Mystery Street (1950)
Director: John Sturges
Starring: Ricardo Montalban, Sally Forest, Bruce Bennett
Synopsis:
A detective enlists the help of a forensics specialist to solve a murder case.
Impressions:
I really like how this movie puts a lot of emphasis on the forensics side of crimesolving but also balances it with the simple legwork policemen have to do to solve cases. It feels very grounded while still being a cinematic experience. Ricardo Montalban is as suave as you'd expect as Lieutenant Morales. The movie leans pretty hard on the Code at times, which can add to the entertainment value. There's a pretty good web of characters involved in the case with varying degrees of moral clarity which keeps things interesting. Among these, I particularly liked Elsa Lanchester as the blackmailing landlady. Give this one a watch.
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