The Man Who Cheated Himself (1950)
The Movie
The Man Who Cheated Himself was the first independent production of Phoenix films, operated by Jack M. Warner, son of Jack W. Warner who headed Warner Bros. Directed by Felix E. Feist, the movie is a noir police drama involving a hard-bitten cop who throws his principles and career out the window for the love of a woman. Officially released in December 1950, the premiere took place in Los Angeles on January 19, 1951.
The Story
Lois Frazer (Jane Wyatt) has had it with her husband and he knows it. He plans on staging a burglary to kill her but she finds his gun and, fearing the worst, calls her lover, homicide lieutenant Ed Cullen (Lee J. Cobb). He arrives in time to witness her panic and shoot her husband. Does he do his job and arrest her? Of course not, not in a noir universe. Instead, he helps dispose of the body. It seems too good to be true when he is assigned to investigate the murder but unfortunately for him his younger brother Andy Cullen (John Dall) is also put on the case, his first. Andy gets so wrapped up in the case he even postpones his upcoming honeymoon after marrying fiancé Janet (Lisa Howard). As the clues emerge Andy is increasingly puzzled as to why Ed doesn't see them quite as he does ...
The movie is here on YouTube , but for a terrific restoration, buy a DVD, Blu-Ray, or 2-disc combo from Flicker Alley here.
The Locations -
A Call For Help Old Hall of Justice, Washington at Kearny, Portsmouth Square, Chinatown
Lois Frazer’s Home 2370 N. Vermont Avenue, Los Feliz, Los Angeles
Cover-up San Francisco International Airport--- Golden Gate Bridge tollbooths, Presidio
Just Married Gough Street at Eddy, Western Addition
A Meeting In The Park Spreckels mansion, 2080 Washington Street, Pacific Heights
They Find The Gun! Fisherman's Wharf harbor --- 287A Union Street, Telegraph Hill --- (window view) the Brocklebank viewed from 1360 Jones Street, Nob Hill
322 Club (front) 303 - 311 Union Street, Telegraph Hill--- (rear) 66 Wentworth Place, Chinatown
Rooftop Chase Wentworth Place, Chinatown--- 303 - 311 Union Street rooftop, Telegraph Hill--- 1255 Montgomery Street rooftop, Telegraph Hill--- 23 - 25 Castle Street rooftop, Telegraph Hill
Andy Is Puzzled Hall Of Justice, 750 Kearny Street, Portsmouth Square, Chinatown--- Yen Yen Cafe, 716 Kearny Street, Portsmouth Square, Chinatown
Janet’s Studio 2064 Argyle Avenue, Hollywood Hills, Los Angeles
Fugitives El Camino Del Mar near Sea Cliff Avenue, Sea Cliff --- Golden Gate Bridge toll booths, Doyle Drive, Presidio --- Long Avenue at Lincoln Boulevard, Presidio --- Marine Drive, Presidio--- Fort Point, Marine Drive, Presidio
Hideout At Fort Point --- Fort Point, Marine Drive, Presidio