Quicksand [DVD] [1950]

DVD, 79 minutes, IMAGE

Mickey Rooney made Quicksand in an effort to break completely away from his wholesome MGM image, and he succeeded exceptionally well. Independently financed by Rooney's own production company, Quicksand was a quintessential example of film noir, the story of a mechanic who borrows $20 from his garage's register to take a girl out, and finds himself getting ever deeper into trouble, until he's on the run from a murder. This is the kind of movie where even one gentle, kindly character makes the casual observation that "a man takes a lot of killing." That's a long way from MGM, to be sure. Beautifully directed by Irving Pichel, Quicksand manages to be exciting and complex, while also offering a compelling slice-of-life impression of America circa 1949. As an independently made feature, the movie came to television very early and is very familiar to baby boomers, but as a public domain title, has also been degraded by years of inferior 16 mm prints turning up on television and home video. The Roan Group has gotten the best-looking print of Quicksand to surface in decades, filled with beautiful contrasts and depth, and given a film-to-video transfer so careful that even the night shots have all their detail. The one flaw is the audio track, which starts off very weak and anemic and gradually increases in volume to where it ought to be. There is also a supplement with some sketchy information on the production and a cast and credit list; it's not assembled or programmed in the most user-friendly manner, but is understandable. (Note: Disney fans may want to make note of the presence of future head Mouseketeer Jimmy Dodd in this very un-Disney-like film, playing Buzz, the buddy whose failure to pay Rooney's character the $20 that he owes him starts the plot going).