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Forced to deviate from his honeymoon plans, Vargas decides to hang around for the local cops and send Susan back to their hotel (now that their romantic stroll is ruined). In the flickering light the DA and a few officers turn up, but they're all waiting for the renowned detective Hank Quinlan (Orson Welles). When he finally arrives from his ranch, with his side-kick Pete Menzies (Joseph Calleia), he rolls heavily from his seat and lumbers towards the wreck. Casting a jaundiced eye over the wreckage, Quinlan he knows, by intuition, that this is the result of dynamite. Marcia Linnekar (Joanna Moore) arrives to identify the remains of her father but Quinlan seems disinterested, dismissing her (with a tail). Finally turning to his fellow officers, after appraising and disregarding Vargas, Quinlan's twitching nose takes them onto the Mexican side.
Meanwhile, Susan has been waylaid on the way to the hotel by smooth-looking Pancho (Valentin De Vargas), one of the Grandi boys. Allowing herself to be led to greasy crime-boss "Uncle Joe" Grandi (Akim Tamiroff), puts on a brave face. Since his brother is being investigated by Vargas, he wants him to lay off - a request which cuts no ice with Susan. Her husband hasn't got much time to think about this development though because Quinlan is hot on the trail of a suspect and Vargas wants to be present. The hunch concerns Manelo Sanchez (Victor Millan), a poor Mexican worker who became involved with Marcia, severely upsetting her father. Thus Sanchez had the motive, which is enough for Quinlan. However the discovery of some damning evidence by Pete seals the case, but disturbs Vargas. He is certain that Quinlan is framing Sanchez, though he'll have to gather some solid proof if he is to prove this (which means leaving Susan alone).
The aspect of Touch of Evil which immediately grabs the attention is the virtuoso and deservedly famous opening tracking shot. This unbroken sequence, stretching for several breath-taking minutes, both sets the scene and introduces the main characters. The tension is finally eased by cutting away just after the explosion, establishing a fluidity of motion which remains for the entire film. This technical brilliance, flaunted so early, is a driving force, opening the door to extensive range of camera angles and superb editing. Links between separate scenes are established with connecting motifs, such as doors opening or a shared musical theme. When combined with the advanced level of spatial choreography (so that every position and movement latches together into a cogent whole), the result is an extraordinary piece of film-making.
Since the underlying story is also strong, dealing with a number of double-edged themes, it never feels as though Welles is showing off. The idea of conflict between good and evil is central but this is expanded to cover the US-Mexico divide, the moralist-pragmatist conundrum and more. Quinlan exudes the stench of corruption from every pore of his distended, heaving carcass, yet his fellow officers are in awe of him and his reputation. He drags evil-doers to justice and, frankly, they don't care how he does it; the ends justify the means. The twist is that his outlook has been poisoned since the brutal murder of his wife, decades ago. The constant pain fuels a personal vendetta. This is, of course, no excuse, but it does partly explain the prejudice of Quinlan. Besides, both Vargas and Quinlan have reputations to protect and when it comes down to a one-on-one duel, both are willing to get their hands dirty.
Lastly, the bizarre casting choices made for Touch of Evil show, in retrospect, a certain genius. Welles is perfect, dominating and beyond reproach, sometimes looming over the screen and sometimes shrunken like a doll. In opposition, Heston and Leigh are excellent as the disturbed newly-weds. However, special mentions must be made of Marlene Dietrich, the slewed gypsy fortune-teller Tanya, Dennis Weaver, the loopy motel clerk, Mercedes McCambridge, a butch gang member, and Zsa Zsa Gabor. This eclectic group of performers form the broad-sweep of this frontier town, a setting where the weird is commonplace and disparate cultures clash. All of this gives Touch of Evil a deliciously tangy flavour, a movie which is as much about cinema as it is a film noir. Given the unexpected opportunity to direct, Welles grabbed the opportunity and created a masterpiece (foxing the studio executives). As usual he messed up during the editing stage, by letting the film out of his hands, but now we have the chance to see his vision in all of its electrifying glory. Take it.
This film was nominated for review by David Whitten.
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