aspect. It is available for a bargain price around $6.00 and belongs in every detective story or film noir library.

Also recommended:

The Killing

The Asphalt Jungle

Double Indemnity

Watch a good film tonight!

Recommended:
Yes

Viewing Format: DVD
Video Occasion: Fit for Friday Evening