The movie is Blast of Silence, a low-budget film noir that was ahead of its time while also honoring similar movies that had come before it. Recent releases about hit men try to make these characters likable or endearing in some way. Pierce Brosnan's quirky portrayal of a hired killer who's lost his edge in The Matador is a great example of how well a character like that can be pulled off. But most times, and especially in film noir, a hit man is a one-dimensional, warped killing machine with little to no redeeming qualities.
Star and director Allen Baron goes for the more-typical hit man, but by the end of the movie, I at least felt for his character. By nature and by the demands of his profession, Baron's Frankie Bono is a loner. He doesn't need people around him at all times, and even the simplest conversation one-on-one with another person is painful for him. So how do you make a whole movie about a character that hates interactions with people? Blast of Silence utilizes the voiceover technique as Frankie's conscious or even his stream of thought narrates through the story. With Lionel Stander providing the narration, you know the voice if not the face, it adds an element of originality to the movie. It's not just a tortured killer gunning for his last kill, it's the thought process and motives of a man struggling to find his way.
The storyline is simple, Frankie is hired for a hit of a mobster who's getting a little too big for his britches, Troiano (Peter H. Clune). He goes about getting a gun from a low-level hoodlum, Fat Ralphie (Larry Tucker), and starts to follow Troiano and get to know his habits and daily schedule, always looking for the opportune time to pick him off. A wrench is thrown in his plans when he runs into a childhood friend and his sister, Lori (Molly McCarthy). Growing up together, Frankie always had a crush on his friend's sister and those feelings start to come back to him.
But even as they grow, he knows he can't be distracted from his job. He has to kill a man and do it quickly with no distractions clouding up his plans. Even then, Frankie makes a decision he knows he'll regret. He tries to pull out of the job before finally deciding to stick with it. But for this loner, could it already be too late? If you've seen any noir movies, you probably know how it ends, but it's an appropriate ending for the character and the movie.
Baron never worked again as an actor, instead focusing on more directing, usually in TV. It's a shame because he's got an eye for the visual, check out the opening scene/narration. 'Blast' is filmed in black and white like all the classic noirs, and was shot in New York, giving the movie a dark, gritty feel to it. There's a very 60s feel to the story with gangsters wearing trenchcoats and hats, and a cool smooth jazz score as the soundtrack, but Baron puts together a great-looking movie, here's the trailer for a good preview of what to expect. Lots of tracking shots from a distance, and one stationary shot as Frankie walks down a vacant NY downtown street with the buildings towering all around. To keep you on your toes, Baron throws in action meant to throw you off your guard. A fight to the death between Frankie and Fat Ralph is particularly vicious with any old items lying around an apartment turned into a weapon.
Other than Stander as the narrator, there's not any recognizable faces or names here. Much of the cast was only in a few B-movies here or there, but I thought this helped the movie. With big names, it might be harder to get into the characters, but having never seen Baron before, it's an easy transition into seeing him as a hit man, and don't let me throw you off, Baron is the best part of the movie.
I was lucky enough to stumble across this movie on TCM's schedule, but thanks again go to the folks over at Criterion Collection for releasing this overlooked gem on DVD. At just 77 minutes, there's not a moment wasted in the 60s film noir.
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