Watch The Steel Trap

The Steel Trap is a 1952 film-noir thriller directed by Andrew L. Stone and starring Joseph Cotten, Teresa Wright, and Jonathan Hale. The movie starts with a typical Monday morning for a bank teller named Jim Osborne (played by Joseph Cotten). Jim has worked at the same bank for over ten years and has a great track record for accuracy and diligence. However, he is unsatisfied with his mundane routine and dreams of traveling the world with his wife Laurie (played by Teresa Wright).

One day, Jim comes up with a brilliant plan to steal a substantial amount of money from the bank vault, enough to start a new life in Brazil. He hatches the plan after noticing a loophole in the bank's security system, which he accidentally discovers during a drill exercise. With this plan in mind, Jim initially struggles with the idea of betraying his employer and the legality of his plot. Nevertheless, he couldn't help but be enticed by the promise of wealth and adventure.

Jim carefully plots out his scheme, taking precautions to avoid arousing any suspicion from his coworkers or law enforcement. However, things soon begin to get out of hand as Jim's plans are met with unexpected obstacles. The brilliant plan he had devised wasn't as simple as he had initially thought, and he begins to unravel under the pressure.

The plot unfolds with mounting suspense as he tries to outsmart his colleagues and the law while trying to leave with his wife for Brazil. He has to deal with the unexpected twists and turns of his complicated plan, the bank official's suspicion, and the thorough investigation by the police. The suspense builds as he further endangers himself and his wife while trying to escape with the ill-gotten gains.

Joseph Cotten plays the role of Jim Osborne to perfection. His performance captures the character's fear, anxiety, and intense desperation to pull off the perfect heist. Teresa Wright plays his wife Laurie, in a pivotal role that supports the plot's central conflict. Wright's portrayal adds a strong sense of realism to the film and creates a sense of genuine danger as audiences watch the couple's desperate attempt to outwit the bank and the law.

The movie was famous for its innovative, almost documentary-like style of storytelling, which was unusual in erotic crime and thriller genres of the time. Andrew Stone's direction coats the film with a sense of realism and suspense that keeps the viewers on the edge of their seats. The audience follows every carefully planned action of Jim with bated breath, hoping that he will succeed in his criminal rather than his conventional pursuits.

In conclusion, The Steel Trap is a superbly crafted thriller that is bound to satisfy fans of the genre. It features an excellent performance by Joseph Cotten and an exemplary directional effort by Andrew Stone. The film is exciting from the onset, and it maintains its momentum throughout. The story's twists, intense build-up, and convincing portrayal of characters make it a classic example of film noir that deserves to be rediscovered.

The Steel Trap is a 1952 thriller with a runtime of 1 hour and 25 minutes. It has received mostly positive reviews from critics and viewers, who have given it an IMDb score of 6.9.