The Tall Target - Warner Archive Collection

If you think our country is politically divided today, step back in time to 1861 and take a gander at what Abraham Lincoln faced as he prepared to take the oath of office. The president-elect had to deal with a fractured nation on the verge of civil war, angry citizens who refused to accept the results of the recent election (sound familiar?), and arguably the hottest button issue ever to plague the United States - the abolishment of slavery. All the unrest culminated in a highly charged atmosphere that prompted deep concern over Lincoln's personal safety as the day of his inauguration drew near.

Though he's only on screen for less than a minute, Lincoln is the titular character in The Tall Target, an efficient film noir mystery directed by a master of the genre, Anthony Mann. Based on the "Baltimore Plot," a scheme that has never been concretely verified by historians, the film chronicles the efforts of a renegade New York City police sergeant to expose and foil a group of political dissidents who aim to have Lincoln killed after he disembarks from a train in the Maryland metropolis while en route to Washington DC. The sergeant, ironically named John Kennedy (and played with square-jawed toughness by Dick Powell), must combat several foes and naysayers and navigate a web of intrigue as he frantically searches for evidence aboard the Baltimore-bound overnight train, all while the clock ticks and the new president's life hangs in the balance.

The history behind the drama may be suspect, but the tale woven around it is so plausible it's easy to envision the events unfolding in real life. If there wasn't an organized plot to bump off Lincoln, surely there were enough bitter, unbalanced lone wolves around who might have entertained the idea and hatched such a nefarious plot on their own, a fact that lends gravity to this taut thriller. The movie features plenty of action, but its appeal also stems from the passengers' politically charged conversations that capture the attitudes and tensions of the times.

Mann, who also brought his noir sensibilities to a series of acclaimed westerns in the early 1950s, combines elements of the best train thrillers (think Hitchcock's The 39 Steps and The Lady Vanishes) with hard-boiled detective yarns to fashion an involving mystery with a distinct historical flair. The costumes and dialogue may not always accurately reflect the period, but Mann still evokes the 1860s while putting enough of a contemporary spin on the story to make it relatable. Punctuated by violence and featuring a terse, literate screenplay by George Worthing Yates (who would soon specialize in low-budget sci-fi films like Them! and It Came from Beneath the Sea) and Art Cohn (who previously wrote the excellent boxing drama The Set-Up), The Tall Target zips along, clocking in at a brisk 78 minutes.

Powell, who transitioned from crooner to film noir tough guy in the mid-1940s, carries the movie, but he gets top-notch support from such established players as Adolphe Menjou as a duplicitous colonel, Marshall Thompson as an arrogant Confederate, and a young Ruby Dee as a conflicted slave who just might hold the key to the mystery. A number of fine character actors also populate the film and provide additional luster. You may not know their names, but their faces and voices are certainly familiar. Leif Erickson, Will Geer (Grandpa in The Waltons TV series), Florence Bates (Joan Fontaine's insufferable boss in the early scenes of Rebecca), Barbara Billingsley (six years before she began playing Mrs. Cleaver on Leave It to Beaver), Regis Toomey, and Percy Helton (the drunk Santa at the beginning of Miracle on 34th Street) are just a few of recognizable faces that crop up.

The Tall Target bombed at the box office in 1951, but thanks to Mann's keen visual sense and subtle artistry it plays better today than it probably did upon its original release. The film won't ever end up on a list of the all-time great thrillers, but it's an efficient, engrossing exercise with a unique slant. It's well worth a watch, especially now as we prepare to inaugurate our next president during an era that might not be as turbulent as Lincoln's, but is far from tranquil.

Vital Disc Stats: The Blu-ray
The Tall Target arrives on Blu-ray packaged in a standard case. Video codec is 1080p/AVC MPEG-4 and audio is DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 mono. Once the disc is inserted into the player, the static menu with music immediately pops up; no previews or promos precede it.

A brand new master struck from a 4K scan of the best preservation elements yields a very pleasing 1080p/AVC MPEG-4 transfer that faithfully honors the cinematography of Paul Vogel, who won an Oscar the previous year for the stirring war drama Battleground. Light grain supplies essential texture to this period piece without calling attention to itself, while deep blacks heighten the noir atmosphere by adding an eerie sense of foreboding to this nocturnal tale. The bright whites resist blooming and a healthy grayscale enhances the clarity of fine details. Shadow delineation is quite good and sharp close-ups showcase the creases in Powell's careworn face, Menjou's bushy mustache, and Raymond's alabaster skin. Best of all, any age-related nicks, marks, and scratches have been meticulously erased, so nothing interferes with our immersion in this absorbing mystery.

The DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 mono track supplies robust sound that thrusts us into the on-screen action. All the whistles, bells, screechy wheels, and clackety-clack rhythms of the train are crisp and supply essential atmosphere. A wide dynamic scale allows the music score plenty of room to breathe, a healthy bass presence provides some punch, and all the dialogue is easy to comprehend. Distortion is absent and no age-related hiss, pops, or crackle disrupt the flow of this exciting cinematic journey.

A few vintage extras round the disc.

• Vintage Radio Broadcast: Mr. President (30 minutes) - Actor Edward Arnold portrays Lincoln in this 1949 episode of the radio series that dramatized significant events in the lives of various U.S, Presidents. Lincoln's trip to his inaugural is dramatized in a different way here, but the treatment is no less compelling.
• Vintage Cartoon: Jerry's Cousin (HD, 7 minutes) - This lively Tom & Jerry short pits Tom against Jerry's muscular cousin, who quickly shows the bullying cat who's boss.
• Vintage Cartoon: Slicked-Up Pup (HD, 6 minutes) - Another brisk Tom & Jerry romp, this short chronicles a bulldog's ire after his freshly bathed pup gets dirtied up by Tom...with a little impish help from his nemesis Jerry.
• Theatrical Trailer (SD, 2 minutes)

The Tall Target may not have connected with audiences 70 years ago, but this historical mystery about a plot to assassinate President Lincoln right before his inauguration strikes a few raw nerves today. Taut direction and colorful performances distinguish this forgotten film that's been given a spiffy makeover by Warner Archive. A lovely video transfer struck from a new 4K scan of the best preservation elements, robust audio, and a few vintage supplements add to the appeal of this welcome release. Highly Recommended. 
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