Rent The Sniper (1952)

Crime Picture. - The Sniper review by Steve

Sleazy exploitation thriller about a psychotic serial killer who is murdering random young women in San Francisco. It's all shot on location which gives a potent impression of realism, and the character of a police psychiatrist is on hand to explain the sexual motivation of the homicidal loner. There is some editorial content which advocates more progressive policing.

The same arguments were made going back to the precode era; but no one ever wants to pay tax. And we're still there now, especially regarding violence against women. Aside from the dated psychological content, this is a really exciting manhunt with the 'Frisco police hapless in pursuit of the anonymous maniac while public panic is stirred up by the idiotic news agenda.

It's all deliriously trashy and influenced low budget thrillers for a decade. In 1952 Arthur Franz was exclusively a B actor but he is mesmeric in the title role. The supporting cast of cops are in his shadow, though Richard Kiley is engaging as the crime shrink. Marie Windsor gives the investigation some convenient glamour as a night club singer/murder victim.

It was the first Hollywood film by Edward Dmytryk following imprisonment for alleged communism, and he gives it style without slowing the action. The final tracking shot which ends in a close up of the captive killer is a knockout. There's a procedural docu-noir approach and plenty is made of its social significance, but it's just a sensational, scuzzy crime picture.