A tense noirish crime drama with fine acting and a nicely twisted plot. The movie features a flawed hero, convincingly played by John Payne, who delivers a superbly nuanced performance as an ex-convict war hero who is framed in a diabolically clever bank heist.<br /><br />The brains behind the caper is a bitter ex-cop, consummately played by Preston Foster, who recruits some of the meanest, nastiest, and ugliest villains of the genre. Lee Van Cleef, in one of his first film roles, is perfect as a slimy womanizing punk. Jack Elam delivers a great performance as a dissolute chain-smoking gambler, and Neville Brand is in top form as a surly menacing thug.<br /><br />Although the movie lacks a femme fatale, Colleen Gray adds a nice touch but is not convincing as an aspiring lawyer. Nevertheless, the convoluted plot is well written and builds up to a satisfying denouement. Not classic noir but an absorbing, well-crafted movie worth adding to your collection.