mystery street
Jan 31 movie: Mystery Street. Nice little detective movie starring Ricardo Montalban. Have I ever mentioned how much I love Ricardo Montalban? I really do. The later, campy, "KHANNNNNN!" stuff is tons of fun, but I most enjoy his early, serious film work.
No big stars in this B movie, but it's worth watching for a couple of reasons: first, the plot is largely a forensic/procedural mystery, with a Harvard medical examiner helping Montalban find clues to the crime. That's pretty common now, what with CSI (and Quincy!), but unusual fifty years ago.
Second, the racial implications of Montalban as a detective are nicely understated, and not at all patronizing (unlike the subplot about the African American who wants to be a lawyer in In This Our Life). I think it's only even mentioned explicitly once, when an arrogant suspect comments on Montalban's accent, brags about his own position as a pillar of the community, then says "I'm used to being treated with respect." Montalban calmly replies, "So am I!" I expected the movie to be about Montalban overcoming prejudice, but it's actually about him solving a crime. I read an interview once in which Montalban expressed frustration at Hollywood for using him as a sort of "generic ethnic" (Portuguese in this film), and pride at never having played a role that was demeaning. I imagine that must have limited his choice of parts.
