Quicksand

Dumb-cluck garage mechanic Mickey Rooney falls for seemingly sweet Jeanne Cagney, who convinces him to "borrow" twenty bucks from the cash register to buy her a mink coat (twenty bucks???) From this minor theft, Rooney is plunged into a nightmarish world of big-time crime, homicidal criminals and police manhunts. Only his love for Barbara Bates rescues Rooney from ending up riddled with bullets. Quicksand is a minor "film noir" bolstered by strong direction (Irving Pichel) and convincing characterizations. The best performance is delivered by Peter Lorre as a surly carnival huckster.