CS #461. Shakedown (1950)

CS #461. Shakedown (1950)

is a hard-boiled American film noir that explores the ruthless side of photojournalism and criminal ambition. Directed by Joseph Pevney in his directorial debut, the film stars Howard Duff as an unscrupulous protagonist whose greed leads him into a dangerous web of gangland double-crosses.
Plot Overview
The story follows Jack Early (Howard Duff), an ambitious but amoral photographer in San Francisco who will stop at nothing to get a "sensational" shot.
The Rise: Early manipulates his way into a job at the San Francisco Daily Record by charming assistant editor Ellen Bennett (Peggy Dow). He quickly gains fame by staging or capturing tragic events while refusing to help those in danger.