Framed

Glenn Ford plays a down-on-his-luck Joe looking for work. He’s a smart, cynical guy but not above getting conned. He soon falls into a plot involving murder and embezzlement. Ford is top-notch here. The joy on his face, when he thinks he’s landed an honest job that he’s qualified for, is palpable and makes it all the more heartbreaking when he crawls into a bottle after discovering he’s being played for a sucker. It’s wild how close this guy gets to passively being bumped off multiple times. Yet we still root for him as he's a decent fella, and it's a thrill when he finally springs into action. Unfortunately, Janice Carter isn’t a compelling enough femme fatale for many of the plot machinations to fully come across in a satisfying way. But this tight little 82 min noir thriller still packs a punch.