Pushover (1954)
Fred MacMurray plays one of three cops on a stakeout who falls for his target (Kim Novak in her first screen role) as they try to bring about the capture of a bank robber, Novak's boyfriend. Meanwhile fellow cop (Phil Carey) gets the hots for Dorothy Malone in the apartment next door.
Pushover was an absolute delight. A crime noir with some delicious twists. MacMurray is no hard boiled Bogart or Robert Mitchum but is superbly cast in this as he can't possibly do anything wrong or so they'd have you think. Meanwhile Kim Novak displays all the femme fatale characteristics that would go on to make her a genuine star and work with directorial greats like Preminger, Hitchcock and Wilder.
Carey and Malone's almost sub plot adds interest to what could have been one dimensional characters building up to the movie's great climax and also helps enable the films already voyeuristic unsettling feel.
Director Richard Quine (Who would go on to work with Novak another three times including the superb 1958 witchcraft rom-com Bell, Book and Candle) keeps things ticking over nicely with a fair degree of suspense throughout as well as some delightful will they or won't they? moments - and i don't just mean will they or won't they fall for each other?
Pushover (Watched via the Indicator Blu-ray) was a first time viewing for me last night and i really enjoyed it.
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