Somewhat standard heist pic, (not a noir, in my opinion, despite what Mr. Muller avers), that features a wonderfully twisted turn by Brian Keith as a Korean War vet with PTSD and some great location shooting in 50s Reno, including the University of Nevada standing in for "Midwestern U", but which is rather slackly paced (unusual for noted action director Phil Karlson) with the heist taking way too long to be set in motion. Also annoying is the too talky screenplay by Stirling Silliphant, one of the great diarreah of the typewriter men in Hollywood, and William Bowers, obviously brought in by the producers to wipe up Silliphant and falling down on the job. Acting beyond Keith is a problem, as well. Muller was complimentary about Kim Novak's performance but I found it serviceable at best as was Guy Madison as her boyfriend. Scenes with these two are by far the dullest in the film, although Alvy Moore, the compulsive jokester, ninety percent of whose quips fall well short of funny, also tries patience. Give it a C plus, mostly for Keith, in my opinion one of the truly under rated character actors in 50s/60s Hollywood, (nothing close to a bad performance or an Oscar nomination).
Review of 5 Against the House
