en Code Two

Code Two
Code Two
Directed by	Fred M. Wilcox
Screenplay by	Marcy Klauber
Produced by	William Grady Jr.
Starring	Ralph Meeker; Sally Forrest; Elaine Stewart
Cinematography	Ray June
Edited by	Fredrick Y. Smith
Color process	Black and white
Distributed by	Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer
Release date	April 24, 1953;
Running time	69 minutes
Country	United States
Language	English
Budget	$472,000
Box office	$711,000

Code Two is a 1953 American film noir crime film about men training to be motorcycle cops. It stars Ralph Meeker, Sally Forrest, Elaine Stewart, Robert Horton, and Keenan Wynn, and was directed by Fred M. Wilcox.

Plot

Classmates at the Los Angeles police academy, Chuck O'Fair, Russ Hartley and Harry Whenlon bond as friends. When they socialize at one's house, Russ and his wife, Mary, observe as the extroverted Chuck expresses an interest in Mary's sister, Jane, who seems to prefer the shy Harry instead.

The three rookie cops become bored on the job. Seeking more action and excitement, they perk up after hearing from Sgt. Jumbo Culdane about the police department's motorcycle squad. Mary is skeptical, fearing for Russ's safety, but all three take the necessary training and are assigned to the motorcycle highway patrol.

While chasing a truck together, Chuck's cycle stalls so Harry proceeds by himself. He is knocked cold by one of the men in the truck, which then backs over him. Chuck is devastated by Harry's death and persuades his superiors to let him work undercover to find the culprits.

Discovering that the men he's looking for are modern cattle rustlers, Chuck confronts them and kills one before he is wounded. The other is taken into custody, and Chuck and Russ soon go back to work.

Cast

Ralph Meeker as Chuck
Robert Horton as Russ
Sally Forrest as Mary
Jeff Richards as Harry
Elaine Stewart as Jane
Keenan Wynn as Jumbo
Robert Burton as Police Capt. Bill Williams

Reception

According to MGM records the movie earned $365,000 in the US and Canada and $346,000 elsewhere, making a loss to the studio of $37,000.^[1] Often referenced as the first modern motorcycle stunt film, released 8 months before The Wild One.^[2]

References

^ ^a ^b ^c The Eddie Mannix Ledger, Los Angeles: Margaret Herrick Library, Center for Motion Picture Study.
^ "Actors and Stuntmen for Code Two".

External links

Code Two at IMDb
Code Two at TCMDB
Code Two at the AFI Catalog of Feature Films

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[Mannix-1] The Eddie Mannix Ledger, Los Angeles: Margaret Herrick Library, Center for Motion Picture Study.

[2] "Actors and Stuntmen for Code Two".

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