Smooth as Silk

I confess I know little about Charles Barton's directorial gifts, but he certainly pulls off a solid job in SMOOTH AS SILK. Relying on superb cinematography by Elwood Bredell, this picture runs fast and smooth, with a credible script by Ryerson and fitting background music by Ernest Gold.

When I first considered watching it on the Internet, I was not overly impressed with the cast. I had never heard of the leads Kent Taylor, Virginia Grey. Or Milburn Stone - but I had no reason to fear. They all contribute toward a riveting flick. Taylor is cucumber-cool, Grey plays the remorselessly opportunistic gold digger with elegance, Stone is effective as DA Kimble, and Litel and Trowbridge complete the main set with aplomb.

SMOOTH AS SILK is no masterpiece, even within the confines of film noir, but I rate it very professionally done and gripping entertainment, even if anyone can spot some holes, like the rather convenient and predictable trap DA Kimble sets, which an astute criminal would hardly fall for - that said, all criminals make mistakes...

Must-see for film noir lovers. At 65' long, you won't waste your time and it's well worth it!