Review of Mystery Street (1950) by John T — 30 Nov 2013

Solid film noir from director John Sturges. The film was also co-written by Richard Brooks and short by ace cinematographer John Alton. Another treat is that the film has a young Ricardo Montalban getting to pay a typical leading man role as a detective, as opposed to the "ethnic" role he was usually relegated to playing.

Watching Montalban in this film and in "Border Incident" really shows that he had some serious screen charisma and would have been a legendary actor if Hollywood and the general public has been ready for a non-white leading man.

But to this film in particular, a woman is murdered in Harvard square and investigator Montalban is on the case. The film makes great use of the Boston setting and I believe is the first film to utilized the city for a Hollywood film.

Montalban is tough, smart and great in the lead. A very cool noir that I'd never seen before!