This was only the second film directed by Joseph Pevney, and although it was made on the same old B picture shoe string which made the rounds of the footwear of every B producer, it is good sturdy stuff. Alexis Smith does an excellent job of portraying the lead character, revealing several different sides to the character with equal conviction. She can be soft, she can be tough, she can be nondescript, she can be glamorous. So she is very chameleon-like, and it works. Her two love interests are Scott Brady and Richard Egan, both convincing. The film is strengthened by the brief but reassuring presence of Connie Gilchrist as Sadie, who may have a small part but she adds fibre to the diet. Gerald Mohr is there, a smoothie psycho gangster, just the sort of guy we don't want to meet. And this film marked the film debut of the extraordinary character actor Royal Dano. He plays a loser 'groupie' to some gangsters, and of course after playing with fire gets seriously burned. We really worry about him as he whines his way from crisis to crisis. He has that lean, tormented look of a starving hound dog, and wears a wonderful garish tie with a naked girl on it, which he hopes makes him look tough. Edmon Ryan is interesting as a crooked doctor wracked with remorse, oscillating between killing people and wanting to be a good dad and renew his Hippocratic oath. The film is surprisingly robust, and it holds one's attention well. Will the undercover girl get the guys who killed her pa? Or will they get her first? This is a surprisingly early film about drug-dealers. Any undercover cop seeing it must get the shivers when he hears the line, delivered ominously: 'Nobody in Chicago knows you.' Watch out! Your alibi is unravelling! Yes, it has its nervous moments. Undercover work is best watched on the screen, far preferable to undertaking it in real life, dontchathink?
7 Reviews
Second movie by Jo Pevney
happytrigger-64-39051728 November 2020
Undercover Girl is the second noir movie directed by Joseph Pevney after the interesting Shakedown. A policeman is killed and his policewoman daughter (Alexis Smith) searches for the killer and his drug organisation, she meets all kind of weird and deranged people, the best being Royal Dano really creepy as a desperate wolf looking for a nasty thing to do, crawling along walls with his tie with a naked girl (he makes me think of Jack Elam we see in another script writer Harry Essex noir title, Kansas City Confidential). The all cast is great, giving an anguishing atmosphere to this too rare movie.
Enjoyable and better than just a time-passer.
planktonrules29 March 2024
A cop has taken money from mobsters, though he now has second thoughts and decides instead to arrest these drug dealers. But they get the drop on him...killing him instead. A short time later, a cop approaches a policewoman candidate, Christine Miller (Alexis Smith) to inform her that her father was the man who had been killed and he needs help to figure out who was responsible. She agrees to leave her department to come to work with him on exposing the killers. This will mean her going under cover and pretending to be a crook looking to make a big drug deal and the hope is that as she works her way up through the gang that they'll find out who is in charge...and who killed her dad.
The best thing about this film is that it doesn't resort to the usual cliches and is a well made tale. Not exactly brilliant but still quite enjoyable and worth your time.
The best thing about this film is that it doesn't resort to the usual cliches and is a well made tale. Not exactly brilliant but still quite enjoyable and worth your time.
Groundbreaking and Significant
dmatthewbarnes51220 August 2023
This intense and captivating film noir from 1950 feels groundbreaking and significant and deserving of noteworthy acclaim, which unfairly it hasn't received. While watching this remarkable film, I couldn't help but be keenly aware of how ahead of its time Undercover Girl is, not just for its content but cinematically. The story follows a female police officer named Christine Miller (played with mesmerizing brilliance by Alexis Smith in a career-best performance), who is determined to avenge the murder of her father by going undercover to take down the narcotics ring responsible for his death. In so many ways, this feels like a fantastic precursor for Police Woman, Cagney and Lacey, and even Law and Order: Special Victims Unit. Yet, the gender of our main character is not the only celebratory element: this is a damn good movie from start to finish. Giving Alexis Smith terrific on-screen support is Royal Dano in a complex role (his movie debut nonetheless) with which the very talented actor gains the audience's sympathy - something tough to do for a desperate low rent character. Director Joseph Pevney (who would continue to helm films with strong female leads including Because of You with Loretta Young and Female on the Beach with Joan Crawford) knows how to hold his audience in a permanent state of suspense, masterfully creating a level of nail-biting intensity, evident in the last riveting ten minutes of this taut thriller (you'll be on the edge of your seat cheering our tough and clever heroine on). There's much to admire about this hugely underrated cinematic gem: from breaking gender norms (a woman on the screen who has a dangerous job and isn't relegated to housework and cocktail serving to her overworked husband) to being one of the best crime films made, Undercover Girl deserves far better glory and a lot of respect.
A classic film noir, but rare.
searchanddestroy-16 April 2008
Warning: Spoilers
The classic story of a revenge. Here, a young woman - Alexis Smith - seeks the murderers of her father, a cop.
So, the dead heat's colleagues suggest that the daughter infiltrates the drug dealers' ring responsible of the crime. Undercover job.
No great surprises in this little flick. Note the first appearance of Royal Dano in a movie. A poor henchman, looking like a crow, with his rat face. A bad guy, a disgusting character.
Geral Mohr is, of course, the worst of the villains. The leading man of the gang.
Scott Brady is the cop in love with Alexis Smith.
Not a bad thriller. Catch it if you can. Good luck for it !!!
So, the dead heat's colleagues suggest that the daughter infiltrates the drug dealers' ring responsible of the crime. Undercover job.
No great surprises in this little flick. Note the first appearance of Royal Dano in a movie. A poor henchman, looking like a crow, with his rat face. A bad guy, a disgusting character.
Geral Mohr is, of course, the worst of the villains. The leading man of the gang.
Scott Brady is the cop in love with Alexis Smith.
Not a bad thriller. Catch it if you can. Good luck for it !!!
Like A Thousand Others
boblipton8 July 2023
Cop Regis Toomey returns the ten grand to Gerald Mohr and arrests him. In return, Mohr kills him. Some time later, police lieutenant Scott Brady wants Alexis Smith, Toomey's daughter to help him crack open a drug ring and clear the whispers about her father. She goes undercover on a path to leads to doctor Edmon Ryan.
It's a melodramatic and foolish movie, one I never found very engrossing, although Royal Dano, in his movie debut, gives a fine performance as an obvious hophead who's always looking for a score of any sort. There's nothing obviously wrong about any of it, except that everyone's motivations get in the way of any sort of accomplishment, from Ryan's lust for Miss Smith, to Miss Smith's quest for vengeance against whoever it was that killed her father, to Brady's lust for Miss Smith. It makes one admire Mohr, who at least knows what he's in the dirty business for. Neither is the dialogue ever particularly surprising. Cinematographer Carl Guthrie gets in some nice compositions, but they're not enough to lift this out of the ordinary.
It's a melodramatic and foolish movie, one I never found very engrossing, although Royal Dano, in his movie debut, gives a fine performance as an obvious hophead who's always looking for a score of any sort. There's nothing obviously wrong about any of it, except that everyone's motivations get in the way of any sort of accomplishment, from Ryan's lust for Miss Smith, to Miss Smith's quest for vengeance against whoever it was that killed her father, to Brady's lust for Miss Smith. It makes one admire Mohr, who at least knows what he's in the dirty business for. Neither is the dialogue ever particularly surprising. Cinematographer Carl Guthrie gets in some nice compositions, but they're not enough to lift this out of the ordinary.
Well paced Film Noir
gordonl563 May 2015
Warning: Spoilers
UNDERCOVER GIRL – 1950
This Universal Studios, upper end B film, stars Scott Brady, Alexis Smith, Royal Dano, Angela Clarke and Richard Egan. This was the second feature helmed by actor turned director, Joseph Pevney. The story was supplied by Harry Essex whose work includes, DESPERATE, THE KILLER THAT STALKED NEW YORK, THE FAT MAN, BODYGUARD, I THE JURY and KANSAS CITY CONFIDENTIAL.
This one starts out in Los Angeles where a Police informant is badly wounded in a vicious knife attack. Before he bites it, the informant tells his Police Detective contact, Scott Brady, there is a large shipment of drugs coming to town. The shipment is arriving from New York. He also manages to whisper there is a crooked New York cop involved.
As this is going on in LA, back on the east coast, Police Detective Regis Toomey, the crooked cop, has had a change of heart. Toomey has a meeting with mobster, Gerald Mohr about the 10 large he took to look the other way. He tosses the cash back at Mohr and tells him he is taking him in. This does not go well for Toomey. A henchman of Mohr puts the kibosh on Toomey.
Now we meet Alexis Smith, Smith is a trainee with the NYPD following in her father's footsteps. She takes Toomey's murder hard and redoubles her efforts to make the force.
LA cop Brady is soon in New York to see if he can uncover anything about the drug shipment. Smith does not believe Brady that her father might have been a bent copper. She offers to help out Brady. Brady takes her up on the offer. He will send her in as an undercover type back in LA.
It is back to LA to fill in Smith on her new identity etc. They hook Smith up with an old time gangster's moll, Gladys George. George is pumped by Smith for every bit of info she can get. This will help establish Smith's criminal "bona fides" for her new identity. She is to play a buyer for a drug ring in Chicago.
Several weeks of studying are needed before Smith can be inserted into the local criminal crowd. Smith is put up in a downtown rooming house next door to Angela Clarke. Clarke is the former dolly of low level underworld type, Royal Dano. Clarke is a drunk always looking for a bottle. A few words in her ear from Smith, and a promise of some cash, soon does the trick.
Dano shows up at Clarke's apartment in a less than happy state. He is not amused that Clarke has set up the meeting with an out of town type. Clarke gets slapped around, then, shoved out the 3rd floor window. Dano beats the feet out and right into Miss Smith. She points to a back way out of the building.
Smith fills in Brady on the night's events. Brady thinks the case is far too dangerous to continue, but Smith still wants revenge for her father's murder. She tracks down Dano and convinces him to introduce her to someone higher up the drug food chain. A promise of 1000 bucks quickly has Dano on side.
Miss Smith is soon shown into the office of a doctor. The man, Edom Ryan, has a sideline selling heroin. Ryan actually works for the same mobster, Mohr, who killed Toomey in New York. Keeping an eye on Doc Ryan is, "mad as a hatter" gunsel, Harry Landers. Also on Mohr's payroll is Lynn Ainley.
Before Ryan agrees to any transaction, he needs to check out Smith's identification etc. Smith knows all the proper answers to the right questions, and is bumped up the line. She meets the boss, Mohr. A deal is quickly arranged for a substantial amount of product for an equally substantial pile of cash.
Now of course the flies start to roost in the ointment. Miss Smith runs into her former beau from New York, Richard Egan. He blows her cover in front of Dano. Dano, an enterprising bottom feeder if ever there was one, decides to blackmail Policewoman Smith. Five large or he turns her over to Mohr. He gives a time and place to Smith for the exchange.
Smith is swiftly on the horn to Brady about her ex, Egan, and swine, Dano. Brady arranges for Dano to be grabbed up. Egan is also grabbed at his hotel and the situation explained to him. Dano however sees the cops arrive at the meet and hotfoots it away.
Dano pays a visit to the Doctor, Edom Ryan. He explains that Smith is a Police plant and Ryan should inform Mohr. Ryan though has taken a shine to pretty Smith. He gives Dano a large brandy. Of course it is really a mickey finn. He then has Dano disposed of by one of Mohr's thugs. He intends to say nothing about what Dano told him.
Smith now shows to close the deal. Ryan, Smith and gunsel Landers head to the old empty rundown hotel for the buy. Brady and the cops follow. The sale goes sideways as Mohr hears from another source that Smith is a cop.
Guns are pulled and used. Brady and the Police rush the place and join in the lead exchange. Ryan and gunman, Landers are soon suffering from a low blood count. Smith and Mohr are upstairs doing a bit of cat and mouse. Smith gets the drop on Mohr but is stopped by Brady from killing the swine. It is a date with the rope for Mohr anyways.
This was director Pevney's second foray into noir territory after the equally entertaining, SHAKEDOWN. He hits the mark all the way through. Royal Dano is perfectly cast here as the low life grifter type.
This Universal Studios, upper end B film, stars Scott Brady, Alexis Smith, Royal Dano, Angela Clarke and Richard Egan. This was the second feature helmed by actor turned director, Joseph Pevney. The story was supplied by Harry Essex whose work includes, DESPERATE, THE KILLER THAT STALKED NEW YORK, THE FAT MAN, BODYGUARD, I THE JURY and KANSAS CITY CONFIDENTIAL.
This one starts out in Los Angeles where a Police informant is badly wounded in a vicious knife attack. Before he bites it, the informant tells his Police Detective contact, Scott Brady, there is a large shipment of drugs coming to town. The shipment is arriving from New York. He also manages to whisper there is a crooked New York cop involved.
As this is going on in LA, back on the east coast, Police Detective Regis Toomey, the crooked cop, has had a change of heart. Toomey has a meeting with mobster, Gerald Mohr about the 10 large he took to look the other way. He tosses the cash back at Mohr and tells him he is taking him in. This does not go well for Toomey. A henchman of Mohr puts the kibosh on Toomey.
Now we meet Alexis Smith, Smith is a trainee with the NYPD following in her father's footsteps. She takes Toomey's murder hard and redoubles her efforts to make the force.
LA cop Brady is soon in New York to see if he can uncover anything about the drug shipment. Smith does not believe Brady that her father might have been a bent copper. She offers to help out Brady. Brady takes her up on the offer. He will send her in as an undercover type back in LA.
It is back to LA to fill in Smith on her new identity etc. They hook Smith up with an old time gangster's moll, Gladys George. George is pumped by Smith for every bit of info she can get. This will help establish Smith's criminal "bona fides" for her new identity. She is to play a buyer for a drug ring in Chicago.
Several weeks of studying are needed before Smith can be inserted into the local criminal crowd. Smith is put up in a downtown rooming house next door to Angela Clarke. Clarke is the former dolly of low level underworld type, Royal Dano. Clarke is a drunk always looking for a bottle. A few words in her ear from Smith, and a promise of some cash, soon does the trick.
Dano shows up at Clarke's apartment in a less than happy state. He is not amused that Clarke has set up the meeting with an out of town type. Clarke gets slapped around, then, shoved out the 3rd floor window. Dano beats the feet out and right into Miss Smith. She points to a back way out of the building.
Smith fills in Brady on the night's events. Brady thinks the case is far too dangerous to continue, but Smith still wants revenge for her father's murder. She tracks down Dano and convinces him to introduce her to someone higher up the drug food chain. A promise of 1000 bucks quickly has Dano on side.
Miss Smith is soon shown into the office of a doctor. The man, Edom Ryan, has a sideline selling heroin. Ryan actually works for the same mobster, Mohr, who killed Toomey in New York. Keeping an eye on Doc Ryan is, "mad as a hatter" gunsel, Harry Landers. Also on Mohr's payroll is Lynn Ainley.
Before Ryan agrees to any transaction, he needs to check out Smith's identification etc. Smith knows all the proper answers to the right questions, and is bumped up the line. She meets the boss, Mohr. A deal is quickly arranged for a substantial amount of product for an equally substantial pile of cash.
Now of course the flies start to roost in the ointment. Miss Smith runs into her former beau from New York, Richard Egan. He blows her cover in front of Dano. Dano, an enterprising bottom feeder if ever there was one, decides to blackmail Policewoman Smith. Five large or he turns her over to Mohr. He gives a time and place to Smith for the exchange.
Smith is swiftly on the horn to Brady about her ex, Egan, and swine, Dano. Brady arranges for Dano to be grabbed up. Egan is also grabbed at his hotel and the situation explained to him. Dano however sees the cops arrive at the meet and hotfoots it away.
Dano pays a visit to the Doctor, Edom Ryan. He explains that Smith is a Police plant and Ryan should inform Mohr. Ryan though has taken a shine to pretty Smith. He gives Dano a large brandy. Of course it is really a mickey finn. He then has Dano disposed of by one of Mohr's thugs. He intends to say nothing about what Dano told him.
Smith now shows to close the deal. Ryan, Smith and gunsel Landers head to the old empty rundown hotel for the buy. Brady and the cops follow. The sale goes sideways as Mohr hears from another source that Smith is a cop.
Guns are pulled and used. Brady and the Police rush the place and join in the lead exchange. Ryan and gunman, Landers are soon suffering from a low blood count. Smith and Mohr are upstairs doing a bit of cat and mouse. Smith gets the drop on Mohr but is stopped by Brady from killing the swine. It is a date with the rope for Mohr anyways.
This was director Pevney's second foray into noir territory after the equally entertaining, SHAKEDOWN. He hits the mark all the way through. Royal Dano is perfectly cast here as the low life grifter type.
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