It's no definitive masterpiece but it's damn close.

It's a mild crowd pleaser for people who are exhausted by blockbusters.

A film of deceptively outspoken contemporary relevance, this is cinema at its most alert, alarming and alive.

There's no way I can possibly love it entirely but I just think its ridiculously bad, but enjoyable at the same time.

One of those docudramas from the 1940s that wraps a fictional film and stentorian narration around the real-life workings of a government office, in this case the FBI.Mark Stevens plays an agent who poses as a hood in order to infiltrate a crime gang suspected of a couple of murders. Richard Widmark is head of the gang and, to no one's surprise, steals the movie. It's pretty standard stuff with nothing to necessarily elevate it above the fray, but it kept me pretty engaged for its running time and has a satisfyingly suspenseful climax.Grade: B+

1948's "The Street With No Name" is, without question, hard-hitting, well-scripted, and, most definitely, top-of-the-line Film Noir.Shot in a semi-documentary style (which was a popular format in its time), this film of crime and corruption tells the vivid story of a tough, undercover FBI agent who infiltrates a ruthless criminal gang who operate in the skid-row district of the fictional "Center City" (which clearly reminds one of NYC).Very entertaining, "The Street With No Name" is a real treat for any fan of the Film Noir genre.I really liked actor Mark Stevens in this picture. He was superb as the FBI agent, Gene Cordell.

Oh, alright. After much deliberation I rated this picture a 7, but I almost gave it a 6. Hard to tell 60-odd years later if it was an 'A' or was a second-billed 'B'. It had some 'A' moments but not really enough of them, and the cast was a 'B' cast, with Lloyd Nolan, Richard Widmark and Mark Stevens. Speaking for myself, I never could warm up to Stevens and always found him pleasant but colorless. He lacked charisma, and here he is the lead character which I felt dragged the picture down to a 6.No other complaints. It moves along fairly well but could have been punched up with a little more action. An interesting little movie, all in all, particularly some FBI techniques (which are probably outdated by now), and I always enjoy watching guys in suits and fedoras.Before closing, can I share a secret with you? Richard Widmark plays the baddie but I never found him particularly threatening. Small and fair-haired, he was still living off his psychotic role in "Kiss of Death" which at this point was two pictures ago. Always thought he looked too much like a good guy. Now, take Raymond Burr - THERE was a bad guy.

The Street with No Name (1948)Lloyd Nolan appears as George Briggs, FBI agent (exactly as he did in Henry Hathaway's 1945 House on 92nd Street), and again, we see the FBI steadfastly solve a crime. This time it isn't that largest of themes, the atom bomb, but a more routine and gripping one, robbery and murder. Short parts of the film are basic FBI training dramatizations (well done, but a little undramatic), and there is sometimes the inevitable omniscient narrator, a little heavyhanded, but the rest of the film cooks along really well. Watch for some great noir scenes, including an edgy shootout in a factory.Most interesting is the presence of Richard Widmark (in his second film after after Hathaway's Kiss of Death). He is an interesting addition to any movie, from snarling bad guy in Kiss to navy officer in The Bedford Incident. The plot moves at a good clip, and the mayhem compounds as the FBI gradually builds leads (and uses its huge resources), and then the straight drama gets going, and the movie takes off. There are some great night shots, and once the lead agents get out on their own in the layered jazz of the city, it gets edgy and pretty exciting. It never becomes something completely self-sustaining and special, however, due to the need to explain the FBI's tireless and all too flawless efforts.Director William Keighley had an uneven career, but some high points including the legendary Robin Hood of 1938. Street with No Name pulls together a lot of great scenes, from sleazy hotel rooms to a boxing gym. I enjoyed this a lot more than the seemingly similar (in budget and intent) House on 92nd Street (also 20th Century Fox). You'll notice that there is a lot of trading and overlap of talent in these Fox films, and these are basically B- movies that have the hook of actual FBI promotion built in. Efficient stuff, made for a quick appearance and some short term money (the directors knew these were not classics). Because we know the FBI will steadfastly succeed, a certain suspense is removed. But maybe that's comparing it to classics like Fox's Kiss of Death, which isn't fair. The Street with No Name is sometimes dazzling, and definitely a qualified pleasure.