- Don Siegel's The Big Steal is a terrifically tangled example of a classic chase caper. As the film begins, we have no idea who Duke Halliday (Robert Mitchum) is, why he's claiming to be a man called Blake, the real version of whom is played by William Bendix, or why he's after another man named Fiske (Patric Knowles). Moreover, we can't even begin to fathom why Fiske is so eager to evade the seemingly pleasant Miss Graham (Jane Greer), or why any of this involves tearing across Mexico with little more than a suitcase in tow. Perhaps the only person who can make sense of it all is the shrewd Inspector Ortega (Ramon Novarro), whom we gather always lands the feline role in games of cat-and-mouse.
- But the beauty of the successful chase caper is that we don't care who's chasing who or why. The point is that we'd follow these personalities anywhere. That is especially true for Halliday, who is charming in the gruff, brutish way that defined Robert Mitchum's career. When he calls Miss Graham "Chiquita," he somehow makes it sound like a compliment. The Inspector, too, is excellent as that particular breed of detective who suspects far more than he lets on, and it is even more remarkable that such a character was played by a bona fide Mexican actor in the 1940's. Ultimately, The Big Steal is more light-hearted than the average crime film, but its terse direction, fast pace, and fun characters make it a memorable entry in the noir pantheon.
- John Qualen also co-stars.
