This film was made independently, on a low budget, with creative control in the hands of the director, Joseph H. Lewis. It has since become a cult favorite among film buffs. The screenplay was written in part by Dalton Trumbo, who could not get official credit because he had been blacklisted (Millard Kaufman is listed as a front for Trumbo). How does the film reflect the circumstances of its production? What qualities does it have which would not have been possible in a studio production from the time?
Consider Lewis' style in this film. How does he convey action and character? To what extent are his setups motivated by the need for quick and efficient storytelling? And to what extent, to the contrary, does he emphasize style for its own sake, for its pictorial and poetic content, in order to set mood, etc.?
What is our attitude to the protagonists? How much do we sympathize with them, separately or together, in the course of the film? To what extent does the film play with, or against, the femme fatale stereotype in its treatment of Laurie?