The Narrow Margin (1952)

(On Cable TV, April 2020) At 71 minutes, film noir The Narrow Margin doesn’t have a whole lot of fat on its muscled thrills. While it takes some of the archetypes of the genre (the widow of a dead criminal making her way across the country to testify at a major trial… also known as just another day in film noir world), it remixes these familiar elements with the romance of cross-country train rides—especially for twenty-first century audiences. While efficient, The Narrow Margin does take its time to build the strands of plot required for its blend of drama, romance, suspense and action. The oppressive claustrophobia of the train setting is used quite well, and there’s a bit of style in the way handheld shots are used to elevate a fight sequence—director Richard Fleischer would go on to direct some far more famous movies. A third-act twist feels surprising and arguably makes some of the late narrative feel hollow. Still, the best part of the film may be Marie Windsor, looking quite attractive in a very unusual, almost Ida Lupino-esque way. But she’s only one of the highlights in a taut, capable thriller that punches far above its weight in twists and turns and good moments.