Somehow, I thought it had been longer since my last film noir. Well, this one is more purely within the genre. It also stands out for "introducing" Alan Ladd, 11 years before Shane. He got fourth billing despite probably the biggest role, but it did popularize him.
In southern California, hitman Philip Raven (Ladd) kills the blackmailer of chemical mogul Willard Gates (Laird Cregar), only to be paid in bills marked for tracing. Raven seeks revenge, but he also wants to track down Gates' employer and find out what the operation is all about. Meanwhile, Gates hires singing magician Ellen Graham (Veronica Lake) at his nightclub. Graham, girlfriend of visiting detective Michael Crane (Robert Preston), is asked to spy on Gates for signs of wartime treason. Raven and Graham happen to sit together on a train, and Raven coerces her into helping him elude the police....
Contrived? Sure. I think unlikely coincidence in a non-comedy is okay as part of the initial setup, as opposed to the resolution. In this case, it's far enough in to raise a few eyebrows, but I still basically approve. I just don't know whether Graham Greene, who wrote the original book, appreciated such dramatic changes.
The real fun is in seeing the various sides play off each other. It seems particularly complicated for Graham, who gets an unfriendly introduction to Raven but realizes he could be handy in her work against Gates. As long as he doesn't come between her and Crane, of course.
I'd say Raven wasn't the best vehicle for Ladd to show off his skills. He mostly sticks to one deadpan face and doesn't say much for the first half. All we really know about his character is that he suffered domestic physical abuse and is usually amoral but has a soft spot for cats. (Too bad his kitten is given an adult voice -- not matching mouth movements, as always in movies.)
Lake's stage number isn't bad, tho I'm sure she did something no one could in reality. Also, no magician should make an audience member's watch disappear without returning it, unbroken. Kinda surprised she had the job after that.
Things get pretty exciting by the third act, when Raven has to run and hide in a railyard. The ending is about as good as we could hope.
It's not the best-written noir I've seen, but it ultimately satisfied me more than some I could name. See it if you're willing to suspend disbelief even in seriousness.
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