Bunco Squad

Almost All of these "Mystics and Psychic" Types so Popular in the 20th Century are Bunk.

Nothing More than Scams Offering Vulnerable and Gullible People "False Hope" for Donations in the Collection Plate.

Sound Familiar.

Religions do the Same but are Respected Tax-Exempt Institutions Promising "Pie In The Sky" Unverifiable Results from Beyond the Earthly Realm.

It's a Fine Line to Cross.

In this Story there is an Active Targeted Fraud and the Hucksters Make No Attempt to Pretend Otherwise Behind the Scenes.

This Type of Fringe Culture is Used Regularly in Film-Noir. That's Where Film-Noir Exists.

On the Fringe.

Many a Noir has done this sort of Thing much Better using Cracker-Jack Film-Makers and Budgets.

"Nightmare Alley" (1949) to Name one of the Best.

"Bunco" is done on the Cheap and in a Hurry (13 day shoot) with Contrivances so Frequent and Glaring that it Almost Loses Credulity from Frame One...Almost.

For what They had to Work With it Turns Out to be a Fast-Paced, Lively Movie About Contacting the Dead as a Come-On to Fleece an Elderly Widow.

There are a Couple of Nifty Scenes and Set Pieces that Produce Enough Entertainment for Non-Discerning Viewers.

Sterling is Wooden but OK, Dixon Steals the Show, and Cortez Plays Sleaze with the Best and with some Help from a Special-Effect or Two and Moody Set Dressings...

Worth a Watch/

But it Only Skirts the Fringe of Film-Noir and doesn't Fully Commit.