MAKSQUIBS CINEMATHEQUE: RAW DEAL (1948)

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Thursday, January 23, 2020

RAW DEAL (1948)

Film noir heaven. Glistening wet pavement: √. Wavy electronic tones from a theremin on the soundtrack: √. Frame within frame compositions: √. Nihilistic protagonist forgoing parole for a prison break to Nowheresville: √. Fatalistic voice-over narration: √. Getaway car running out of gas: √. Innocent collateral victims and/or unlucky cop to seal your fate: √. A threatening police posse coming after . . . someone else: √. Mr. Big promising a share of the loot just as he's sending a hitman your way: √. A bowl of cherries jubilee, brandied, lit & tossed at some dame: √. Even on a tight budget, director Anthony Mann & lighting cameraman John (‘Prince of Darkness’) Alton don’t miss a trick*. (Especially nice on a new restoration out on Classic Flix.) With Dennis O’Keefe as the impatient jail-breaker; Claire Trevor as the loyal gal he takes for granted; Marsha Hunt’s legal aide who wants to help; heavy Raymond Burr flaming up like that bowl of cherries jubilee; John Ireland losing the upper hand; and a host of well cast stooges, crooks & three-time losers. Plus city detectives working thru the night with only a high-key desk lamp for company. √√√ At a tight 80 minutes, Raw Deal is the real deal.

DOUBLE-BILL: *Mann & Alton teamed up regularly in the late ‘40s. Try REIGN OF TERROR, a last indie and BORDER INCIDENT, their surprisingly fierce B-pic debut at M-G-M, as chaser (both 1949).

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Thursday, January 23, 2020

RAW DEAL (1948)

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