Nathan and Ryan take a trip back to 1950 with I Was a Shoplifter, a cautionary crime drama that mixes noir style with moral messaging. Following a young woman caught stealing who gets pulled into a slick shoplifting ring, the film balances pulpy thrills with a heavy dose of “crime doesn’t pay” melodrama. The hosts discuss the movie’s place in the era’s crime film cycle, its campy mix of sincerity and exploitation, and how it fits into the tradition of morality tales disguised as B-movies.
