Format: DVD from NetFlix on laptop.
There is a moment in The Phenix City Story that seems so far beyond the pale that I almost can’t believe it happened. I know film noir plays for keeps, but there’s a viciousness here that seems out of place in 1955. Don’t get me wrong—I’m not saying that this is a bad thing. It’s merely a surprising one. The Phenix City Story is ahead of its times in many ways. What seems like a typical film noir suddenly becomes a gangland film of startling violence and evil.
The hook here is that The Phenix City Story is based on an actual story that took place in an actual city. Phenix City, Alabama is located just over the border from Fort Benning, Georgia. As such, the town quickly became a place for soldiers to go on leave, which meant that it soon became a haven for booze, prostitution, gambling, and vice. Many of the good townspeople stand against this, but the town lives under the boot heel of Rhett Tanner (Edward Andrews), who hides ruthlessness behind his friendly demeanor.
