Directed by Irving Pichel, Quicksand is a lean, gritty film noir that follows a young man’s rapid spiral into crime after a single impulsive act. Starring Mickey Rooney in a rare against-type role, alongside Jeanne Cagney and Peter Lorre, the film explores themes of desperation, moral compromise, and urban decay.
Plot Summary
Dan Brady (Mickey Rooney), a California auto mechanic, “borrows” $20 from his employer’s cash register to impress a diner waitress, Vera Novak (Jeanne Cagney). That small theft sets off a chain reaction of increasingly criminal decisions: pawning a watch he doesn’t own, mugging a bar patron, and eventually stealing a car to cover his tracks.
Things get darker when Nick Dramoshag (Peter Lorre), a sleazy penny arcade owner with ties to Vera, blackmails Dan. As Dan tries to escape the tightening noose of his own bad choices, he’s forced into a final act of violence that threatens to destroy his future.
Cast Highlights
- Mickey Rooney as Dan Brady
- Jeanne Cagney as Vera Novak
- Peter Lorre as Nick Dramoshag
- Barbara Bates as Helen
- Art Smith as Oren Mackey (Dan’s boss)
Behind-the-Scenes Trivia
- Rooney co-financed the film with Peter Lorre, but later tried to back out—producer Samuel H. Stiefel held him to the contract
- The film features early product placement, including Bit-O-Honey candy bars and Pepsi crates in the background
- Rooney’s performance was a deliberate break from his wholesome Andy Hardy image, showcasing his range as a troubled antihero
- The garage scenes were filmed at a Studebaker dealership, with most vehicles on set being authentic Studebakers of the era
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