The first clue that perhaps Southside 1-1000 (1950) isn't going to be as hard-boiled as I want it to be comes right after the opening credits, when announcer Gerald Mohr gives us a 4- or 5-minute lecture on the contemporary globo-economic outlook and the need for the Secret Service. Talking about the big conflicts troubling the world at the time—you know, East versus West, Freedom vs. Totalitarianism, Quisp versus Quake--he tells us that behind all the big weapons like tanks, planes, et cetera, is the most powerful weapon of all: The American dollar. I pause here to let you get it out of your system and remind you that was not at all supposed to be a laugh line in 1950. First of all, I am not a fan of the semi-documentary style of filmmaking that often relies heavily on an intrusive narration track by a faceless announcer. Second, I don’t particularly want or need an Econ 101 presentation opening my noir, unless it consists of a muscle-bound goon grabbing some patsy by the collar and growling, 'Look, you pay back dat money, or I'm-a gonna take dis fist and introduce it to dat nose.” So, no, Southside 1-1000, despite its noir billing, is not as gritty as its cool poster and box cover art, its authoritative title sequence, nor even its striking title. However, it is a fine crime film that offers some dark touches and notable scenes while entertaining us for a full 80 minutes. Don Defore is a T-Man--that's treasury agent to the unhip--who investigates a counterfeiting operation by going undercover. Now, Defore has played a cad very well in other films, but it's still a kick to see his straight-laced Fed try to blend into the underworld as a rogue. Something just seems off about it, but then again, he IS playing a character who is himself putting on a performance. For just a hint of the wilder side we all know lurks inside Mr. Baxter, check out the way he adjusts his tie after scoring a hot date with a comely hotel manager (Andrea King, who is definitely as alluring as the role requires here). It's a small moment but also an amusing little reveal that, hey, you know what? This undercover work ain't so bad after all. Defore's efforts take him down some crooked paths and culminate in some pretty good action and a wild finale. The twists are predictable but executed well enough, and the story does move once it gets going and (mostly) discards that narration. Furthermore, several standout scenes give Southside a little something extra. (Mild spoiler alert): In one memorable segment, thuggish mob man George Tobias proves his value as a supporting cast member (and as a mob man, I guess) by tossing a rather sniveling 'colleague' (Barry Kelley, also excellent here as a weaselly businessman who gets in over his head) out a high window. The toss itself is striking enough, but Tobias adds a great touch immediately afterward by picking up the guy's hat and casually flipping it away with a disdainful look at his partner. In another scene, Defore, having arranged to purchase some of the funny money, is summoned to meet the head honcho of the counterfeiting operation at an empty baseball stadium, which I assume is L.A.'s old Wrigley Field. The deserted public arena takes on an almost sinister appearance in this circumstance, and director Boris Ingster stages the meeting well. The moment gives us the same apprehension of the unknown that Defore's character feels. It's also a good example of the effective cinematography we see throughout the movie. Ingster and cinematographer Russell Harlan make good use of exterior and location shooting, a technique that opens the story up and also adds some spice to the basic undercover agent versus criminals plot. Southside wears its 79 minutes well. I wouldn't put it on the same level as some of the classic Anthony Mann/John Alton noir collaborations such as T-Men and Raw Deal, but it rates a look and maybe even a spot in that conversation. This is an underrated gem of a crime film that offers more than enough for fans of the genre to dig into and enjoy. Viewers should be warned, however, that one final inappropriate addition rips you back out of the noirish mood you may settle into: An incongruous closing theme that bounces over the end credits. If there is one thing a noir song should not be, it's jaunty. Fortunately, Southside 1-1000 has plenty of darkness to make up for its opening and closing missteps. 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.