Pushover

Pushover is a 1954 American film noir crime film directed by Richard Quine, starring Fred MacMurray, Phil Carey and Kim Novak in her first credited role. The motion picture was adapted from two novels, Thomas Walsh's The Night Watch and William S. Ballinger's Rafferty, by Roy Huggins, who went on to great success creating television series, including The Fugitive, Maverick, and The Rockford Files. Plot During a bank robbery a bank guard is shot and killed by one of the robbers, Harry Wheeler (Paul Richards), who gets away with $250,000. Lona McLane (Kim Novak) leaves a movie theatre and walks to her car. The car won't start, and Paul Sheridan (Fred MacMurray) appears at her window. He is unable to fix the car, and he takes her to a bar while a mechanic makes a repair. They spend the night -- and the next three days -- together. Next morning, we learn Sheridan is a cop, sent undercover to befriend Lona, hoping she will lead them to her boyfriend, Wheeler. Police Lieutenant Karl Eckstrom (E.G. Marshall) wants Wheeler alive for questioning. Surveillance is arranged on Lona's apartment, from an apartment opposite. Among the police on duty are Sheridan, Rick McAllister (Phillip Carey), and Paddy Dolan (Allen Nourse). Lt. Eckstrom asks Sheridan to take care of Paddy. Close to retirement, he has a drinking problem and just one more reprimand will see him lose his pension.