‘He Walked By Night’ is a truly fabulous film noir crime drama made in 1948 and set in the city of Los Angeles in California. The film is very loosely based on a real criminal who upon release by the military following World War II engaged in a crime spree in the city. The writers of this film then went on to create the very famous American television crime series ‘Dragnet’ and this movie does show how it is part of the heritage of ‘Dragnet’.

The plot of this film centres around a brilliant inventor and engineer who is a supplier of goods and services to a radar company by day but who is a thief by night. The criminal, Roy Martin played by the actor Richard Basehart, uses his cunning and technical knowledge to stay one step ahead of the law. One night Martin is apprehended by police after he was seen behaving suspiciously in the vicinity of a radio and television shop. Instead of coming quietly or giving a plausible excuse as to why he’s there or what he is doing, Martin shoots and kills the police officer and flees.

There then follows a manhunt for Martin but it is one that is continually without success, much to the frustration of the officers in charge of the case. Martin, an electronics genius, uses all sorts of methods including monitoring police radio frequencies and unusual methods of travelling around Los Angeles evades capture and even identification, until one day some of the stolen goods that he has been selling are recognised. This spurs the police into a frantic attempt to identify Martin, capture him and bring him to justice.

This is a really gripping film and a brilliant example of the type of film noir crime thriller that the film makers of the 1940’s and 1950’s brought to the screen. I must admit that I had not heard of this film before I discovered it online and I am completely delighted to make the accquaintance of this excellent movie. I loved this film and I hope that you will enjoy it too.