WITHOUT WARNING (1952) Directed By Arnold Laven
Dark Sky Films DVD
THE FILM
A mad gardener that disposes of blonde bombshells with his pet cutting shears?! Sounds like a no-nonsense slasher from '82. The no-nonsense part is spot on. The other assumption is about thirty years too late; believe me, we're better off for it.
According to Dark Sky's box copy, Without Warning is "...one of the missing pieces in the shadowy world of American Film Noir." Since I'm only familiar with noir in its book form, I'll have to take their word for it. Confidentially, I could name the number of film noirs I've seen on one hand; I've never been a big fan of the genre. Going in, I was unsure...timid, even. Then it happened. After the first five minutes, Without Warning grabbed me by the neck. I was unknowingly sucked in. From the Hollywood gutters to the rural sunshine, the sweat poured and I couldn't peel my eyes away from the screen. If that isn't a testament to a film's potency, I don't know what is. Care for a smoke?
Carl Martin has issues. In order to suppress his ex-wifey demons, Carl (the effective Adam Williams) takes to the Los Angeles streets in search of stacked blondes. When he finds 'em, the cigarettes light up and his gardening shears come down. A narrator even tells us so. The cops are baffled, but clues begin to pile up. By day, Carl holds down his gardening job, as if nothing has happened. We jump between fascinating forensic insight and Carl's unhinged life. When his local supplier's daughter Jane (a blondie, no doubt) lands in town for a spot, C.M. gets sloppy. In his growing obsession with Jane, our two likable coppers begin to close in on Carl...will he seal the deal with Jane before the police seal the track down?
If that sounds a little straight forward, you're right. It is. Without Warning sticks to the basics. The film's success lies in how it delivers those basics with tight expertise. The direction by later TV vet Arnold Laven (ChiPS! Gunsmoke! Tons of others!) is refreshing in that it pushes for fresh shots, but never goes overboard, especially for the early 50s. Cinematography from Joseph Biroc follows suit. Handheld placement switches seats with invasive close shots at the drop of a hat, making the onscreen heat pulse like crazy. And what a heat it is. In addition to everything you'd expect from a seedy Hollywood crime thriller (smoky bars, cruddy killer hideout, nifty landmarks galore), we have Adam Williams pulling the whole thing together with an unsettling intensity. The script follows up with even pacing and a welcome focus on what counts most: the constant runaround between Carl, the fuzz, and Jane's unwitting involvement in the whole thing. Obviously, the film never gets too explicit, but the nature of the killings, combined with the authentic police hijinks, place the whole thing squarely in Jim Thompson-ville.
A kind of The Town That Dreaded Sundown with less ballyhoo and an obvious 50s slant, Without Warning caught me way off guard. When that happens, I look at it as a lucky bit of good fortune and crack a smile. You can't ask for more than that.
AUDIO AND VIDEO
Presented in its original 1.33:1 aspect ratio, the film looks fantastic, especially given its "lost" status for so many years. The print is like having grayscale 20/20 vision; thoroughly clear and filled with blacks as dark as night. There's a bit of film noise now and again, which I wouldn't trade for the world. A slight jump cut popped up right around the hour mark. No compression artifacts were evident and the mono sound was loud and clear without being too tweaked. Overall, excellent.
EXTRAS
There's a brief still gallery comprised of original lobby cards and posters, as well as optional English subtitles.
FINAL THOUGHTS
Regardless of your familiarity with Film Noir, Without Warning is a surprisingly strong 50s remnant that delivers the goods. If the film sounds even halfway decent to you, don't put it on the backburner.
— Joseph A. Ziemba, 08.25.05 | 
Not cutting a rug
S-side slays
Hits the sauce
Handiwork
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