Wednesday, February 17, 2010

Blast of Silence (1961)


In my search for more crime/thriller film noir, I stumbled upon this gem, written, directed and starring Allen Baron, as Frankie 'Baby Boy' Bono. Blast of Silence is filled with gritty poetic narrations about internal strife, the city and the life as a hired gun. Allen Baron's low-budgeted, swift and brutal, stylistically crafted portrait of a hired gun, hits home as a perfect crime drama.

Frankie 'baby boy' Bono, a hired gun raised in an orphanage in Cleveland, returns to New York city on Christmas to deliver a hit on a low level mob boss, a profession through and through. Coming into this world screaming, Frankie has learned to focus his anger and energy from his past on what he does best, killing. Bono carefully stalks his pray, plotting for the perfect moment to strike.

"You're alone. But you don't mind that. You're a loner. That's the way it should be. You've always been alone. By now it's your trademark. You like it that way."

'Baby Boy' runs into trouble along the way from his past that will cause him to question his lonesome life of crime.

"God moves in mysterious ways," they said. Maybe he is on your side, the way it all worked out. Remembering other Christmases, wishing for something, something important, something special. And this is it, baby boy Frankie Bono. You're alone now. All alone. The scream is dead. There's no pain. You're home again, back in the cold, black silence.

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