''Man-Trap'' is a 1961 American

neo-noir Neo-noir is a revival of film noir, a genre that had originally flourished during the post-World War II era in the United Statesroughly from 1940 to 1960. The French term, ''film noir'', translates literally to English as "black film", indicating s ...

film about a

Korean War {{Infobox military conflict , conflict = Korean War , partof = the Cold War and the Korean conflict , image = Korean War Montage 2.png , image_size = 300px , caption = Clockwise from top: ...

veteran who becomes involved in a scheme to steal $3.5 million from a

Central American Central America ( es, América Central or ) is a subregion of the Americas. Its boundaries are defined as bordering the United States to the north, Colombia to the south, the Caribbean Sea to the east, and the Pacific Ocean to the west. C ...

dictator. The film was directed by

Edmond O'Brien Eamon Joseph O'Brien (September 10, 1915 – May 9, 1985) was an American actor and film director. His career spanned almost 40 years, and he won one Academy Award, two Golden Globe Awards, and two stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. O'Brien w ...

and stars

Jeffrey Hunter Jeffrey Hunter (born Henry Herman McKinnies Jr.; November 25, 1926 – May 27, 1969) was an American film and television actor and producer known for his roles in films such as ''The Searchers'' and ''King of Kings''. On television, Hunter ...

David Janssen David Janssen (born David Harold Meyer) (March 27, 1931February 13, 1980) was an American film and television actor who is best known for his starring role as Richard Kimble in the television series '' The Fugitive'' (1963–1967). Janssen also ...

and

Stella Stevens Stella Stevens (born Estelle Eggleston; October 1, 1938) is a American former actress. She began her acting career in 1959 and starred in such popular films as ''Girls! Girls! Girls!'' (1962), '' The Nutty Professor'' (1963), '' The Courtship of ...

. The plot is based on the novel ''Soft Touch'' by

John D. MacDonald John Dann MacDonald (July 24, 1916December 28, 1986) was an American writer of novels and short stories. He is known for his thrillers. MacDonald was a prolific author of crime and suspense novels, many set in his adopted home of Florida. One ...

, which had previously been serialised in ''

Cosmopolitan Cosmopolitan may refer to: Food and drink * Cosmopolitan (cocktail), also known as a "Cosmo" History * Rootless cosmopolitan, a Soviet derogatory epithet during Joseph Stalin's anti-Semitic campaign of 1949–1953 Hotels and resorts * Cosmopoli ...

'' magazine in March 1958 as "Taint of the Tiger".

Plot

Although injured in combat, Matt Jameson returns home from Korea safely and works in California as an engineer. He is unhappily married to Nina, an alcoholic, and is attracted to his boss's secretary, Liz Addams. Vince Biskay, a friend from the Marines whose life Matt saved, turns up with a risky but tempting offer. He knows of a

Central America Central America ( es, América Central or ) is a subregion of the Americas. Its boundaries are defined as bordering the United States to the north, Colombia to the south, the Caribbean Sea to the east, and the Pacific Ocean to the west. ...

n dictator whose shipment of $3.5 million in illegal weapons is being transported to the U.S. If they can intercept it, Matt and Vince could turn it in to law authorities and split the reward. A gun battle erupts at the San Francisco airport, with the dictator's thugs trying to protect the loot. Vince is shot. Matt takes him and their stolen money home, where Vince recovers while a drunken Nina makes a pass at him. Matt orders Vince to leave when he realizes that Vince intends to keep the money rather than returning it. Nina then has a fatal accident that a desperate Matt tries to cover up. He is found and beaten by the Central American thugs, looking for their money. Vince has the money but comes to an unhappy end of the road. Matt ends up with Liz, feeling lucky to get out of the dangerous situation alive.

Cast

as Matt Jameson *

as Vince Biskay *

as Nina Jameson * Elaine Devry as Liz Addams *

Virginia Gregg Virginia, officially the Commonwealth of Virginia, is a state in the Mid-Atlantic and Southeastern regions of the United States, between the Atlantic Coast and the Appalachian Mountains. The geography and climate of the Commonwealth are ...

as Ruth * Dorothy Green as Vera Snavely *

Hugh Sanders Hugh Howard Sanders (March 13, 1911 – January 9, 1966) was an American actor, probably best known for playing the role of Dr. Reynolds in the movie '' To Kill a Mockingbird''. Biography Born in Illinois, Sanders graduated from Northwestern ...

as E.J. Malden *

Frank Albertson Francis Healey Albertson (February 2, 1909 – February 29, 1964) was an American actor who had supporting roles in films such as ''It's a Wonderful Life'' (1946) and ''Psycho'' (1960). Early life Albertson was a native of Fergus Falls, ...

as Paul Snavely *

Arthur Batanides Arthur Batanides (April 9, 1923 – January 10, 2000) was an American film and television actor, originally from Tacoma, Washington. Biography and career He became enamored with acting after performing stand-up routines in front of fellow GIs in ...

as Cortez *

Perry Lopez Perry Lopez (born Julio César Lopez; July 22, 1929 – February 14, 2008) was an American film and television actor. His acting career spanned 40 years. Biography Lopez was born in New York City of Puerto Rican descent. Lopez began his act ...

as Puerco * Bernard Fein as Fat Man * Tol Avery as Lt. Heisen *

Bob Crane Robert Edward Crane (July 13, 1928 – June 29, 1978) was an American actor, drummer, radio personality, and disc jockey known for starring in the CBS situation comedy ''Hogan's Heroes''. Crane was a drummer from age 11, and he began his ente ...

as Ralph Turner

Production

The original title for the film was ''Hell Is for Heroes'', but actor

Steve McQueen Terrence Stephen McQueen (March 24, 1930November 7, 1980) was an American actor. His antihero persona, emphasized during the height of the counterculture of the 1960s, made him a top box-office draw for his films of the late 1950s, 1960s, and 1 ...

demanded that his own contemporaneous project, originally called ''Separation Hill'', be given that name. Edmond O'Brien was furious when studio executive

Martin Rackin Martin Rackin (31 July 1918 – 15 April 1976) was an American writer and producer who was briefly head of production at Paramount Pictures from 1960–64. In the late 1950s he wrote and produced a series of films with actor Alan Ladd. Richa ...

acceded to McQueen's dictate, but, as a leading man and up-and-coming star, McQueen had more clout than O'Brien. Hunter made the film after '' King of Kings''. He later wrote that the film was "experimental ... our script was not the finest by any means. It was the first time I had worked with an actor-director." He said that O'Brien "... being a very strong performer, interprets each character himself; and at times this can be very very helpful, and at other times it can be terribly frustrating, only because the actor likes to feel that he is an individual and not a parrot." However, Hunter thought that O'Brien was "... a good sport, he accepts suggestions, and I think he has all the makings of being a very fine director."

References

External links

* {{IMDb title, id=0055134, title=Man-Trap 1961 films 1961 crime drama films American black-and-white films American crime drama films American heist films American neo-noir films Films based on short fiction Films directed by Edmond O'Brien Films scored by Leith Stevens Films set in California Films set in San Francisco Films shot in San Francisco Paramount Pictures films 1960s English-language films 1960s American films