Musings on stranglings in two 1950s films

[Rusk is my hero]

I still after all my years feel guilty about my fetish. However one thing that relieves my angst is the way in which stranglings are quite gratuitously shoe-horned into films. This would seem to show that directors know they are what people want or are happy to see. I am reminded of 2 films from the 50s which had strangulation scenes which were almost laughable.
The first one is Interpol (aka Pickup Alley) starring Victor Mature and Anita Ekberg. Dorothy Allison is the victim. Before the credits roll, she runs out of a taxi into a hotel. She has on a typical 50’s evening dress with a scarf draped round her shoulders. She enters a room, leaves the door slightly ajar, and makes a phone call with her back to the door. It turns out she is working undercover for the DEA and is about to meet a “drugs kingpin.” On she yaps while the aforesaid kingpin arrives at the open door and hears everything. She hangs up and in he comes (Trevor Howerd), looking very suave with a cigarette holder, bow-tie and white jacket. She seems to realise he knows who she is but is frozen with fear. He comments on how nicely-dressed she is and picks up the scarf. This being the 50s you don’t see anything detailed but he has used it to strangle her. Enough for a frisson but not much else; however the main thoughts in your head are what a stupid woman, and surely the director could have set it up better.
I can’t remember the title of the second one and it still annoys me. I would have seen it around 1960, a B movie. If the plot details remind anyone of the film I’d be grateful to hear from them. As far as I recall, two detectives recover money from a robbery. The older, bitter one steals it and frames the younger, fresh-faced one. The older one takes it to his woman, a typical 1950s brassy blonde – you know the type. She in turn double-crosses him and takes off with the loot. The older detective seems to disappear around then. The younger one takes off after the woman, accompanied by his fresh-faced girlfriend. Meanwhile the blonde has met a low-life. He is played by a supporting actor with a nose like Karl Malden’s but he isn’t Mr. Malden. (Any ideas who this is?) He gets the blonde drunk and asks her where the money is. This is the hilarious part as I recall it. There are no slappings, no cigarette ends applied to her skin, no physical duress of any sort. I swear to God he just nags it out of her, repeating “Where’s the money?” over and over again. Just to shut him up she tells him. (Who wouldn’t?) At that point you see him taking off his tie saying “If you told me, you could tell anybody.” Scene ends. You know what is going to happen; again enough for a frisson, but what a stupid scene!
I hope my ramblings haven’t been too long and have amused you a bit. Any replies about these films would be welcome, along with thoughts on any other cinematic strangling.