Black Tuesday

This 1954 Film-Noir stars Edward G. Robinson at his nastiest, playing a convicted murderer on death row who, on the evening of his planned execution, stages an audacious prison break together with fellow death row candidate Peter Graves and other inmates. Suffice to say, the consequences are as violent as to be expected!

With its running time of only 80 minutes, there isn’t much scope for a complex plot or unexpected twists and turns typical of the genre. Instead, thanks to the film’s rather simplistic and straightforward plot, here the tension is primarily brought on by the lead character’s sadistic streak and unpredictability. Kicking off in sombre mood, a black inmate in the death row wing of a prison begins to sing a gospel & blues-like tune which obviously is the title song. In the cell next to him sits Vincent Canelli (Edward G. Robinson), an extremely nasty murderer who is waiting to be fried in the electric chair for his multiple crimes. In the cell next to him languishes Peter Manning (Peter Graves), also on death row for a robbery during which he killed a person. However, before he got caught he managed to deposit the stolen booty in a bank (oh, the irony…). From the outset, we learn that Canelli is a particularly nasty fellow who somehow manages to terrorize the prison staff even from inside his cell whereas Manning seems to have a more sedate approach to his looming demise by calmly constructing a toy bridge comprised of many pieces. There is, however, a reason for his calmness because he is fully aware that the prison authorities want to know where the stolen money is hidden… and Manning refuses to answer any questions unless his death sentence is changed to a life sentence. Slim chance, given that he has killed a man during the robbery!

Well, we know that there won’t be any execution one way or another because that’s the way it goes in most Film Noirs and it’s no different here. When the ‘stage’ is set for the perverse spectacle during which numerous reporters will be eyewitness, an audacious escape plan is about to unravel: earlier on, budding reporter Frank Carson (Jack Kelly), who has hoped to finally score a big headline with his exclusive execution report, is kidnapped on his way to the prison by some of Canelli’s henchmen and one of them, Stewart (Warren Stevens), now has Carson’s press pass and thus gains access to the witness room next to the visible execution chamber. But… Not wishing to give the details away, soon a full prison break is in full swing, during which Canelli takes some hostages and Manning gets wounded before being pulled into the getaway car. The hostages are prison doctor Hart (Vic Perrin), prison priest Father Slocum (Milburn Stone), a prison guard and the aforementioned reporter Carson. A fifth hostage, Ellen (Sylvia Findlay) – daughter of one of the head prison wardens, John Norris (James Bell) – has been taken with the help of Canelli’s moll Hatti Combest (Jean Parker).

After a wild shootout, the getaway car (three escaped prisoners go their own way) arrives at the chosen hideout – a deserted warehouse at the periphery of town. Dr. Hart is pressed to operate on the wounded Manning and it’s in the interest of Canelli that the wounded man doesn’t die on the makeshift operating table, because the vicious gangster wants to find out where Manning stashed the stolen booty as he wants to use the money to escape to another country. Meanwhile, Ellen finds out that her father has been shot dead during the prison break. Manning survives but is initially reluctant to tell Canelli where the stolen money is deposited, forcing the increasingly psychopathic man to resort to ever more violent acts. When Manning, still wounded, finally agrees to get the money, Hatti drives him into town and it is from that moment on that the fate of all involved is sealed…

With its low budget vibe (there are only two main locations – prison and warehouse) one can’t help getting the impression that originally, BLACK TUESDAY was intended as a B-movie shown as part of a double-feature program or even drive-in entertainment. Nonetheless, it’s a tense little affair with a particularly menacing performance from Robinson as a man without a conscience.
Presented on Blu-ray for the first time in the UK from a brand-new restoration, this Limited Edition release (2000 copies only) will be presented in a O-card slipcase and includes the following bonus material: audio commentary, new interviews, new video essay, theatrical trailer and collector’s booklet.