Actor George Raft may be better known for the films he turned down (Casablanca, Double Indemnity) than for the ones he signed on for. His tenure at Warner Bros. early in his career cast him with some of the greats in a string of gangster films whose stories paralleled his own experience growing up in the toughest part of New York City. So convincing was his on-screen mobster persona, he would find future employment somewhat difficult to secure.

If good-guys finish last, then it only stands to reason that bad-guys always land on their feet. Life after Warner Bros. found Raft sailing the relatively calm waters at RKO Radio Pictures in the mid-1940's. Economical yet credible achievements in film noir with movies such as Nocturne, and “Johnny Angel” took advantage of a limited acting range tailor-made for the B picture circuit.

George Raft also benefited from his association with his co-stars. Paired with the exceptional Claire Trevor in “Johnny Angel”, he seems a veritable boy scout compared to what she has in store for every male within her sphere of influence. As Captain Angel, he and his crew happen upon the Quincy, a sister cargo ship to his, apparently adrift at sea. Visible through the fog, he boards to find the ship abandoned, with signs of a violent struggle scattered about. This coincidence is remarkable in light of the fact that the Quincy was under the command of another Captain Angel - his father (J. Farrell MacDonald).

Shipping line owner Gusty Gustafson (Marvin Miller) is shocked by the news, but he has bigger fish to fry. He and his wife Lily (Claire Trevor) argue violently and frequently, and the five million in gold aboard the Quincy has also taken a powder along with the crew. Determined to learn the fate of his father, Angel combs 1940's New Orleans for clues, introduced by a fine nighttime and neon montage.

Cabbie Celestial O’Brien (Hoagy Carmichael) turns out to be the perfect chauffeur; almost psychic, in a thoroughly believable way. Carmichael, whose musical legacy (Stardust, The Nearness of You) greatly overshadows his acting achievements is nevertheless likable with a casual, boyish appeal. His flop-house rendition of his classic composition “Memphis in June” deserves to be shown in a continuous loop at the Smithsonian - this exquisite piece of musical history is seamlessly layered into the plot.

The lighthearted Carmichael plays well against the businesslike Raft, with the two eventually tracking-down Quincy stowaway Paulette Gerard (Signe Hasso); their only link to the reality of the ill-fated ship. The Swedish-born Hasso, who reminds me of June Allyson, plays a French woman-of-mystery; though with little conviction. Her life in danger, she disappears before answering pertinent questions, and the race is on to find her before those who wish to silence her succeed in doing so. Hasso appeared in almost ninety films and television dramas as recently as the 1990's, though my viewing of “Johnny Angel” is the first I have heard or seen of her.

The sensational Claire Trevor also signed-on for several features at RKO during this period. Most notable among these are Murder, My Sweet, and “Born to Kill” - two classic films noir. Here, she connives with silky smooth subtlety, and a profound beauty at odds with her capacity for malevolent deception. Her on-screen husband Gusty isn’t my choice for a credible pairing. Marvin Miller fared much better as the sadistic heavy in the Bogart - Lizabeth Scott thriller “Dead Reconing” though he gives Gusty a kind of blubbery charm that’s difficult to describe.

Although actress Shelly Fabares does not sing her 1962 number one hit by the same name in “Johnny Angel”, this is an enjoyable film in the B picture tradition. Director Edwin L. Marin would sign-on for the far superior “Nocturne” a year later. Better script, supporting players and mamma’s-boy Raft make the later film unique. Hoagy Carmichael and Claire Trevor make “Johnny Angel” a good choice for film noir buffs; those of you, like me, who are fans of 1940's cinema, and anyone who thrives on the obscure.

Johnny Angel (1945)
Producer: William Pereira
Screenplay: Steve Fisher, Frank Gruber
From the novel by Charles G. Booth
Director: Edwin L. Marin
RKO Radio Pictures
VHS: RKO Collection / Turner Home Entertainment (1989)


Recommended:
Yes

Viewing Format: VHS
Video Occasion: Good for a Rainy Day
Suitability For Children: Suitable for Children Age 13 and Older