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The Narrow Margin

Another terrific, and succinct, noir from Richard Fleischer. Employing the claustrophobic possibilities of a cross-country train trip to great effect, the story centers on the efforts of a crusty cop to deliver a prize witness to L.A. without allowing her to be killed en route. From cramped sleeping quarters, to impassible hallways, to an irascible witness determined to make his job a frustrating one, detective Brown is hemmed in on all sides. And he’s sure at least one potential killer is on the train. On the plus side, the assassins don’t know what the witness looks like, and Brown knows he must keep this ace up his sleeve as long as he can. Solid characters, a tight story, and nary a wasted moment. Nothing but 70 minutes of film noir magic.

by Thomas Scalzo   on 01 Aug 2011 5:31 PM   Source: Warner Bros. DVD