Kansas City Confidential │ Film Masters
Courtesy of Film Masters
by CHAD KENNERK
Phil Karlson’s Kansas City Confidential (1952) has always overshadowed the shabby public-domain transfers that have been circulating on home video for decades. The crime noir thriller, starring John Payne, was shot quickly and cheaply but endures thanks to Karlson’s direction, a clever premise, and a nasty lineup of supporting heavies played by Lee Van Cleef, Neville Brand and Jack Elam. Its public domain status may have, ironically, also helped to keep it around. Film Masters’ new Blu-ray restoration packs a punch, marking a meaningful improvement over previous releases.
A mysterious mastermind known only as ‘Mr Big’ recruits three wanted men — a gambler, a cop killer, and a sleazy getaway driver — to pull off an armoured-car robbery. Everyone wears masks, including Mr Big himself, so no one can rat each other out. Each crook receives a torn ‘King’ playing card to prove membership in the conspiracy, which they will cash in for their portion of the pot when the heat cools down. The anonymity of the thieves leads to unlucky delivery driver Joe Rolfe (John Payne) being marked as the getaway man. After a rough battle with a gang of highly indefensible law enforcers, Joe resolves to track down the real culprits himself.
This was the first and sole release from a 13-film deal between United Artists and Associated Players and Producers (owned by Edward Small, Sam Briskin and Sol Lesser.) That company may have been short-lived, but Small went on to make over seventy films for UA over the next ten years. While the title centres on Kansas City, but none of the film was actually shot there. Stock footage sets the scene, which abruptly shifts from urban procedural to sweaty resort-town thriller halfway through. Originally titled Kansas City 117, it was shot in part on California’s Santa Catalina Island, which doubled for the Mexican resort in the fictional Borados. The iconic masks (though created for budget and plot mechanics) became a defining visual device and one that sets Kansas City Confidential apart from other crime noirs. It’s a shame Mr Big is clearly identified for the audience, as that could have been saved for a much bigger reveal and payoff later on. Notably, the structure and masks were inspirations for Quentin Tarantino’s 1992 directorial debut, Reservoir Dogs. In 1953, the Hollywood Citizen News published an article detailing a $600,000 lawsuit filed by entertainer Tony Romano against United Artists, Associated Players and Producers, and Small for the "public scorn and ridicule" he suffered after they used his name to portray a "gangster, convicted felon and three-time loser." No word on the final outcome of the suit.
Leading man John Payne is probably best remembered as the virtuous attorney Fred Gailey in the 20th Century-Fox adaptation of Valentine Davies’ Christmas classic Miracle on 34th Street. Payne, who was already deep into noir and Westerns after leaving Technicolor musicals behind at Fox, told gossip columnist Hedda Hopper that he owned 25% of the film. Payne brings a bruised determination to Joe Rolfe that plays well against the rogues’ gallery of character actors surrounding him. Coleen Gray, who became romantically involved with Payne during production, offers a warmth that counterbalances the film’s harshness and lends the story a romantic spark. Karlson, who was fresh off Scandal Sheet, continued with a streak of gritty 1950s crime dramas, including 99 River Street and Hell's Island (both with Payne), Tight Spot, as well as The Phenix City Story and The Brothers Rico with Kathryn Grant — who would soon marry crooner Bing Crosby. Karlson eventually helmed the Elvis boxing vehicle Kid Galahad, the Dean Martin Bond spoof The Silencers, and the killer-rat sequel Ben, which boasted a theme song by Michael Jackson.
Film Masters’ newly restored Blu-ray of Kansas City Confidential finally does justice to one of Phil Karlson’s most efficient and influential noirs. A few hazy scenes and occasional print damage persists, but they’re minor and never distracting. An excellent commentary track from professor and film historian Jason Ney highlights the real-life Boston bank robbery that inspired the film, as well as in-depth profiles on the cast, and more. Liner notes by journalist and author Don Stradley focus on actor Jack Elam, with the essay “He Could Steal Scenes He Wasn’t Even In…” Film Masters’ limited edition releases are limited number pressed Blu-rays packaged with a slipcover. With its taut heist setup, clever use of masks and standout performances by Payne and a trio of villains, Kansas City Confidential is essential noir, and Film Masters offers the most definitive way to watch.
Kansas City Confidential is available on Blu-ray 11 November from Film Masters.
Order now at: https://www.filmmasters.com/limited-edition
FILM MASTERS is a consortium of historians and enthusiasts who seek to celebrate the preservation and restoration of films. As archivists, Film Masters is committed to storing film elements for future generations and reviving films that have been sitting dormant for decades. By scanning in 2K and 4K, they give these lesser-known films the red-carpet treatment they deserve. Leveraging modern means of distribution to release forgotten films back into the world, Film Masters also produces original bonus materials—including feature-length documentaries, audio commentaries and historic articles—to contextualise and celebrate these works of art as they were meant to be.
