Film Noir: The Dark Side of Cinema XXI — Short Cut to Hell Blu-ray Review

Estimated reading time: 5 minutes

Short Cut to Hell is the 1957 film noir directed by James Cagney, his one and only directorial effort. The story, a remake of the 1942 film This Gun for Hire, from the novel by Graham Greene (The Third Man), follows dispassionate hitman Kyle Niles (Robert Ivers, The Delicate Delinquent) hired to conduct two murders and finds himself double-crossed by the man who hired him, Bahrwell (Jacques Aubuchon, Thunder Road). On the run and out for revenge, Niles kidnaps nightclub singer Glory Hamilton (Georgann Johnson, Midnight Cowboy), girlfriend of the detective (William Bishop, The Boss) who is on his trail. The central aspect of the film is the relationship that develops between the emotionally removed Niles and Glory, who seems drawn to him in almost motherly way. Today we would call this “Stockholm Syndrome.” She goes out of her way at times to help him escape capture by the police even when it does not seem to make sense for her own survival. Unfortunately, Cagney’s direction is loose, the screenplay rambles, and casting is uneven at best. There could have been a better actor that William Bishop as the detective, as he lacks gravitas, but the underutilized Yvette Vickers sizzles early on, dripping sexuality. This remake may not be a classic of the genre, but it is good enough for a little weekend enjoyment for genre fans.

Purchase Film Noir: The Dark Side of Cinema XXI [Cloak and Dagger / Shack Out on 101 / Short Cut to Hell] Blu-ray on Amazon.com

The Video

Short Cut to Hell is taken from a 2023 HD master from a 4K of the original camera negative. Presented in its original 1.85:1 aspect ratio with an AVC 1080p encodement, Short Cut to Hell is the best looking film in Film Noir XXI: The Dark Side of Cinema as far as it has the least amount of apparent source damage like scratches, dirt, and digital noise, but that comes with a caveat. In typical Paramount fashion, the image often looks too smooth with the grain structure being attenuated and not quite resolving to a crispy, textured and organic look. Still, the monochromatic imagery presents well and there is a lot of detail remaining in the picture.

The Audio

Short Cut to Hell comes with an English DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 mono track. There is nothing outstanding about the sound but it works well with good intelligibility and little noise.

The Supplements

This KL Studio Classics release of Short Cut to Hell comes only with a new audio commentary by film historian/screenwriter Gary Gerani and a trailer for the film.

The Final Assessment

James Cagney does a middling job directing this film noir that is uplifted by an excellent turn by Georgann Johnson. Still, the film is a good inclusion is this entry in Kino Lorber’s ongoing series of some the lesser-known films from the halcyon days of Film Noir.

Short Cut to Hell is out as part of the Film Noir: The Dark Side of Cinema XXI [Cloak and Dagger / Shack Out on 101 / Short Cut to Hell] collection on Blu-ray

Purchase Film Noir: The Dark Side of Cinema XXI [Cloak and Dagger / Shack Out on 101 / Short Cut to Hell] Blu-ray on Amazon.com

• Rating Certificate: Approved
• Studios & Distributors: Paramount Pictures | Kino Lorber
• Director: James Cagney
• Writers: Graham Greene | Ted Berkman | Raphael Blau
• Run Time: 89 Mins.
• Street Date: 17 September 2024
• Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1
• Video Format: AVC 1080p
• Primary Audio: English DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 Mono
• Subtitles: English SDH