Port of New York (1949)

Posted by Dan in the Middle West

This is another in a series of police investigation procedurals in the Eagle-Lion tradition (although the credits list this as a Samba Production, the same credit used in "The Amazing Mister X," this was probably an independent production company, there is internal evidence to show that Eagle-Lion personnel and resources were involved in the film). It is probably not as well known as "He Walked By Night," "T-Men," or "Trapped," but it is quite good in its own way. Aubrey Schenk, the producer of "T-Men," is the producer here with Lazlo Benedek directing. Eugene Ling, a writer with a series of noir credits, including "Shock" and "Behind Locked Doors," is one of those listed as working on the storyline. This film may not be quite as strong as the other police procedurals since it is a bit derivative. It also seems to be patterned in a way after "The Naked City" in that many scenes were filmed on location in New York. I only wish that a better print was available to me.

Scott Brady of "He Walked By Night" plays a similar role in "Port of New York."
K. T. Stevens is an attractive female drug smuggler who wants out of the racket. Neville Brand has a minor supporting role as a heavy and Yul Brynner is Paul Vicola, the ruthless head of a narcotics ring who is willing to kill without hesitation anytime his criminal enterprise appears to be remotely threatened. This is Brynner's first film credit and he had not shaved his head yet.

Special mention must be made of Arthur Blake as the third rate night club performer Dolly Carney. The highlight of his act is an impression of Charles Laughton as Captain Bligh. Carney is also a junkie who tried to curry favor by running an errand for Leo Stasser (William Challee) who is one of Vicola's partners. Blake barely made an impression in Hollywood having spent years as an uncredited film extra. He is a weak and effeminate man and he alternates between whining and threatening to sue the Feds who have taken him into custody. His only friend is a show girl Lilly Long (Lynne Carter), who likes him, but "not in that way." In one beautiful shot, an oblivious Carney asks Stasser, "What are you going to do Leo?" while George Diskant has the shadow of an opening window pass across his face. Next thing, you know Carney is being shoveled off of a sidewalk since the drug cartel was afraid that he had talked.

The intrepid investigators this time out are US Customs officials trying to capture a million dollar shipment of pure heroin. The film is of interest in that it is one of the earliest efforts to depict narcotic trafficking in a serious manner. Earlier films, seemed to be more of the exploitative "Reefer Madness" variety with Dave O'Brien grinning like a loon. Carney even begins to sweat it out during an interrogation as he needs a fix.

Reed Hadley must have been occupied, so an uncredited Chet Huntley handles the narration chores. A decade later, Huntley would be an anchor on the NBC Nightly News, better known as the Huntley-Brinkley Report.

On a negative note, Sol Kaplan's musical score sometimes overwhelms the dialogue and can be jarring at times.