''Close Up'' is a 1948 American

film noir Film noir (; ) is a style of Cinema of the United States, Hollywood Crime film, crime dramas that emphasizes cynicism (contemporary), cynical attitudes and motivations. The 1940s and 1950s are generally regarded as the "classic period" of Ameri ...

directed by Jack Donohue from a screenplay by

John Bright John Bright (16 November 1811 – 27 March 1889) was a British Radical and Liberal statesman, one of the greatest orators of his generation and a promoter of free trade policies. A Quaker, Bright is most famous for battling the Corn La ...

. It stars Alan Baxter,

Virginia Gilmore Virginia Gilmore (born Sherman Virginia Poole, July 26, 1919 – March 28, 1986) was an American film, stage, and television actress. Career Gilmore began her stage career in San Francisco at the age of 15, but moved to Los Angeles in 1939 t ...

and

Richard Kollmar Richard Tompkins "Dick" Kollmar (December 31, 1910 – January 7, 1971), was an American stage, radio, film and television actor, television personality and Broadway producer. Kollmar was the husband of journalist Dorothy Kilgallen. Early l ...

Plot

Phil Sparr (Alan Baxter), a newsreel photographer in New York City, is doing a fashion shot outside a bank. Meanwhile, in the bank Joseph Gibbons (Phillip Huston) 's pal, Mr. Fredericks (Michael Wyler) says he is closing out his account tomorrow and will be withdrawing $800,000.00. Phil unintentionally films Martin Beaumont (Richard Kollmar) as he is leaving the bank. An effort is made by Fredericks associate, Beck (Russell Collins) to secure this film. Beck approaches Phil to buy the film, spinning a tale about his wife and his girlfriend not needing to see him in the film. Phil meets magazine reporter Peggy Lane (Virginia Gilmore) and they go to deliver the film to Beck. Then Phil's boss, Harry Avery (Loring Smith) discovers that Mr. Beaumont is actually Kurt Bauer, a wanted Nazi war criminal. Phil arranges a rendezvous with Miss Lane at his apartment, but Phil is kidnapped by Gibbons posing as a New York City detective. Phil makes a daring escape on the Hoboken ferry. When Phil returns to his office he finds that his boss killed the hitman who was sent to knock him off and steal the film negative. Phil gives the film can to a cabbie to take to the police, but the bad guys knock out the cabbie and kidnap Phil and Peggy. We learn that Peggy is actually tied in with the bad guys. She has a change of heart and acts to try to keep Phil from getting killed. Mr. Beaumont has hired Gibbons to fly him out of the country. Gibbons tries to double-cross Beaumont and get all the $800,000, but Beaumont outsmarts him. Beaumont heads to meet the seaplane that will fly him out of the country, using Phil as a shield. Peggy calls the cops. Gibbons shows up and engages in a gunfight with Beaumont. Beaumont kills Gibbons and his henchman, but Phil chases him and Beaumont is shot by the cops. Phil thanks Peggy for saving his life before she goes off to jail.

Cast

* Alan Baxter as Phil Sparr *

as Peggy Lane *

as Martin Beaumont *

Loring Smith Loring B. Smith (November 18, 1890 – July 8, 1981) was an American vaudeville, stage, film, radio and television actor, frequently of broadly comic and gregarious characters. He enjoyed a 65-year career involved in many facets of the entertainm ...

as Harry Avery * Phillip Huston as Joseph Gibbons *

Joey Faye Joey Faye (born Joseph Antony Palladino, July 12, 1909 or 1910 or 1902 – April 26, 1997) was an American comedian and actor. Born in New York City, he gained fame as a comic in vaudeville and claimed that he created two of vaudeville's more re ...

as Roger *

Russell Collins Russell Collins (born Russell Henry Collins; October 11, 1897 – November 14, 1965) was an American actor whose 43-year career included hundreds of performances on stage, in feature films, and on television. Early life Born in 1897 in Indianap ...

as Beck * Michael Wyler as Fredericks *

Sid Melton Sidney Meltzer (May 22, 1917 – November 2, 2011), known professionally as Sid Melton, was an American actor. He played the roles of incompetent carpenter Alf Monroe in the CBS sitcom ''Green Acres,'' Ichabod 'Ikky' Mudd as sidekick to C ...

as the cabbie * Wendell Phillips as Harold * Erin Selwyn as the office receptionist * Jimmy Sheridan as Jimmy * Maurice Manson as Inspector LoneganHale, Wanda (April 5, 1948)
"Picture Made Here on View at the Globe"
''New York Daily News''. p. 36. Retrieved December 15, 2024. *

Lauren Gilbert Lauren Edwin Gilbert"New York, New York City, World War II Draft Registration Cards, 1940-1947", FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:WCQL-G2N2 : Thu Mar 07 12:35:56 UTC 2024), Entry for Lauren Edwin Gilbert and Unemployed ...

as Miller * Marcia Walter as Rita

References

External links

* * American crime drama films 1948 films 1948 crime drama films Eagle-Lion Films films Films directed by Jack Donohue Films scored by Jerome Moross Films set in New York City American black-and-white films 1940s English-language films 1940s American films English-language crime drama films {{1940s-US-drama-film-stub