Citadel of Crime was the original title of the Republic
John Wayne vehicle which eventually emerged as
A Man Betrayed (TV title:
Wheel of Fortune). Never a studio to let anything go to waste, Republic redirected the cognomen Citadel of Crime to one of their minor but entertaining crime melodramas its original title was Ten Nights in Barroom).
Don Ryan's well-honed screenplay unfolds the tale of a gang of mobsters trying to take over the various moonshine operations in the hills of West Virginia. To gain the confidence of the local hillbillies, the crooks send out Cal Fullerton (
Robert Armstrong), a former moonshiner who's spent several years in "the rackets," as their advance man. The villains' plans are foiled by handsome revenuer Jim Rogers (
Frank Albertson), likewise a true son of the Hills. Slickly produced, Citadel of Crime packs plenty of action in its brief 58 minutes. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide