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Crime Wave

Play trailer Poster for Crime Wave 1954 1h 14m Crime Drama Play Trailer Watchlist
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70% Tomatometer 10 Reviews 73% Popcornmeter 500+ Ratings
Former jailmates make it difficult for a paroled man (Gene Nelson), hounded by a suspicious detective (Sterling Hayden), to go straight.
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Crime Wave

Critics Reviews

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New York Times By shuffling some standard ingredients with quiet competence, "Crime Wave," the new Warners film on the Holiday's screen, manages to look a good deal better than it is. Aug 8, 2006 Full Review Nick Schager Lessons of Darkness A neorealist noir gem. Rated: B+ May 22, 2006 Full Review Eric Henderson Slant Magazine If the maxim "crime doesn't pay" is noir's given, then Crime Wave spins it to answer "but virtue barely scrapes up a living wage." May 1, 2006 Full Review Francois Truffaut Cahiers du Cinéma [Crime Wave] has the merit of showing us [an American couple] belying in one fell swoop the terrible, backbiting, imported legend according to which there is supposed to be, on the other side of the Atlantic. May 3, 2022 Full Review TV Guide The title tells it all in this low-budget film. Rated: 2/4 Oct 25, 2015 Full Review Fernando F. Croce CinePassion The sense of human vulnerability against hard architecture suggests Lang on a shoestring, but the bleak humanism is all De Toth's Aug 26, 2009 Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

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Bill T Interesting and entertaining, like all Noirs are, but I wouldnt neccessarily call it successful. This yarn has an ex-con trying to keep clean, but he's thrust into a caper that goes wrong by some of his old cronies. His cronies use him and his wife as a safe house while they figure out the next job, even though he wants nothing to do with it. And in the meanwhile, yes, Sterling Hayden, who has the mentality of "Con, Ex-Con, they're all the same" cracks down on our ex-con and what he's up to. It all works up to a point, the conclusion is just a wee bit too sloppy and quick (and maybe too convenient), the lead characters do a none too believable mood change, and we're left with a bit more questions than usual with movies like this. Nice try, but not perfect. Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars 03/04/23 Full Review Audience Member City Hall, maple fig, Glendale Rated 5 out of 5 stars 06/17/22 Full Review deke p 1954!! Good cast. Young CHARLES BRONSON looked very much like when he was much older. Good reviews for this film NOIR. Much filmed on and about Los Angeles streets. I could hardly recognize PHYLLIS KIRK in this much different role. CRIME DETECTIVE movie. Saw on MOVIES CHANNEL 11.21.21 Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars 03/30/23 Full Review Audience Member I don't get the current lowish score for this film. If you like film noir, what's not to like? Sterling Hayden, Charles Bronson...Keeps the tension, moves right along... and if you live in LA, you will love seeing some of China City and a whole lot of Brand Blvd. in Glendale in this. Rated 4 out of 5 stars 01/30/23 Full Review Audience Member Solid crime picture with the great Sterling Hayden as a tough investigator trying to solve a robbery/cop killing by a trio of hoods who involve another ex-con against his will. Film also features Charles Bronson's first significant role. Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars 02/13/23 Full Review Audience Member Well-made film noir, tightly written and directed. Rated 3 out of 5 stars 02/27/23 Full Review Read all reviews
Crime Wave

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Cast & Crew

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Andre de Toth

Director

Sterling Hayden

Det. Lt. Sims

Gene Nelson

Steve Lacey

Phyllis Kirk

Ellen Lacey

Ted de Corsia

`'Doc'` Penny

Charles Bronson

Ben Hastings

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Crime Wave

Crime Wave (1954) Crime Wave (1954) Crime Wave (1954) Crime Wave (1954) View more photos

Movie Info

Synopsis Former jailmates make it difficult for a paroled man (Gene Nelson), hounded by a suspicious detective (Sterling Hayden), to go straight.
Director
Andre de Toth
Producer
Bryan Foy
Screenwriter
Crane Wilbur
Production Co
Warner Bros.
Genre
Crime, Drama
Original Language
English
Release Date (Streaming)
Nov 21, 2016
Runtime
1h 14m
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