Based on the radio program by J. Donald Wilson, The Whistler is a very economical and fun little noir from director William Castle. He wasn't yet the William Castle that we know and love as the master salesman, this was very near the start of his feature directorial career, but he certainly already knew how to deliver thrills to an audience. It helps that the runtime just about nudges right up against the one hour mark, making everything feel more urgent and fast-paced.
Earl C. Conrad (Richard Dix) is seen arranging for a hit man at the start of the movie. It soon becomes apparent that the target is himself. He remains grief-stricken after the loss of his wife. Things change, however, when he receives news that his wife may actually still be alive. It should just be a case of calling off the hit, letting those who arranged it keep the money, and getting on with a happier life ahead. The middle man is no longer available though, having been caught in a shootout with police just after arranging the hit. Conrad needs to find out who the killer is, and he then needs to convince him that the job is no longer going ahead.
Despite the framing device (The Whistler is an unseen character who comments on the events like some omniscient figure who enjoys being caretaker of some kind of criminal Twilight Zone), which feels strangely redundant, The Whistler is essentially everything you could want from an enjoyably basic and cheap noir. It's a solid premise, one we've seen many times (sometimes with slight variations to the methodology, of course), the cast are all working well enough with the material, and Castle does his utmost to put his stamp on everything. Everything is dark and slightly askew, a nightmare landscape that our lead character seems unable to escape.
Dix is decent enough, and we can stick with him as the hero because we're given clear motivation for his initial decision and subsequent turnaround (hey, isn't love always the most noble of motivators? or maybe that is just too cheesy for us noir fans to keep in mind). J. Carrol Naish is a suitably focused and dangerous killer, and it's obvious from early on that he won't be easily swayed to drop a job that he's already been paid for. The cast also includes Alan Dinehart (as Gorman, a friend of the killer), Gloria Stuart (a concerned secretary/friend named Alice), Charles Coleman (a loyal butler), Don Costello (the middle-man), and Joan Woodbury (a widow searching for some information that she might get from Conrad).
I can see why this would work better on the radio, despite being a decent little feature, but I got to the end of this film and wondered why we needed The Whistler to be part of the whole thing. Of course, that name allowed this one film to start off a series of eight features, which I'll definitely check out some time (especially as I now own them all). Maybe later instalments will allow The Whistler to play a more integral part in the proceedings. Or maybe not. I'll have to wait and see.
6/10
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