Film Noir Collection, Volume 1 (The Case Against Brooklyn / Criminal Lawyer / The Crooked Web / Escape from San Quentin / The Shadow on the Window) (5-Disc)

THE CASE AGAINST BROOKLYN: A rookie policeman, working undercover, fights both the underworld and crooked cops to smash a powerful gambling syndicate operating in Brooklyn. Stars Darren McGavin, Maggie Hayes, Warren Stevens and Peggy McCay.

CRIMINAL LAWYER: A courtroom drama boasting Pat O'Brien in an effortless performance as a top-notch attorney capable of buying off both judges and jury. When the bar association holds back its endorsement, the disgruntled lawyer takes to the bottle. Praiseworthy for its fresh and thoughtful character study.

THE CROOKED WEB: Two undercover cops pose as brother and sister in order to nab a restaurant owner accused of a murder during the war.

ESCAPE FROM SAN QUENTIN: Recording star Johnny Desmond plays Mike Gilbert, a convict who breaks out of prison along with fellow inmates Roy Gruber (Richard Devon) and Hap Graham (Roy Engel). While Roy tries to contact his father to get the loot he had stashed before going in, Mike takes up with Robbie (Merry Anders), the sister of the wife who's divorcing him.

THE SHADOW ON THE WINDOW: When the young son of a policeman witnesses a murder and the kidnapping of his mother by a trio of delinquents, he goes into shock and is unable to give the cops any information about the incident.

This package offers five features from the seamy, hard-boiled world of film noir. First on the bill is THE CASE AGAINST BROOKLYN (1958), with Darren McGavin as a cop who goes undercover to break up an illegal gambling ring. Next on the bill is the courtroom drama CRIMINAL LAWYER (1951), with Pat O'Brien as a crooked attorney battling alcoholism. Nathan Juran's THE CROOKED WEB (1955) stars Frank Lovejoy as an American G.I. hunted down for extradition to Europe after he accidentally kills a man in Germany. 1957's ESCAPE FROM SAN QUENTIN stars Johnny Desmond as an ex-con who escapes from prison and begins an affair with his sister-in-law. Finally, 1957's THE SHADOW ON THE WINDOW features LEAVE IT TO BEAVER star Jerry Mathers as a little boy who witnesses three criminals commit a homicide and abduct his mother.