Make no mistake, Cry Vengeance (1954) is one of the greatest film titles ever, even surpassing the classic Cry Danger (often delayed but, like this one, coming from Olive Films in 2014), and the big question is, can the movie possibly live up to its name? Yes, it can and does. It's often just as hard-boiled as its moniker, and any hope or optimism the characters find by the end is not the tacked-on 'We have to soften this up a bit for the Production Code' variety, but is earned and an organic aspect of their journey. Cry Vengeance is tough and gritty just about all the way through to the end.

Actually, the beginning of the film bodes well. The credits are superimposed over aerial footage of the coastal Alaskan town of Ketchikan. So not only do we get cool location shooting--always a highlight for me--we get a unique setting. After seeing the cast list and that great titular word combination again--Cry Vengeance--we are introduced to a few shady characters who reside, apparently living a tranquil existence, in this small Alaskan village. 

Then the movie shifts to San Francisco, where we see star Mark Stevens, as Vic Barron, an ex-cop who is released from San Quentin after receiving what claims was a bum rap. Right away Stevens’ edgy performance takes hold. He's anxious, grim, and determined. What he lacks in physical stature he makes up in attitude. As if the years of imprisonment weren’t bad enough, a car bombing cost Barron his wife, his daughter, and disfigured one side of his face. We see immediately that this scarred (in a literal as well as figurative sense) figure means business.

That business is seeking vengeance by tracking down those responsible for his disgrace and unspeakable personal tragedy. Cry Vengeance follows his progress as he systematically pursues those individuals, making his way through a sympathetic ex-partner who urges him to move on, a series of sources he has to prime for info, and a nasty henchman played with an icy sense of evil by Skip Homeier.

Stevens is perhaps better known for playing no-nonsense authority types and lawmen in films like The Street With No Name (1948), which must have made this role particularly jarring to contemporary audiences. It's not quite a Dick Powell transformation (speaking, as we were earlier, of Cry Danger, which stars a hard-boiled Powell seeking revenge), but this character is darker than your average cop--darker even than your average ex-cop.

At times it’s easy to root for him, but at other times he seems to be going too far. There are uncomfortable moments when he appears to be putting a child in jeopardy in order to reach his ultimate goal. Stevens' palpable unease with himself goes way beyond his acknowledgement of his scarred face. He is consumed by his thirst for revenge in a way that makes him jittery, and that unsettles the audience. Stevens has a habit of twitching his mouth and jaw a little to express that conflict, a nice little touch that helps build the performance.

Stevens is so compelling to watch here, and the role is so juicy, that it shouldn't surprise us that the writer and director of Cry Vengeance is...Mark Stevens! Whether he developed the role for himself or came across the property and seized on the opportunity, he surely was attracted to the emotional complexity of the film, and as a director he does a superb job of showcasing it. Can this disturbed character find satisfaction? Can he actually find redemption? The movie offers suggestions but doesn't spoon-feed them.

Don’t think this is some kind of cerebral art film, though. It’s a thriller first and foremost, and an effective one at that. There is violence, death, and an overall sense of jeopardy. What elevates the film above similar revenge/crime pictures of the era are that nice location shooting, Stevens' searing performance, and an attention to supporting players that creates a well-rounded cast of characters

Besides the aforementioned Homeier, Joan Vohs stands out as Lily, a troubled, alcoholic moll type who struggles with her conscience. As a kind Alaskan local who Stevens meets during his quest, Martha Hyer is appealing and credible as someone who tries to melt or at least soften Vic’s cold resolve. Even a thug played by Douglas Kennedy has much more dimension than we might expect. He’s a caring father to his own young daughter and has some redeeming qualities.

Cry Vengeance is a real revelation, a lesser-known production that packs a real wallop 60 years after its release. I highly recommend it to fans of crime or noir pictures. It really is worthy of its outstanding title.

Rick Brooks is the proprietor of Cultureshark, a blog in which he uses an often irreverent approach to express his reverence for the classics and the un-classics.