The Big Heat (1953)

Robust, exciting film noir wherein granite-jawed good cop Glenn Ford takes on an entire crime syndicate by himself, just because he can. (His wife's murder probably helped with the motivation.) Fritz Lang contributes some striking direction to this tale, which by this time must have seemed a bit familiar. The first half-hour is a bit rough, but once that car blows up the film cuts loose. Surprisingly strong violence for its time, too (the hot-coffee scene is justly infamous). Lee Marvin is one scary motherfucker.

Grade: B+