Phil Karlson

Phil Karlson (born July 2, 1908, Chicago, Illinois, U.S.—died December 12, 1985, Los Angeles, California) was an American director who was best known for his film noirs of the 1950s.

Early films

While studying law at Loyola Marymount University in California, Karlson took a job at Universal in the props department. He soon focused on a career in Hollywood, and in the early 1930s he became an assistant director, eventually working on more than 35 films. In 1944 he helmed his first feature, the comedy A WAVE, a WAC, and a Marine. For the rest of the decade, Karlson displayed his versatility, making movies in a variety of genres: comedy (G.I. Honeymoon [1945]), musical (Swing Parade of 1946 [1946]), and western (Adventures in Silverado and Thunderhoof [both 1948]). He also made films for several series, including Behind the Mask (1946), which featured the superhero the Shadow, and Dark Alibi (1946), an entry in the Charlie Chan franchise. The musical Ladies of the Chorus (1948) is of historical interest for featuring Marilyn Monroe in her first major role.

Film noirs

In 1952 Karlson directed Scandal Sheet, a film noir based on Samuel Fuller’s novel The Dark Page. The taut thriller, which centres on a newspaper editor (played by Broderick Crawford) who accidentally kills his estranged wife, is the first in which Karlson’s signature style is fully realized. Kansas City Confidential (1952) was another effective noir, with John Payne well cast as an ex-convict seeking retribution after nearly being framed for an armed robbery. The film was known particularly for its brutality, and it later developed a cult following. Payne also starred in the violent 99 River Street (1953), this time portraying a former prizefighter who becomes the prime suspect in his wife’s murder. Karlson briefly took a break from noirs to make the western They Rode West (1954) and Hell’s Island (1955), an adventure starring Payne as a down-on-his-luck bouncer who is hired to find an elusive jewel.

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Karlson returned to crime dramas with Tight Spot (1955), which marked the first time the director had a top-name cast: Ginger Rogers portrayed a former moll serving a prison term, and Edward G. Robinson was the attorney offering her freedom in exchange for her testimony against a gangster. Even better was 5 Against the House (1955), a skillfully made heist picture (based on a novel by Jack Finney) about college students who try to rob a Reno nightclub. Karlson completed 1955, arguably his finest year for films, with The Phenix City Story, a two-fisted exposé of corruption in an Alabama town that was inspired by true events. The movie, which was shot on location, featured Richard Kiley as a crusading lawyer who seeks justice following his father’s murder. The Brothers Rico (1957), based on a story by Georges Simenon, was another superlative crime drama, with Richard Conte as an accountant trying to protect his gangster brothers who have been targeted for murder. Karlson ended the decade with Gunman’s Walk (1958), a western starring Van Heflin as a rancher having problems with his sons (played by James Darren and Tab Hunter).

Later films

In 1960 Karlson directed his first war film, the solid Hell to Eternity, which was based on the story of World War II hero Guy Gabaldon. The crime drama Key Witness (1960) featured Dennis Hopper as a gang leader, and the spy adventure The Secret Ways (1961) starred Richard Widmark as an American mercenary hired to smuggle a famous scholar out of Hungary following the country’s 1956 revolution. Karlson continued to explore new genres with The Young Doctors (1961), a medical soap opera based on a popular novel by Arthur Hailey; it starred Fredric March, Ben Gazzara, Dick Clark, and George Segal (in his screen debut). Next came Kid Galahad (1962), an Elvis Presley musical.

The adventure drama Rampage (1963) failed to find an audience, although Robert Mitchum gave a strong performance as a big-game hunter. Karlson had greater success with The Silencers (1966), the first—and arguably finest—of the Matt Helm spy spoofs. Dean Martin was at his self-assured best as the resourceful Helm. Although there were three sequels, Karlson made only The Wrecking Crew (1968), the final entry in the series. The rodent thriller Ben (1972) was a follow-up to the surprise hit Willard (1971), directed by Daniel Mann, though it is perhaps best remembered for the theme song by Michael Jackson. After a string of largely forgettable films, Karlson found box-office success with Walking Tall (1973). The sleeper hit was based on the crusade of real-life sheriff Buford Pusser (played by Joe Don Baker) to clean up his corrupt Tennessee town using any means necessary. Karlson reteamed with Baker on Framed (1975), in which a gambler seeks revenge against the crooked cops who sent him to prison on a trumped-up charge. It was Karlson’s last film, and he subsequently retired.