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I don't have all the words right now but this film is a work of art.

It’s fine. It's literally the definition of a fine movie. You’ve seen it before, you know every beat and outcome before the characters even do. Only question is how much escapism you’re looking for.

Story: It's very simple but honestly that is fine.

what a terribly boring film. I'm sorry but this is absolutely not deserving of best picture and will be forgotten quickly. Entertaining and engaging cinema? No. Nothing performances with flat faces and mistaking silence for subtlety.

Jack Elam, Lee Van Cleef, Neville Brand: three of the most notable bad guys in movie history.

The performance of the actors in this movie is very strong- comparable to modern standards with subtle moments of shifting emotions well displayed on their faces, a complex plot with characters who have more depth than they get in many films like this. All have their own motivations and none are simple stereotypes.The action is also creative and surprising with some actions taken which I've never seen in a movie before.I suspect that the director has something to do with the uniformity of the excellent performances by the cast. In the case of Jack Elam, his work here was extremely strong and he wasn't alone.Production values are nothing spectacular but don't distract.I'm going to look for other works by this director. I think this is a gem among movies in this period and budget range.

A man calling himself Mr. Big (Preston Foster) hires three hardened criminals (Lee Van Cleef, Neville Brand, Jack Elam) to rob an armored truck wearing masks and frames an ex-con (John Payne) for it. After being interrogated and tortured by the police, the innocent man tracks the crooks to Mexico to clear his name. But he doesn't know that Mr. Big has an ulterior plan, one that's upset by the unexpected arrival of his daughter (Coleen Gray).Brutal, gritty film noir directed by Phil Karlson with a smart script full of tough dialogue. John Payne's a long way from the musicals he did in the '40s or his most famous movie, Miracle on 34th Street. Some of his best work here. Speaking of someone tackling a different kind of role than he was known for, former leading man of the 1930s Preston Foster is terrific as the guy who plans the whole heist. It's an especially well-written character for the time -- a villain who isn't all bad. Playing three villains who most definitely are bad (and look it!) are Lee Van Cleef, Jack Elam, and Neville Brand. Great character actors with faces made for the movies. Coleen Gray is good in a role that, in most movies, would feel tacked-on just to add a romantic subplot. Surprisingly, she's worked into the story well and even the romance never feels forced or cheesy. Also in the film in a small role is one of my favorite lesser-known actresses, sexy Dona Drake.As everybody reading this likely knows, this movie served as partial inspiration for Reservoir Dogs. That alone should be worth giving it a look. It's a great crime drama with an amazing cast and excellent direction. A must-see for fans of film noir and gritty crime flicks of the '40s and '50s.

An opening introduction for "Kansas City Confidential" scrolls down the screen and intimates that this is a true story of a crime case from the Kansas City police files. It says that the solution of the "perfect crime" was not recorded in those files. There was no following disclaimer to the contrary -- the film industry statement that the movie and or characters/names were fictitious and any resemblance to real people is purely coincidental. I wanted to watch this crime flick without foreknowledge of the plot. So, I went into the film thinking it was based on a true story. Or, as the introduction stated it, "But it is the purpose of this picture to expose the amazing operations of a man who conceived and executed a "perfect crime," the true solution of which is not entered in any case history." (The word, not, is underlined on the film.As the story unfolded, I could understand why the police files may not carry a disclosure of one of its own former high-ranking officers masterminding a major crime. And, in a way that lent more mystery to the story about what the outcome may be. Because, this is one of those crime mysteries where such thoughts enter a viewer's mind at some point – especially if there's a "good guy" who we want to see get off the hook. Now, perhaps that's all OK for the movie producers to string we audience members along like that. But, I wonder if their slyness in manipulating an audience was good for audience trust in future films. Who knows but what this may have been the film, or one of a few, after which Hollywood began being a little more straight about the plots of films. Audiences don't have a problem with comedies, musicals, Westerns, war flicks, drama and adventure films. But, crime and mystery can be a problem if it is pawned off as true or based on a real event, when it isn't. Enough said on that. The plot is very interesting. The actors give top performances all around. The technical aspects are mostly very good. The editing and directing seem a little choppy at times. But, all in all, this is a good crime caper that is sure to keep one intrigued throughout. Other reviewers have noted the transparency of the mystery to the viewers. Without that I think it would have been confusing or too difficult to bring the audience in and hook us right away on the plight of John Payne's character, Joe Rolfe. After watching the film, I read the IMDb reviews. The IMDb listing has it as "Crime, Drama, Film-Noir" in that order. I suspect that's because it's just on the edge of noir. Although many reviewers pick up on the noir, I think too much is missing from the definition of noir as a genre. The biggest aspect was the sex, or voluptuous woman who is somehow entangled in the web. The character of Helen Foster, played by Coleen Gray, hardly fits that noir stereotype. She's a wholesome, clean- cut, attractive woman who's studying to become a lawyer. Some noted the dark scenes at night outside the hacienda, or on the search of crap games in Tijuana. I think producers pushed for those, because much more of the film was broad daylight stuff, and the well-lit resort. But, if some think of this as noir, OK. It's just nowhere near the league of great noir films that most identify with the genre – "The Asphalt Jungle," "Out of the Past," "Nightmare Alley," "The Third Man," "The Big Sleep," "Touch of Evil," "Gaslight," or "Laura."Incidentally, John Payne and Coleen Gray had a romance going in the early 1950s, when this film was made. That's according to the Trivia section under Payne's bio on the IMDb Web site.