Black Angel **** (1946, Dan Duryea, June Vincent, Peter Lorre, Broderick Crawford) – Classic Movie Review 5518

Director Roy William Neill’s complex, stylish, satisfying top-drawer 1946 film noir mystery thriller Black Angel is securely based on the novel by Cornell Woolrich (aka William Irish).

June Vincent stars as nightclub singer Catherine Bennett who tries to clear her husband Kirk Bennett (John Phillips) of murdering his blackmailing lover Mavis Marlowe (Constance Dowling), a blonde singer who had been the wife of the apparently agreeable alcoholic pianist/ song-writer Martin ‘Marty’ Blair (Dan Duryea). Desperate to save him from execution, Catherine tries to prove Kirk innocent, with the help of Blair, who falls for her.

Cast against type, Duryea is excellent and so of course is Peter Lorre as the shifty, crooked nightclub operator Mr Marko, who is also involved in the steamy, twisty plot as the prime suspect the investigating couple target, joining his nightclub as a pianist-singer double act, as well as Broderick Crawford as the dogged Police Captain Flood. The resourceful cast, handsome production and the atmospheric, film noir-style direction by Neill combine to give it an attractive urgency.

In the alluring style of the period, Vincent sings a clutch of songs, including ‘Heartbreak’, ‘I Want To Be Talked About’, ‘Time Will Tell’, and ‘Continental Gentleman’.

Also in the cast are Wallace Ford, Hobart Cavanaugh, Freddie Steele, Ben Bard, John Phillips, Junius Matthews, Marion Martin, Archie Twitchell, Maurice St Clair and Vilova.

Black Angel is directed by Roy William Neill, runs 81 minutes, is a Universal film, is written by Roy Chanslor, is shot in black and white by Paul Ivano, is produced by Roy William Neill and Tom McKnight, is scored by Frank Skinner, and set designed by Jack Otterson.

It is the final film of prolific director Roy William Neill, who died on December 14, 1946 in London, aged 59. He was also known for Murder Will Out (1939), Frankenstein Meets the Wolf Man (1943), The Scarlet Claw (1944) and Dressed to Kill (1946). He made more than 100 films, starting in 1917.

The cast are Dan Duryea as Martin ‘Marty’ Blair, June Vincent as Catherine Bennett, Peter Lorre as Mr Marko, Broderick Crawford as Captain Flood, Constance Dowling as Mavis Marlowe, Wallace Ford as Joe, Hobart Cavanaugh as Hotel Caretaker, Freddie Steele as Lucky, John Phillips as Kirk Bennett, Ben Bard as Bartender, Junius Matthews as Dr Courtney, Marion Martin as Millie, Archie Twitchell as George Mitchell, Maurice St Clair as Dancer, Vilova as Dancer, and Robert Williams as Second Detective.

June Vincent (1920–2008).

© Derek Winnert 2017 Classic Movie Review 5518

Check out more reviews on http://derekwinnert.com