Search - Quicksand on DVD

Mickey doesn't like this movie?

Annie Van Auken | Planet Earth | 07/18/2010

(4 out of 5 stars)

"In Mickey Rooney's 1991 autobiography, LIFE IS TOO SHORT, "Quicksand" gets all of two sentences. To paraphrase: "The less said about Quicksand the better. Making this movie was like sinking in the stuff," an overly-harsh assessment that may be due to personal issues rather than the picture's quality.

Mickey's agent in the 1940s, Sam Stiefel, often lent him large sums of money at racetracks. When Stiefel eventually asked for repayment, he wouldn't tell Mickey how much was owed. Stiefel suggested that he take half of the star's earnings until his debt was erased, thus according to Mick, over time he was bilked for a few million dollars. When Rooney finally rebelled and fired Stiefel, he was legally unable to sever all ties until appearing in two Stiefel Production Co. projects. These were THE BIG WHEEL (1949) and QUICKSAND (1950).

This one's a fine minor noir. The way Mickey's character gets embroiled in ever-deepening trouble because of $20 taken from a cash drawer is deftly scripted. Jeanne Cagney as the ladyfriend who urges Rooney further into crime is also quite good. Peter Lorre's oily amusement arcade owner adds to the mix. The only weaknesses are occasional predictability and a formulaic happy ending. In spite of these, "Quicksand" remains an entertaining crime drama some 60 years after its release. (Note: watch for original Mickey Mouse Club host Jimmie Dodd as Rooney's pal, Buzz.)"