Most interestingly written
noir sounds almost poetic - difficult to describe, like a forerunner of Poliakoff?; scenario is organised numbers rackets with Cain and Abel (directly referenced) theme. 'Adapted from Ira Wolfert's keenly-researched journalistic novel' (Muller). Full of quotable and most interesting lyrics - I mean dialogue - between John Garfield and Thomas Gomez, Marie Windsor (boss's wife), Howland Chamberlain, Roy Roberts, Beatrice Pearson, Paul Fox etc. With arresting moments of action such as Chamberlain's murder, conclusion at bridge ("I kept on going down further") just before which I'd swear I saw a very early use of zoom lens.
Evocatively shot by George Barnes - see great compositions above, and who lights one particular staircase scene brilliantly - apparently guided by Polonsky towards Hopper - with music by David Raksin.
Doom, death, inexorability - loved also the symbolic moment where Garfield leaves Beatrice Pearson on a high-up fireplace. An independent (Enterprise) production
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