Review

Taking its cues from no-budget noir classics like Edgar G. Ulmer’s touchstone Detour, Blast of Silence follows Baby Boy Frankie Bono (Baron), a hitman who comes out of the cold, black silence to knock off Troiano (Peter H. Clune), a "second string syndicate boss with too much ambition." "You were born in pain," intones the gravel voice of Lionel Stander in his insistent voiceover that be-bops along like a Beat poem, perfectly paired with Meyer Kupferman's score. At times Stander functions as Frankie's conscience, at others the voice of an omniscient narrator. His narration — written by Waldo Salt — elevates Baron's film from an elegant crime story into a nihilistic gem. Frankie sees himself as an angel of vengeance. He learns to hate every mark, feeling that he is doing the world a favor. Blast of Silence was the first foray into film for much of the cast, in contrast to Salt and Stander, who were both seasoned professionals that had been victims of the HUAC blacklist. This mix of enthusiasm and old guard professionalism came together perfectly in Baron's freshman film to create a fitting finale to the American film noir cycle.

 -- Mike White