Strange Bargain

While it’s a far cry from greatness, Strange Bargain is one of those little, modest noirs where everyone involved does their job well, including the unknown Will Price, who directed only two other feature films, both insignificant. Opening like an episode of Leave it to Beaver, the film presents Sam Wilson (Jeffrey Lynn) as about as everyman as you can get, his wife Georgia (Martha Scott) imploring their two children to sit at the table for breakfast, encouraging Sam to ask for a raise at the office because the household budget can be no further stretched. Wilson couldn’t have anticipated that his request for a raise later that morning would lead to not only his termination but his becoming a prime suspect in the murder of his boss. Harry Morgan, a noir regular, shines in a lead role as police lieutenant Richard Webb, the chief investigator with a limp who slowly unwinds the case while tightening the tension on Wilson. While it’s short on visual thrills, the film’s plot and pacing keep viewers gripped for the full 68-minute running time.