by Bluestem
January, 1953, Los Angeles, California.
On a busy street in the heart of the city, Billy York runs into Kent Randall, a high school classmate whom he hasn’t seen in many years. After briefly catching up, Kent invites Billy to join him for dinner that night so they can continue their conversation in a more comfortable environment.
Charming, handsome, and outgoing, Kent was part of the popular set at school that never paid the shy and insecure Billy any attention. Over the next few weeks, Billy is surprised and flattered that Kent invites him to join him at parties, the country club, the horse races, and even long rides in his convertible along the California coast. Often they are accompanied by the beautiful and alluring Connie Dupre. It’s not clear to Billy that Connie is Kent’s girlfriend and he doesn’t ask. He falls in love with her at first sight.
Unbeknownst to Billy, Kent has an impressive rap sheet and is fresh off of a brief stint in jail for an attempted robbery. He and his three partners-in-crime, Vincent “Polpette” Calasso, Stan Ferrell and Danny Ricci were released on bond. They have no intention of risking lengthy incarceration.
The initial meeting on the street appears to be random, but in reality, Kent sought out Billy because he is the night manager and accountant at a hot nightclub called The Back Pedal Room. Located in a quiet, isolated area at the outskirts of Los Angeles, it’s the ideal place for a heist that promises to yield high dividends. Kent and his gang are planning to clean out the safe at the nightclub and Billy is both their ticket in and the patsy who will take the fall.
Billy secretly nurtures a hope that he has a chance with Connie. It’s obvious to anyone who sees him with her that he would do anything she’d ask. This is a weakness that Kent and Connie have every intention of exploiting to their advantage.
Over several months, Kent continues to woo Billy and eventually Kent reveals his plans for a theft that would net them enough money to live carefree for the rest of their lives. Billy resists, but Connie works her charm on him and is able to convince Billy that the club’s owners take him for granted and that he is owed something for his dedication and hard work. She tells him if he does nothing, he’s just a dupe and a fool. Connie’s attention to Billy makes him believe that he may after all have a chance at winning her heart. Because of this, Billy warms to the idea of taking part in the robbery. Not wanting to look weak in Connie’s eyes, Billy agrees to help Kent and his gang. He begins to imagine what his life will be like—with Connie at his side—once he gets his share of the bounty.
As part of the plan, Billy hires Kent’s three buddies to work at The Back Pedal Room: Stan and Danny as security guards and Vincent as a bartender. They quickly familiarize themselves with the layout and workings of the club.
Meanwhile, Kent’s nemesis, Sheriff Seamus O’Brien gets a tip from a jailhouse snitch about the gang’s intentions. The Sheriff is not about to let the crooks escape his grasp, and he places several of his men undercover at the club to mingle among the patrons.
The night of the heist arrives and it unfolds exactly as planned. Vincent, Stan, and Danny are in their places. Billy is at his desk in his office, the safe unlocked and a pile of cloth bags at the ready in which to carry off the money. Kent and Connie are posing as guests dressed in their evening finery. They fit in perfectly amongst the well-dressed glitterati enjoying the dancing, music, and cocktails at the nightclub.
At the designated time and signal, Connie makes her way to the getaway car while Kent and his gang one by one disappear down the hallway that leads to Billy’s office at the back of the club. While Billy takes the bundles of cash out of the safe, Stan and Vincent drop them into the bags. Danny is stationed as lookout near the main door into Billy’s office. Kent is at a second open door that leads to the back of the club where Connie is waiting in the car with the motor running.
Danny alerts the gang to the sound of footsteps approaching the office. Kent shouts to Vincent and Stan to throw him the bags of cash, which they do. Kent then dashes out of the back door just as the law enters Billy’s office. Vincent, Stan and Danny all draw their guns and a shoot-out ensues. Vincent and Stan are struck by multiple bullets and die at the scene. Before ducking under his desk to try and escape the flying bullets, Billy sees that Kent and the bags of money are gone. Danny briefly escapes but is later caught heading south towards the border with Mexico.
As Kent and Connie drive off into the desert night with the money, the bodies of Stan and Vincent are taken out on stretchers and Billy finds himself in handcuffs being led to a police car by Sheriff O’Brien. Too late, Billy realizes that he’s been set up. There would be no riches, no carefree future, and no Connie. She would never be his woman.
CAST
Donald C. Holden as Kent Randall
Doreen Sutton as Connie Dupre
Louis Bruckner as Billy York
Val Delsignore as Vincent “Polpette” Calasso
William Felt as Danny Ricci
Joseph Forbes as Stan Ferrell
Raymond Palmer as Sheriff Seamus O’Brien
David Cohen as the Jailhouse Snitch
