Outside the Law *** (1956, Ray Danton, Leigh Snowden, Grant Williams) – Classic Movie Review 13,521

Universal Pictures’ 1956 black and white film noir crime film Outside the Law is directed by Jack Arnold, and stars Ray Danton, Leigh Snowden, Grant Williams and Onslow Stevens.

Director Jack Arnold’s 1956 Universal Pictures American black and white film noir crime film Outside the Law is written by Danny Arnold, based on a story by Peter R Brooke, and stars Ray Danton, Leigh Snowden, Grant Williams, and Onslow Stevens.

Ray Danton stars as John Conrad, a World War Two vet and an ex-juvenile delinquent, who is recruited by his father, US government chief agent Alec Conrad (Onslow Stevens) to help to break up an international gang of counterfeiters working in Germany.

A buddy John Conrad shared a jail cell with and did time in the army with, was in the gang and had been murdered in Germany at the end of the war. John Conrad, still on parole, agrees to go ahead in return for clearing his prison record to wipe his slate clean.

It’s all about father-son relationships. The son is still angry and resentful about his father, and the father is anxious and worrying about his son. The father should be worrying, as sinister gang boss Don Kastner (Grant Williams) and his counterfeiting ring are ruthless to the point of murder. Johnny of course falls for attractive widow Maria Craven (Leigh Snowden), which could put him in further peril.

Director Jack Arnold and cinematographer Irving Glassberg help to make this minor film noir quite compelling, and so does Ray Danton’s star turn, with Onslow Stevens grabblng his chance to shine too.

The cast are Ray Danton as John Conrad, alias Johnny Salvo, Leigh Snowden as Maria Craven, Grant Williams as Don Kastner, Onslow Stevens as Chief Agent Alec Conrad, Raymond Bailey as Philip Bormann, Judson Pratt as Agent Saxon, Jack Kruschen as Agent Pill Schwartz, Floyd Simmons as Agent Harris, Mel Welles as Milo, Alexander Campbell as Warden Lewis, Karen Verne as Mrs Pulenski, Maurice Doner as Mr Pulenski, Jess Kirkpatrick as Bill MacReady, Arthur Hanson as Agent Parker, Richard H Cutting as Agent Pomeroy, George E Mather as Bus Station Attendant, and Amapola Del Vando as Mama Gomez.

Release date: June 1956.

Running time: 81 minutes.

© Derek Winnert 2025 – Classic Movie Review 13,521