The Threat

The Threat (1949) is an American film noir directed by Felix E. Feist and starring Charles McGraw. The film features Michael O'Shea, Virginia Grey, Charles McGraw, among others. Homicidal criminal "Red" Kluger (McGraw) busts out of jail, and kidnaps three people who were responsible for his incarceration. The hostages include detective Ray Williams (O'Shea), district attorney Barker MacDonald (Frank Conroy), and nightclub singer Carol (Grey). Klu... more

The Threat (1949) is an American film noir directed by Felix E. Feist and starring Charles McGraw. The film features Michael O'Shea, Virginia Grey, Charles McGraw, among others. Homicidal criminal "Red" Kluger (McGraw) busts out of jail, and kidnaps three people who were responsible for his incarceration. The hostages include detective Ray Williams (O'Shea), district attorney Barker MacDonald (Frank Conroy), and nightclub singer Carol (Grey). Kluger makes no secret of his plans to kill Williams and MacDonald once he's made a getaway. He has other plans for Grey, however, and for a while it seems as though she'll willingly play along with him. When released The New York Times gave the film a positive review, writing, "...[the film is] reasonably well written...[and] Charles McGraw is first-rate as the gravel-voiced, square-jawed, ruthless gangster, while Michael O'Shea, Virginia Grey and Frank Conroy chip in with adequate portrayals of the cop, district attorney and gangster's moll.... less