Crime Wave

In Andre De Toth’s Crime Wave, police lieutenant Sims (Sterling Hayden) covertly follows ex-con Steve Lacey (Gene Nelson) to forestall a bank robbery planned by some of Lacey’s old friends from the pen. The gang of quirky criminals features a young Charles Bronson, whose nocturnal attack on a corrupt veterinarian is pure noir entertainment. The cynical Sims growls his way through the case, but De Toth reveals gleams of Sims’ softer side in just the right measure, particularly at the end. While Crime Wave is serviceably shot overall, a handful of cinematographer Bert Glennon’s moments deserve special attention, most notably the gentle tussle between Lacey’s and his wife’s hands over the ringing telephone at bedtime.