This movie belongs to the severals that William Castle made for Universal, under the three years contract he had with the studio. He also gave us crime thrillers for Universal: HOLLYWOOD STORY, THE FAT MAN... Before this period, he was a Columbia pictures B director for some series movies, very very cheap. He will get back to Columbia after the Universal period for this time working under the producer Sam Katzman, and this for several years, where Castle will provide all kinds of films: westerns, adventures, costumes cloak and dagger - though that will mostly remain the Henry Levin speciality for Columbia. Only by the early sixties, Castle will find out his golden lode: horror, terror films, that will make him so famous. Concerning this film, it is a fast paced, very effective crime thriller, well made, acted, but not an authentic noir such as PUSHOVER, SHIELD FOR MURDER or THE KILLERS. You have here a good hero and some bad guys. Predictable scheme, unfortunately....
Review of Undertow
