There's no better DAME than Virginia Mayo when it comes to a FEMME FATALE in a film noir. After making WHITE HEAT (1949), Mayo embodied the epiphany of the gangster moll. The role of Verna Jarrett in WHITE HEAT (1949) would become Mayo's signature role of her career. Prior to WHITE HEAT (1949), Mayo had played another gangster moll that would serve as a dress rehearsal for WHITE HEAT (1949). Mayo excels in the role of the double-crossing, cold-hearted femme fatale Flaxy Martin in the forgotten film noir FLAXY MARTIN (1949). Comparing the two molls, I believe that Flaxy Martin may have been more ruthless, but then again Verna Jarrett did shoot Cody's mother in the back.
Zachary Scott may not have star billing, but he has more screen time than Virginia Mayo who has. Scott nearly steals the film from his leading lady, but not quite. Though Mayo may be absent during the middle portion of the film, she returns in full force stealing every scene up to the finale. FLAXY MARTIN (1949) is just another missed opportunity for Scott to regain his notoriety. Four years prior, Scott received accolades for his performance in MLDRED PIERCE (1945) as Joan Crawford's sleazy love interest Monty. Unfortunately for Scott, he was not able to make FLAXY MARTIN (1949) his own, even though he has most screen time and is the main character of the film.
Walt Colby isn't thrilled about being awakened at 2:30 in the morning to post bail on the thugs like Caesar who have SAWDUST FOR BRAINS. Walt goes even further standing up to his crime boss telling him that this is not what he signed up for. Hap quickly put his LEGAL REPRESENTATIVE on RETAINER in his place. Hap reminds Walt that he works for him. The problem is Walt's MORAL ETHICS makes him a LIABILITY everytime he has to do UNSAVORY legal work for his mob boss. Walt would have cut his ties with Hap long ago, it wasn't for the CHEAP NIGHTCLUB SONGBIRD named Flaxy Martin.
After a client consultation with Hap's thug Caesar at the jailhouse, Walt decides to call up his CHEAP NIGHTCLUB SONGBIRD. The camera pans inside her apartment, where we meet the gorgeous femme fatale Flaxy Martin played by Virginia Mayo. Flaxy slowly drags on her cigarette, waiting for the cue to answer the phone. After several rings, Flaxy is instructed to answer by Hap, who is seated across from her in her apartment.
Flaxy Martin happens to be on Hap's payroll as a nightclub singer and possibly his MAIN SQUEEZE but its never disclosed. Something tells me there is more between Flaxy and her boss, though she is supposed to be mob attorney Walt Colby's girlfriend. I think there's a FRIENDS WITH BENEFITS arrangement between Flaxy and Hap but it's kept the secret to keep Walt on the hook.
Flaxy definitely keeps Walt dangling on the hook, even though she knows that his days are numbered after he gets Caesar ACQUITTED. Walt tells Flaxy he wants out from Hap's organization. Flaxy promises Walt that she would go away with him, a few months after he gets Caesar's ACQUITTAL. Walt caves in, like Flaxy, knew he would.
Soon after, Walt tells Hap that the KEY WITNESS Peggy came to see him, telling him that she was PAID OFF for her TESTIMONY. It seems that Peggy is demanding ten thousand dollars to keep quiet. Walt protests to his mob boss about his objections in how corrupt this case has become. Walt tells Hap he plans to go see the District of Attorney in the morning about this matter.
Hap is convinced more than ever that his attorney can't be trusted. It is time to look for another attorney, Walt has reached his EXPIRATION DATE. But before Walt can meet his DEMISE, there is another matter at hand. Hap has to show his paid alibi, Peggy Farrar, what happens to girls like her, who get too GREEDY.
Flaxy pays her BACKSTABBING gal pal, Peggy, a social call. Flaxy teaches Peggy a lesson SLAPPING her around for double-crossing her. Flaxy reminds Peggy that she's already received a grand from Hap to keep quiet about the arrangement. Peggy cries uncle and begs Flaxy to call Hap telling him that she didn't mean it. But it's a little too late for that, the wheels are already set in motion when Flaxy lets Caesar into the room. Peggy stood in TERROR after seeing Hap's brute LOOMING in the corner. Before Flaxy leaves Peggy alone with Caesar, she says FAREWELL to her soon to be a departed friend.
" I told you that you talk too much."
As soon as Flaxie leaves the apartment, she could hear Peggy's SCREAMS outside the door. At first, we could tell that Flaxie may have had a bit of EMPATHY for her friend for a split second. But that emotion is short-lived, when she bears a GRIN on her face, as she leaves the apartment building. The next time, we see poor Peggy, her body is being fished out of the river attached to an anchor. I guess Peggy learned too late that SMART GIRLS DON'T TALK.
Walt IMPLICATED himself in Peggy's murder, thinking that he wouldn't be convicted because there's no evidence to support his claim. Unfortunately for a Walt, there is a surprise witness in court, courtesy of Hap that backs up Walt's GUILTY plea. A cab driver claims that he drove Walt to the docks. He also states that he witnesses a heated confrontation between Walt and some dame. The cabbie continues to say that he heard the dame threatened Walt that she was gonna go to the DA and spill everything she knew. That's when he saw Walt hit the dame with a pipe or something. The cabbie told the court he fled the scene right after that.
Walt jumps to his feet declaring his INNOCENCE. Walt was counting on the lack of evidence to get him free. But with this new FALSE evidence, Walt is found guilty for a murder he didn't commit. But he only has himself to blame, confessing to the crime to save the woman he loved.
Walt finally sees the BIG picture now, after learning that he had been doublecrossed by Flaxy and Hap by a client he had helped when he was a lawyer. Walt intends to do everything in his power, to redeem himself in the eyes of the law. But Walt wants PAYBACK for the two, who had sent him up the river for twenty years. Walt makes his break while en route by train to the prison. Walt becomes so exhausted during his escape that he collapses in front of a female motorist.
The next morning, Walt finds himself looking up at the librarian who saves his life. Dorothy Malone in her natural hair color plays the somewhat naive "GOOD GIRL" Nora Carson. Walt is grateful to his Florence Nightingale who has picked him off the street and brought him to her home. Walt finds the act a little peculiar for a young woman who lives alone, bringing a complete stranger to where she lives. Nora sound s little NUTS to me too. But Nora didn't know that Walt was a FUGITIVE from JUSTICE or did she ? Nonetheless, Nora is just Walt needs in his life, to regain his moral compass after working for the likes of Hap Richie.
Walt tells Nora that he will be leaving right away. But Nora suggests that he stayed on until the evening to make his departure, which makes you wonder if Nora knows more than what she leads on. After leaving a complete stranger in her house for she could work at the library, Nora returns with a bag of groceries to cook a home cooked meal for her MAN ON THE LAM.
Before Nora cooks the steak she bought her fugitive, she shows Walt the front page of the newspaper. The cat is out of the bag, Walt knows that Nora knows who he is. But Nora still wants to help for some reason. But Walt's blissful interlude would soon come to an end when he is reported to the police by a Gladys Kravitz 's type ( nosey neighbor). However, the local sheriff is not the only one, who comes to investigate the new stranger in town.
One of Hap's thugs named Roper (Elisha Cook Jr.) had been on the MANHUNT, ever since word got out about Walt's escape. Roper was out to settle a score with Walt, who constantly berated him about his height and his sixth-grade education when Walt worked for Hap. Roper is not your typical Hap Thug, that Walt credits to have SAWDUST FOR BRAINS. Roper had just enough SMARTS to come through the back door to interfere with the sheriff's questioning Walt and Nora.
Walt and Nora manage to scramble over to Roper 's car to make their getaway. Walt tells Nora that he needs to go back to find Caesar to CLEAR HIS NAME. Walt drops off his librarian and heads back to where all the trouble began. Walt looks for Peggy's real killer, Hap's thug Caesar. However, Walts finds out that DEAD MEN TELL NO TALES, after finding Caesar's corpse in his apartment. Suddenly the phone rings inside the apartment, Walt answers to find Roper on the other end of the line, taunting him.
Walt manages to exit Caesar's apartment building alive. But not from Roper 's grasp, who followed the city bus bound Walt to another part of the city. The game of cat and mouse begins, who will OUTSMART the other. Walt runs inside the apartment building taking the stairs all the way to the roof. Instead of following Walt inside, Roper takes the fire escape.
Once on the roof, Walt feels TRAPPED because he is UNARMED. To Walt's surprise, he is now joined by Roper who has climbed off the fire escape to the roof. Roper comes at Walt, with his finger pressing on the trigger of his gun. Instead of dislodging bullets, the gun only clicks. Quickly, Walt makes his move throwing crate at Hap's thug. Walt comes at Roper physically overpowering him, until Roper brings out the switchblade. It seems that Hap's toy mobster is only good with his weapons. Once Walt manages to get the switchblade from Roper, their FACE-OFF only ends one way in the true FILM NOIR FASHION, having Roper plunge off the rooftop to his death.
Walt is not buying what Flaxy selling but plays along for good measure. Flaxy tries to regain Walt's trust by telling him that she go away with him after double-crossing Hap out of 40 grand. When Hap arrives, he is surprised to be AMBUSHED by his ex-attorney he helps sent UP THE RIVER. After Walt frisked 40 grand out of Hap, he hands the DOUGH to over Flaxy.
Flaxy loves MONEY so much, that she determined to keep it all for herself. But sometimes GREEDY DAMES end up like Peggy Farrar, which is why Flaxy is not taking any chances. Flaxy takes out her insurance policy a GUN to ensure her getaway. While Flaxy holds Walt and Hap at gunpoint. Walt tells Flaxy " You DOUBLE-CROSSED yourself this time, didn't you SWEETHEART? Just like I knew you would."
As for Walt, he planned to run away with Hap's 40 grand, but his librarian friend convinced him otherwise. Walt turned in Hap's DIRTY MONEY to the police and himself as well. Though Walt would NOT be convicted for Peggy Farrar's murder, he still could face PERJURY charges, which can be up to two years in prison. Nora promised Walt that she would wait for him.
FILM FACTS
Virginia Mayo was released from her seven-year contract from Samuel Goldwyn after five years. Goldwyn told Mayo that he had no suitable roles for her in his next films that he would be producing. Mayo went over to Warner Brothers, where Goldwyn had loaned her out the previous year to do SMART GIRLS DON'T TALK (1948). Mayo signed a seven-year contract with Warner Brothers and made her first picture as a contract player called FLAXY MARTIN (1949).
The role of hardworking honest-enough attorney Walt Colby in FLAXY MARTIN (1949) was a change of pace from his notable roles of sleazy playboys and villains. Unfortunately, Scott would get into a horrible rafting accident the following year, which sent him into the dark realm of depression due to being severely injured. Scott did continue to make films but mainly focused on stage and television work.
Despite having THIRD billing in FLAXY MARTIN (1949) Dorothy Malone would make only two more films for Warner Brothers. Unfortunately, the studio lost interest in Malone and decided not to pick up her contract.
IMMORTAL DIALOGUE
" Ok answer!! Act sleepy !!"
Walt: " You're NOT going to be BURIED."
THE CAST
Flaxy Martin ... VIRGINIA MAYO
Walt Colby ... Zachary Scott
Nora Carson... Dorothy Malone
Sam Malko ... Tom D'Andrea
Peggy Farrar ... Helen Westcott
Hap Richie ... Douglas Kennedy
Roper... Elisha Cook Jr.
Max ( Detective) ... Douglas Fowley
Joe ( Detective) ... Monte Blue
Caesar .... Jack Overman
Charles McMachon ... Max Wagner
FLAXY MARTIN (1949) is a forgotten gem that needs to be rediscovered. Virginia Mayo gives a great performance of the gangster moll with a HEART OF ICE. Mayo portrays Flaxy Martin as a torch singer who only carries a torch for herself. Mayo excels showing us (the audience) that Flaxy only love is money and herself, everything else is expendable especially MEN. Mayo has made a career playing self-absorbed dames in some of her best pictures like THE BEST YEARS OF OUR LIVES (1946) and WHITE HEAT (1949).
My opinion is that FLAXY MARTIN needed more of Virginia Mayo and less of Zachary Scott. Unfortunately, Mayo does not appear throughout the film, in fact, she is missing in the middle portion leaving Scott to carry the picture. Is he successful? Not completely, Scott's overacting and inability to be leading man gets the better of him. Scott excels better as idle playboys and shady characters in the supporting cast. But in FLAXY MARTIN (1949), Scott is a bit out of his realm playing the lead as an honest enough, hard-working attorney who is lead astray.
FLAXY MARTIN (1949) is a genuine B-grade film noir that still entertains us through its storytelling despite miscasting of Zachary Scott. Although Scott was miscast, he doesn't completely drop the ball. In my opinion, another actor like Cornel Wilde or Victor Mature would have been more suited for the role. As for Virginia Mayo's portrayal of Flaxy Martin is a blueprint for the ideal femme fatale in a film noir. After FLAXY MARTIN (1949), Mayo went on to play Verna Jarrett in WHITE HEAT (1949), one of the Ultimate Femme Fatale in Film Noir history.
