T-MEN is a slice of film noir that benefits immensely from the direction of Anthony Mann, who crafts what can ably be described as a visual masterpiece. It's a film of shadowy corridors, striking and imposing industrial sets, and grimy streets; foggy and exaggerated, with the look of the characters almost as important as the characters themselves.The story is nothing special, about a couple of treasury agents going undercover in a counterfeiting ring in order to break it up. But this film has style to spare, style that overcomes the shortcomings of the script to offer up something that feels fresh and engaging. The portentous Raymond Chandler-style narration helps a lot, putting this film very much in its era.The first half of the film is a little slow, but things pick up in the second with a series of gripping set-pieces. A sauna is used for incredible atmospheric effect, and a simple street scene where a guy is forced to ignore his own wife is highly suspenseful. Inevitably the best scenes are saved for the shocks and sudden violence of the climax. The cast members give assured turns and in many ways this reminded me of a Japanese Yakuza film; it has that level of appealing toughness to it.

Anthony Mann directed this thriller taken from a real life account of two treasury agents(played by Dennis O'Keefe & Alfred Ryder) who go undercover in a counterfeiting ring in order to bust it up, because it has been using dangerously high-quality paper that could fool the public and undermine the economy. They will learn though, that getting in the gang is one thing, but getting out alive quite another, especially when someone from your past recognizes you... Based on "The Shanghai Paper Case", film contains director Mann's usual flair for telling exciting and dramatic thrillers, giving lesser-known actors a chance to shine in leading parts.

Agents from the Treasury Department go undercover as mobsters to expose a counterfeiting ring. Told in a documentary style that had become popular in late 1940s, this one is a mixed bag. The first third of the film has nearly non-stop voice-over narration, which is quite annoying as the narration is mostly superfluous, seemingly being done for the visually impaired. Once the narrator stops babbling, the film picks up some steam, although it rarely rises above mediocrity despite the crisp film noir cinematography. Mann does a competent job of overcoming the weaknesses in the script, including a chilling murder scene in a steam bath.

T-Men (1947) ** (out of 4) Anthony Mann directed this documentary style look at two government agents trying to bring down a counterfeit ring. On a technical level this film is quite an achievement due in large part to the wonderful B&W cinematography, which really makes you feel like you're going through all the steps with these guys. Mann's direction handles the material quite well but I could never really get involved with the film. The narration really got on my nerves after a while and I think it would have been better without it. The performances are good but overall the film just didn't work for me.