"Dark Alibi" director Phil Karlson's "Kansas City Confidential" qualifies as a crisply-made, smartly-plotted, entertaining heist caper about the perfect crime. This imaginative, 1952 release from United Artists and producer Edward Small about an innocent man framed for a robbery that he didn't commit teems with interesting characters, a seasoned cast, edgy predicaments, and a fine resolution. Good guy John Payne musters considerable credibility as the flawed protagonist who is punished for the crime, while a dream cast of classic heavies--Jack Elam, Lee Van Cleef, and Neville Brand--enjoy their ill-gotten gains until our hero can pay them back with interest. "Red River's" Coleen Gray plays Payne's love interest, but her character is strictly peripheral in the greater scheme of the action. Yes, she does figure into the plot, but she isn't front and center like the rest of the cast, including Preston Foster as the mastermind of the a million dollar hold-up.

"Narrow Margin" lenser George E. Diskant's moody black & white photography is first-rate, and several camera angles stand out, enhancing the thrills and chills. Rowland Brown and Harold Bruce provided the basis for the story, while Harry Essex and George Bruce penned the tightly-knit screenplay with uncredited assistance from both Karlson and Payne. Clocking in at a trim 99 minutes, "Kansas City Confidential" doesn't squander a second and never wears out its welcome. Moreover, some commentators have described it as a film noir entry when it really isn't film noir. The interesting thing is that Karlson's crime thriller seems a little ahead of its time with its post-modern spin on events. The cops are portrayed as pretty ruthless and the mastermind has a back story that makes him a tragic character. All in all, "Kansas City Confidential" delivers more than the usual 1952 thriller about a robbery.

The film opens with this foreword: "In the police annuals of Kansas City are written lurid chapters of criminals apprehended and brought to punishment. But it is the purpose of this picture to expose the amazing operations of a man who conceived and executed a `perfect crime,' the true solution of which is not entered in any case history, and could well be entitled `Kansas City Confidential.'"

The action occurs in three parts. The mastermind checks his plan. He has decided to rob an armored car as the cops tote the money sacks out to the vehicle. A florist truck usually parks near where the armored car is parked. The florist delivery man, Joe Rolfe (John Payne of "Tripoli"), parks his truck and takes flowers into a building. The mastermind, Tim Foster (Preston Foster of "Guadalcanal Diary"), has been planning the heist fastidiously as a close-up reveals a time table of events he has made. For example, he notes the times that police squad cars cruise past, the arrival and departure of the Western Florist Delivery truck as well as the Bank Armored cars. Foster has timed everything at least five times for pin-point accuracy. He has calculated that he will need between two and four minutes to pull the job. He picks three criminals, Pete Harris (Jack Elam of "The Comancheros") a trigger-happy, chain-smoking, dice gambler; ladies man Tommy Romano (Lee Van Cleef of "High Noon") who is a habitual criminal, and Boyd Kane (Neville Brand of "Riot in Cell Block 3") a cop killer who chews bubble-gum.

The second part involves the bank hold-up. As Foster has planned it, the criminals slip up beside the armored car and in unless than four minutes, they appropriate the money bags and hightail with one guard snapping off a couple of rounds at them. Predictably, the Kansas City cops pull over Joe, search his florist delivery truck, and haul him off to the station for some police brutality. Eventually, the authorities discover the abandoned florist delivery truck, but by then Joe has lost his job. "Thanks for nothing," he utters contemptuously.

We learn that Joe fought in World War II hero and saved a man's life on Iwo Jima. Joe's grateful pal provides Joe with a tip about Harris' whereabouts through a third party. What Joe doesn't realize until he catches up with shifty-eyed Jack Elam is that Foster planned the crime wearing a mask. He almost entrusted each criminal enough money to leave the country until he thinks thing have cooled down enough to divide the loot. None of them knows what Foster looks like and they don't know what the others look like because Foster forced them to always wear masks in front of each other. "I've made you cop-proof and stool-pigeon proof," Foster brags. He gives them each a tore playing card in case he doesn't make it to the split-up. Later, Tijuana authorities get the drop on Harris as Joe and he are about to leave for the Central American hamlet of Borados. Harris tries to shoot his way out and dies. Somehow, Joe appropriates Harris' luggage with the mask and the torn poker card that Foster gave each of them.

What sets "Kansas City Confidential" apart from most B-pictures about the perfect crime is mastermind Tim Foster's motivation. He spent 20 years on the KCPD and he was forced to retire because of politics. He engineers this perfect crime so that he can weasel his way back into the good graces of the department. Even his daughter has figured out a way for him to get another shot at being a cop. However, Foster has gone beyond the point of no return. Nevertheless, he almost pulls it off. Tracking down Foster and company is no picnic for Joe, but he manages to clear himself in the end rather neatly. Karlson does an outstanding job pacing this little thriller and revealing only a bit at a time. The scene where Joe loses his revolver at the swimming pool and finds himself pitting against Kane and Romano in his bungalow is terrific.

"Kansas City Confidential" is worth watching again and again.

The MGM/UA DVD delivers a good-looking picture with great audio and English subtitles. Unfortunately, there is nothing in the way of extras, such as a making of documentary, a trailer, or a bio about director Phil Karlson. However, it tops the public domain copies.

What an improvement over my public domain disc of this superb little noir! The cast is excellent, especially the three bad guys in early roles. Preston Foster is far more interesting than he usually is. And John Payne is far stronger than usual. Interesting to see the same pool that was used in "Kiss Me Deadly" substituting for a resort in Mexico.

This film is a perfect example of why I collect film noir! Thanks to MGM.

This is one of the classic thrillers of John Payne who is most remembered for his role as a fiancée of Maureen O'Hara in the movie Miracle on 34 Street. He co-starred with O'Hara, and Betty Grable in several movies, and he is known for musicals such as The Razor's Edge with Tyrone Power. In this crime drama, Payne plays an ex-con Joe Rolfe/Peter Harris who tries to clear his name when three unknown bank robbers use a florist truck similar to Harris's truck. When authorities find the truck used in the heist, they release Harris and he goes in search of three robbers; Boyd Kane (Neville Brand), Tony Romano (Lee Van Cleef), and Pete Harris aka Johnson (Jack Elam). The heist is orchestrated by an ex-cop Tim Foster (Preston Foster). This adventure takes Harris to a resort town in Mexico where he not only tracks down the three robbers but also the mastermind, Tim Foster. The suspense in the movie is that the three robbers do not know each other except Tim Foster. During this drama, Harris meets Foster's beautiful daughter Helen Foster aka Pumpkin (Colleen Gray) who is studying to be an attorney. Obviously she falls in love with the charming Peter Harris. At the end the bad guys die and the good guy Harris wins. The movie has interesting plot and suspense, and John Payne offers a brilliant performance.

1. Miracle on 34th Street (Special Edition)
2. The Razor's Edge
3. The Dolly Sisters
4. To the Shores of Tripoli

Not a classic but a pretty good second feature. John Payne heretofore a lightweight & not my first choice, does a good job as Joe. He's a good guy & a decorated vet. He's also an ex-con who has gone straight as a flower truck delivery man. There is a big bank robbery along his route & he has been set-up. The master mind of the robbery is disaffected Police Chief Tim Foster who has been forced to retire. He hires a trio of thugs (Lee van Cleef, Neville Brand & Jack Elam) to help him. They all wear masks & don't know each other or the Chief. The cops arrest Joe & try to beat a confession out of him. They have to let him go but not until he's lost his job. So he decides to go after the thieves that framed him. There is also a big reward for their capture & return of the 1.2 million in cash. Joe gets a lead & catches up with Harris (Elam) in Mexico. Joe softens him up a bit & gets part of the story. Harris is heading for a small village where they are going divvy up the stolen money. Along the way Harris is killed by the local police. Joe assumes his identity & proceeds to meet with the others at the appointed meeting place in Mexico. Remember, he doesn't know them or they him except for the Chief who knows them all. Now the tension gets ratcheted up as the two remaining knuckle-heads, the Chief & Joe manuever for advantage. They are driven by revenge, paranoia & greed. Then, the Chief's daughter, Helen (Colleen Grey) arrives unexpectedly to visit dad & complicates everything. She's not leaving & immediately takes up with Joe. The climax may come as a surprise. This is noir-lite in that there is no femme-fatale (Helen is a good girl) & you know there will be a happy ending. But it is a good crime caper movie with a very good plot for sure.

If you love the old movies of the Silver Screen era you will probably like this movie. The movie has several well know supporting cast "Bad Guy" type actors. If you are lookng for high tech action forget this one.