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Friday, October 10, 2014

Another Second Feature Courtesy Metro


Code Two (1953) Salutes Men With A Badge

69 hummer minutes from mighty Metro's B unit --- yes, they were still doing them in 1953, although it would be a final year for such modesty (at least through run of Cinemascope novelty). Studio chief Dore Schary put economies in motion from his 1948 arrival to exec sanctum, result such ongoing and oft-dark pleasers as Code Two. The latter's first half is near-docu recount of training for LA police recruits, noir flavor saved for latter portions where modern-day cattle rustlers (!) add cop killing to their resumes. A young cast was perhaps hopeful of MGM stardom as bestowed in earlier day: Ralph Meeker (a hot dog patrolman who learns humility), Elaine Stewart (that Bad and Beautiful girl, still beautiful but less bad), Robert Horton (greater success to come w/TV), Jeff Richards, an unbilled Chuck Connors. MGM was good at gritty when done on budgets (Code Two negative cost but $472K). The hang of it was patronage staying home to watch Dragnet, Racket Squad, and others of similar ilk on free-vees. Result: Code Two lost money, not enough to cost meals, but sufficient to scotch many more such B-pleasures from Leo.

4 Comments:

Blogger Mike Cline said...

Watched CODE TWO when WARNER ARCHIVE released it. Good little picture.

9:39 AM  
Blogger Unknown said...

Interesting ad - by 1956 it looks like theaters were advertising start times for features. 2 pictures in less than 3 hours! Theaters were obviously getting rid of cartoons and newsreels by this time. Maybe this theater couldn't afford them, as they were showing a five year old picture as the main attraction?
The intermissions must have been no longer than five minutes at this place, unlike today when theaters schedule an hour between screenings. Another thing has got me curious - what do suppose that sneak prevue was?

1:33 PM  
Blogger Linwood said...

I enjoyed this one on TCM. It looked to me like Keenan Wynn did his own motorcycle stunts, in the training scenes. He seemed to take to riding the bike with gusto.

7:16 PM  
Blogger John McElwee said...

Keenan Wynn was part of a motorcycle club in the 40's that also included Ward Bond and Clark Gable.

7:48 PM  

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