Raw Deal ***½ (1948, Dennis O’Keefe, Claire Trevor, Marsha Hunt, John Ireland, Raymond Burr) – Classic Movie Review 5276

Director Anthony Mann’s rousing little 1948 film noir crime drama Raw Deal tells a complex, tough tale about a young woman called Pat Cameron (Claire Trevor) who helps her innocent boyfriend Joe Sullivan (Dennis O’Keefe) to flee from prison in order to punish Rick Coyle (Raymond Burr), the evil one-time associate who got him to take the rap for him for $50,000 and doubled-crossed him with an escape plan fixed to fail. As a love triangle develops, Marsha Hunt plays Ann Martin, Rick’s prim but sympathetic legal caseworker.

Leopold Atlas and John C Higgins’s hard-boiled screenplay (based on a story by Arnold B Armstrong and Audrey Ashley), the well-hard performances, cinematographer John Alton’s brilliantly atmospheric photography, the well-used Malibu locations and Mann’s taut direction are all first-rate film noir collector’s items.

Also in the cast are John Ireland as Fantail, Curt Conway as Spider, Chili Williams, Regis Toomey, Whit Bissell, Cliff Clark, Ray Teal, David Clarke, Ilka Gruning, Mike Lally, Tom Fadden, Harry Tyler, Beverly Wills, Carey Loftin, James Magill and Richard Irving.

It is written by Leopold Atlas and John C Higgins, based on a story by Arnold B Armstrong and Audrey Ashley.

It has no relation to the 1986 Arnold Schwarzenegger movie of the same title, Raw Deal.

The sets are designed by art director Edward L Ilou.

An independent production by Edward Small, it is distributed by Eagle-Lion Films, released on 26 May 1948 in the US.

Film noir was in vogue and the film was a financial success.

The cast are Dennis O’Keefe as Joe Sullivan, Claire Trevor as Pat Regan, Marsha Hunt as Ann Martin, John Ireland as Fantail, Raymond Burr as Rick Coyle, Curt Conway as Spider, Chili Williams as Marcy, Richard Fraser as Fields, Whit Bissell as Murderer, Cliff Clark as Gates, Richard Irving as Brock, Harry Tyler as Oscar, Ilka Grüning as Oscar’s Housekeeper Fran, Tom Fadden as Grimshaw, Ray Teal as Police Commanding Officer, Robert B Williams as San Francisco Detective Sergeant, Carey Loftin as Motorcycle Cop, Gregg Barton as Car Owner, Bill Kennedy as Drunk, Beverly Wills as Girl, David Clarke, Mike Lally, Harry Tyler, Beverly Wills, Carey Loftin, James Magill and Richard Irving.

Raw Deal is directed by Anthony Mann, runs 78 minutes, is made by Edward Small Productions, is released by Eagle-Lion Films, is written by Leopold Atlas and John C Higgins, based on a story by Arnold B Armstrong and Audrey Ashley, is shot by John Alton, is produced by Edward Small, is scored by Paul Sawtell, and designed by Edward L Ilou.

Mann is also remembered for Desperate (1947), Railroaded! (1947), T-Men, Border Incident, and He Walked by Night.

© Derek Winnert 2017 Classic Movie Review 5276

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