Short Cut to Hell Reviews

Ivers, a hired killer, knocks off two men for a friend. His friend pays him with stolen money, and the cops know the serial numbers. He pursues the double-crossing friend while the cops are on his tail for the murders. The killer is forced to kidnap Johnson, the girl friend of the detective in charge of the investigation, to protect himself. In the end he's gunned down by the police. A remake of THIS GUN FOR HIRE (1942), SHORT CUT TO HELL is a competent thriller that marks the directorial debut of star Cagney. He appears in a brief prologue and shows some real talent behind the camera. The film moves at a good pace and has some interesting visual moments. Ivers and Johnson work well as the leads. Cagney's deal with the producer stipulated that he would get the minimum salary allowable with a percentage of any profit the film might bring in.