This crime drama directed by Phil Karlson has elements of comedy. Street-smart Sherry Conley(Ginger Rogers)is a gangster's moll that makes the best of being put in a tight spot. U.S. District Attorney Hallett(Edward G. Robinson)has Miss Conley temporarily released from prison to get some testimony for the upcoming trial of her boyfriend Ben Costain(Lorne Greene). Sherry finds herself put up in a swanky hotel with room service and Hallett tries to pressure her for just a bit of information, but she has smart quips and a healthy appetite. The D.A. has a cynical Detective Striker(Brian Keith)pull guard duty as Miss Conley has a few attempts on her life. Striker is so attentive, Sherry is smitten.Rounding out the cast of this Columbia Pictures Film-Noir: Peter Leeds, Katherine Anderson, Doye O'Dell and Lucy Marlow.

On paper, there is not much here to see. No great sets, locations or costumes or tricky camera work, no intricate plot, no high drama. The start shows a still trim Ginger Rogers (at 43) with a very unflattering haircut and one would be forgiven for not being optimistic about how this will roll out. However, the day is saved by Rogers who shows good skill creating many light moments to go with the dark ones without confusing the issue. She brings nuance, depth and variety to her central role. This is her movie. If you are not able to appreciate what she does here, then there is little point in watching because the plot material is just not that interesting. It is a story but nothing you haven't seen before and better. Shame about that haircut but given what the character was, it probably fit the role. The rest of the smallish cast also makes the most of the script. Edward G Robinson does not have much to do but he delivers it convincingly. Lorne Greene also has very conventional and predictable lines but he nonetheless succeeds in being suitably menacing. Brian Keith has a more subtle conflicted role that ultimately creates the tension and what suspense we do get.

I saw this movie years ago and remembered it as quite good. Boy, how memories can deceive you! Right from the kickoff i didn't buy Ginger Rogers as having ever been in a police station, never mind a prison. Her tough gal act is totally phony and hokey. Besides that, she talks, and talks and talks some more.......she never quits yapping for more than three seconds. She doesn't just chew the scenery, she devours the entire set. The other actors look on forlornly, and the cop protecting her looks as though he'd rather blast some holes in her. I can sympathize with that sentiment. And poor Edward G. Robinson is totally wasted here. I love Ginger Rogers in the right kind of movies: musicals or comedies were her forte, but this is a casting disaster and a total star ego trip. So unless you absolutely want to see every movie she's ever been in, i'd give it a miss. I wish i had.

Phil Karlson, that auteur of the tight little b/w crime film, misses the boat with this one. I am probably going against many of the reviewers on these boards but I just didn't see much to like here.Ginger Rogers who could act (and obviously dance)was usually an asset to any film in which she appeared. She is so damn annoying in this role as the tough-talking jailbird and former girlfriend of a famous crime boss, that I hoped they would succeed in killing her off before she got to testify at the trial. She talks and talks and talks, ad infinitum and is just a little too "tough" to be believed. The claustrophobic setting in a single hotel room didn't help. You just couldn't escape that voice. However, I'll admit she looked great and she was coming up on 50 years of age Edward G Robinson, who never gave a bad performance, again wove his magic as the DA determined to get Ginger to the stand. Brian Keith, gets a passing grade for his appropriately named cop.....Vince Striker. Lorne Greene, as the mob boss, is surprisingly menacing and is a long way from Pa Cartwright.This isn't a bad film but it's not a good film. If it weren't for the stars, it would fall into the "B" category. That's not always bad since there are some fantastic movies in that category. This would not have been one of them.