Watch maker Peter Lorre moves from Europe to NYC in search of 'the American dream'. Within minutes of arrival he's pickpocketed, but friendly police inspector Don Beddoe sets him up with a room in a cheap hotel. That night the hotel burns down, and Lorre ends up with facial burns. When he's released from the hospital, he cannot find a job due to his disfigured face. Just when he's about to commit suicide, he comes across petty thief George E. Stone. Due to his watch making craft, Lorre discovers he has a knack for robberies, and soon he's the leader of a small gang. Lorre finally has enough money to pay for a facial mask while saving up for a facial reconstruction operation. While Beddoe is tasked with investigating the robberies, Lorre meets the blind Evelyn Keyes, who sees him for what he is, not for what he looks like. After Lorre finds out the operation is useless, as all his facial nerves were fried in the hotel fire, he decides to leave his criminal life behind and move to the countryside with Keyes. But the gang won't let him go that easily.
Lorre loses almost everything within a day of his arrival to the States and once he is almost back on top again, he loses even more. A very bleak and cynical look at the American dream, this movie was apparently billed as 'horror' but it's really more of a proto-noir. Keyes ('Johnny O'Clock', 'The Prowler') has a small role but she does well, Beddoe's ('The Night Of The Hunter') role is almost like a bit-part unfortunately. The rest of the cast are decent enough, but this movie belongs to Lorre. He is excellent and displays a wide range of emotions. Lorre has a lot of noir credentials, but with this movie sandwiched inbetween 1940's 'Stranger On The Third Floor' and 1941's 'The Maltese Falcon', Lorre already ensured his name in the noir hall of fame.
Director Robert Florey ('The Crooked Way') keeps the movie moving at a brisk pace, with DoP Franz Planer ('99 River Street', 'Criss Cross') adding some nice noir photography to the movie. It doesn't have all the 'necessary' noir traits, but if you are looking for a bleak & downbeat proto-noir, look no further. The print I saw was pretty beat up, I would love to see this with better quality. 7/10
Lorre loses almost everything within a day of his arrival to the States and once he is almost back on top again, he loses even more. A very bleak and cynical look at the American dream, this movie was apparently billed as 'horror' but it's really more of a proto-noir. Keyes ('Johnny O'Clock', 'The Prowler') has a small role but she does well, Beddoe's ('The Night Of The Hunter') role is almost like a bit-part unfortunately. The rest of the cast are decent enough, but this movie belongs to Lorre. He is excellent and displays a wide range of emotions. Lorre has a lot of noir credentials, but with this movie sandwiched inbetween 1940's 'Stranger On The Third Floor' and 1941's 'The Maltese Falcon', Lorre already ensured his name in the noir hall of fame.
Director Robert Florey ('The Crooked Way') keeps the movie moving at a brisk pace, with DoP Franz Planer ('99 River Street', 'Criss Cross') adding some nice noir photography to the movie. It doesn't have all the 'necessary' noir traits, but if you are looking for a bleak & downbeat proto-noir, look no further. The print I saw was pretty beat up, I would love to see this with better quality. 7/10