Search - Trapped on DVD

When a killer dreams of millions... and a girl to spend them

Dave | Tennessee United States | 07/10/2005

(3 out of 5 stars)

"This mediocre B film noir was released by Eagle Lion production company barely a year after their 1948 smash hit "T-Men". Like the very similar "Port of New York" (-also released by Eagle Lion), it was really a ripoff of "T-Men" and lacked the style, creativity, and excitement that made "T-Men" a classic. "Trapped" was directed by Richard Fleischer, who was well-suited for making low-budget noirs such as "Follow Me Quietly" (1949), "Armored Car Robbery" (1950), "The Narrow Margin" (1952), and "Violent Saturday" (1955).

A young Lloyd Bridges stars as Tris Stewart, a convicted counterfeiter who is offered a chance at early release from prison if he agrees to cooperate with Treasury agents who're trying to track down his former partners-in-crime. He reluctantly agrees to help them but as soon as he's alone with an agent he knocks him out and makes his escape. What he didn't count on was that the agents had already anticipated such an event and they follow him closely, knowing that he'll unwittingly lead them to his counterfeiting ring members. While enjoying his shortlived freedom, he finds his former girlfriend Laurie Fredericks, aka Meg Dixon (Barbara Payton, in her film debut) and they reignite their fiery relationship.

Laurie has no problems with Stewart's dangerous lifestyle, and when she learns of the agents following him closely she tries to warn him, but it proves to be too late. But recapturing Tris is only the beginning for the determined Agent John Downey (John Hoyt), who then sets out to capture his murderous counterfeiting gang. In this movie the T-Men, just like the Canadian Mounties, "always get their man", and the movie's ending is totally predictable and unexciting. It was supposedly based on the same true case that inspired Anthony Mann's classic "T-Men", but the sluggish pace and lack of excitement kept this movie from being a classic B noir.

The movie is worth watching once maybe, just to see luscious Barbara Payton in her impressive debut. Payton, who's real name was Barbara Lee Redfield, appeared in barely over a dozen movies and had her peak in Hollywood in 1950's "Kiss Tomorrow Goodbye" with James Cagney. Her career came spiraling downward following several scandalous affairs (many with married men) and a violent battle between Franchot Tone and Tom Neal, who nearly fought to the death over Barbara. She faded into obscurity and eventually became an alcoholic prostitute, dying at the age of 39 on May 8, 1967. As for Lloyd Bridges, he was good playing another bad guy but he just didn't get enough screen time to make this a memorable performance. As for the Alpha dvd, it has an acceptable picture and sound quality. Overall, recommended only for hardcore film noir buffs."

Trapped

Steven Hellerstedt | 10/18/2004

(3 out of 5 stars)

"A young Lloyd Bridges shines in an otherwise plodding and routinely told story of an escaped convict on the hunt for forged treasury notes plates. For those who like their tough-guy movies to be filled with corrupt officials, be warned. TRAPPED starts out with a pseudo-documentary look at your Treasury Department and goes on to depict the T-Men as flawless through the rest of the movie.
Bridges' performance is probably worth the price of admission. He plays a soft-spoken, gum-chewing thug with not quite enough street smarts to realize how close the government men are on his trail. There's also a good, movie capping chase scene in a trolley yard.
The print quality is almost uniformly bad, and some scenes blur in and out of focus. Most annoying is something that happens at about the mid point of the movie: At the end of a grainy scene the large words "Video Calibration" appear in the middle of the screen and remain there for about 5 seconds. It makes you wonder if these companies even LOOK at these disks before selling them to the public.

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Excellent Film Noir at giveaway price.

Michael J. Aston | 11/03/2006

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Topnotch quality picture and sound in this DVD film noir,Trapped.Good performances by Lloyd Bridges,John Hoyt and Barbara Payton( She really can act)"

Pretty good little movie for a rainy Sunday afternoon

Johny Bottom | Jacksonville, NC | 04/26/2007

(3 out of 5 stars)

"Trapped is a pretty good movie I think. Lloyd Bridges plays his role well. An escaped, tough con on the run and trying to make one last big score so he and his girlfriend can go to Mexico. Barbera Payton is his girlfriend and man is she a hottie!

The movie starts off with a quick high school type lecture on how money is made and all the other responsibilities of the US Treasury. After that we learn of the evils and perils of counterfitting.

The feds discover a resurgance of counterfit money that had Lloyd locked away. They make a deal with him for early parole if he helps the feds catch the new counterfeiters and recovet the plates.

But Lloyd has other plans. What ensues is a cat and mouse game between the feds and the counterfeiters. When the undercover agent gets his cover blown, the fun really begins.

This is one of those great old flicks that would probably be a blockbuster if it was remade."