Watch Armored Car Robbery

Armored Car Robbery is a classic film noir released in 1950. Directed by Richard Fleischer, the movie stars Charles McGraw, Adele Jergens, and William Talman. The film revolves around a robbery of an armored car that takes place in Los Angeles. The robbers steal nearly $1 million in cash and kill two guards in the process. The film follows the investigation by the police and the eventual hunt for the robbers.

Armored Car Robbery opens with a view of Los Angeles at night. An armored car pulls up in front of a bank, and two guards, Dave Purvis and Joe Dineen, step out. They enter the bank and collect the bags of money that have been delivered there. As they leave the bank, three men approach them, guns in hand. They force the guards to drop the bags of money and then shoot them dead. The robbers grab the bags of money and flee the scene in a waiting car.

Meanwhile, Lt. Jim Cordell, played by McGraw, is assigned to investigate the robbery. He is joined by his partner, Detective Danny Ryan, played by Don McGuire. They begin by interviewing the witnesses to the crime, but no one has much to offer. As they investigate further, they discover that the robbers had inside knowledge of the armored car's schedule and its contents. They also learn that the robbers had been casing the bank for weeks before the robbery.

As the investigation continues, Cordell and Ryan begin to suspect a small-time criminal named Benny McBride, played by Talman. McBride's girlfriend, Yvonne LeDoux, played by Jergens, works for the armored car company and would have had access to information about the schedules and routes of the armored cars. When Cordell and Ryan visit McBride's apartment, they find him there with LeDoux and some of the stolen money. McBride is arrested, but LeDoux manages to escape.

Throughout the film, the tension builds as the police pursue the remaining robbers and LeDoux. The robbers are holed up in a hotel, counting their loot and planning their escape. Cordell and Ryan hatch a plan to capture the robbers by using a decoy armored car. All the police can do now is wait for the robbers to take the bait.

Armored Car Robbery is a quintessential film noir. The narrative is taut, the characters are morally ambiguous, and the atmosphere is dark and foreboding. The film makes great use of its location in Los Angeles, showing the seedy underbelly of the city at night. The performances are all strong, particularly McGraw as the tough-talking, no-nonsense detective. The screenplay, written by Earl Felton, is tightly constructed, with plenty of twists and turns to keep the audience engaged.

One of the standout elements of Armored Car Robbery is the heist sequence itself. Fleischer films the robbery in a masterful long take, with the camera following the robbers as they approach the armored car, shoot the guards, and grab the money. The sequence is tense and thrilling, and it sets the tone for the rest of the film.

Overall, Armored Car Robbery is a top-notch film noir that holds up well today. It's a tense and atmospheric thriller with strong performances and a well-crafted narrative. If you're a fan of classic crime movies or film noir, it's definitely worth checking out.

Armored Car Robbery is a 1950 crime movie with a runtime of 1 hour and 7 minutes. It has received mostly positive reviews from critics and viewers, who have given it an IMDb score of 7.0.