Portland Expose, Hoodlums, Corruption, and a Decent Guy

Portland, Oregon has grown into a veritable s#$t-hole.  Back in 1957, the City of Roses was merely a s#$t-hole in training. But today, this city is known not for roses but homeless creeps, human feces and used needles in the street, left-wing corrupt city officials, and an electorate who deserve all of what they have tolerated. Our feature today tells the story of the one brave soul who tried to clean it up...George Bailey.  Wait!  No, wrong film, George Madison.  Today we look at the gritty 1957 Film Noir feature "Portland Expose," directed by Harold D. Schuster.

The syndicate has its claws in the city where George (Edward Binns) runs a tavern with the help of his doting family. The labor unions are in the pocket of mobster Phil Jackman (Russ Conway). When George disallows the mob to put their slot machines in his tavern, union picketers block any customers from frequenting George's place. George and his wonderful wife Clara (Virginia Gregg) are determined to rebuff any mob efforts to corrupt the family business.  Uh oh, the nubile teen daughter Ruth (Carolyn Craig) is manhandled by thug Joe (Frank Gershwin) and almost raped.  What's more, George is threatened that Ruth will be given an acid-facial if he doesn't play ball.

Now George sends his family away and plays ball.  Or so it seems.  George does not have it in him to run a mob-owned business and adopts a gameplan that will put him in peril, and worse yet, his family in peril.  George begins playing ball, but when Jackman informs him slot machines are only the beginning and soon whores will be flown into Portland and will frequent the tavern, George decides to further risk his life and go all into efforts to bring the entire Portland mob down.  Uh oh...pretty Ruth sneaks back into the city to see a boyfriend only to be grabbed by Jackman's goons.

Will pretty Ruth be turned into the female version of the elephant man?  Does George, the one good man in a city ready to die, have a shot at prevailing against Jackman and the syndicate?  Just what is George's plan?  This is a gritty one and even 1957 Portland looks grimy and perilous in the night scenes.  For some Film Noir set in a city different than L.A. or New York, see "Portland Expose."