Synopsis

'99 River Street' stars John Payne as an ex-prizefighter who is pursued for the murder of his unfaithful wife (Peggie Castle). Karlson directed this low-budget, independent film noir in 1953, and it is a shining example of the kind of humble brilliance that often emerged from this American take on the genre. Karlson's career-long fixation on revenge (which culminated with the commercial success of Walking Tall) here receives an unusually philosophical treatment: Payne's search for his wife's killers becomes his vindication for a lifetime of disappointment and defeat. Though Karlson is often an extremely physical action director, he gives '99 River Street' a sensitive treatment, emphasizing the film's strikingly abstract theme of theater and performance. The film is still extremely violent and was banned in several countries.