NOCTURNE is a little-known film noir about an offbeat detective investigating the apparent suicide of a piano player who finds himself drawn into a world of seductive femme fatales. To be fair, the plot is extremely ordinary and matter-of-fact, but the stylish direction and some winning performances help to lift it at times.
NOCTURNE peaks early with an absolutely brilliant opening sequence which has style to spare and which ends with a exceptional twist. Nothing that comes after can top that, sadly, but some witty, sharp-edged dialogue helps to propel the at-times-boring narrative along. The biggest downfall is the saggy middle, in which the detective interviews various women without getting anywhere, but it does pick up for the mildly exciting climax.
I really enjoyed George Raft's laconic turn as the protagonist; despite being a detective employed by the local police department, he feels like the typical gumshoe with a ready wisecrack for any situation. The female cast are attractive and alluring, and prove equally sharp-witted when the need arises. NOCTURNE's mid-section is just too sluggish to be able to rate this as a good film, but it's worth tracking down as a rarity that passes the time adequately enough.
NOCTURNE peaks early with an absolutely brilliant opening sequence which has style to spare and which ends with a exceptional twist. Nothing that comes after can top that, sadly, but some witty, sharp-edged dialogue helps to propel the at-times-boring narrative along. The biggest downfall is the saggy middle, in which the detective interviews various women without getting anywhere, but it does pick up for the mildly exciting climax.
I really enjoyed George Raft's laconic turn as the protagonist; despite being a detective employed by the local police department, he feels like the typical gumshoe with a ready wisecrack for any situation. The female cast are attractive and alluring, and prove equally sharp-witted when the need arises. NOCTURNE's mid-section is just too sluggish to be able to rate this as a good film, but it's worth tracking down as a rarity that passes the time adequately enough.