Tuesday's Overlooked Films: Johnny Angel

This short 1945 film noir was directed by Edwin L. Marin and written by Frank Gruber and Steve Fisher, both writers whose works I have read and enjoyed. It stars George Raft, Claire Trevor, Signe Hasso, and Hoagy Carmichael. Marvin Miller is also good in his minor role. Raft, who I have never seen before in a previous film, plays a merchant marine captain coming into his homeport of New Orleans. I think he has the similar mannerisms and inflections to the actor Humphrey Bogart. Anyway, Raft's father, also a steamship captain, has been killed along with most of his crew. Raft decides to do a little detective work along with Carmichael as his cabbie/sidekick to get to the bottom of who murdered his father and why. The alluring photography alone is enough to like Johnny Angel (wasn't that a later song title?). We get to see the foggy, murky, and shadowy piers in The Big Easy during the 1940s (or maybe the Hollywood back lot version). The femme fatale Claire Trevor, always excellent, doesn't get a meaty enough role, probably not easy to do with such a short run time. The gorgeous Swedish actress Signe Hasso plays Raft's love interest. Hoagy who also plays and sings a number is always fun to watch in his roles. IMDb.com rates Johnny Angel with a low 6.6/10.0, and I'd quibble with that mark. My score goes to 7.5 just because I like the cast of performers and the noir photography.