JOHNNY O’CLOCK (1947, USA, 96m, PG) ***½
Crime, Drama, Film-Noir, Thriller
dist. Columbia Pictures; pr co. J.E.M. Productions; d. Robert Rossen; w. Robert Rossen (based on an original story by Milton Holmes); pr. Edward G. Nealis; ph. Burnett Guffey (B&W | 1.37:1); m. George Duning; ed. Al Clark, Warren Low; ad. Stephen Goosson, Cary Odell.
cast: Dick Powell (Johnny O’Clock), Evelyn Keyes (Nancy Hobson), Lee J. Cobb (Inspector Koch), Ellen Drew (Nelle Marchettis), Nina Foch (Harriet Hobson), Thomas Gomez (Guido Marchettis), John Kellogg (Charlie), Jim Bannon (Chuck Blayden), Mabel Paige (Slatternly Woman Tenant), Phil Brown (Phil), Jeff Chandler (Turk (uncredited)).
Powell, in the shady title role, and Cobb, as the cop on his tail, are in top form in this convoluted effective film noir. When an employee at an illegal gambling den dies suspiciously, her sister, Nancy (Keyes), looks into the situation and falls for Johnny O’Clock (Powell), a suave partner in the underground casino. Selfish and non-committal by nature, Johnny slowly begins to return Nancy’s affection and decides to run away with her, but conflict within his business threatens their plans. As Johnny tries to distance himself from the casino, his shady past comes back to haunt him. Rossen directed his own script based on a story by Milton Holmes and the production is well designed by art directors Stephen Goosson and Cary Odell, whose casino set with its myriad of hidden rooms is impressively elaborate. Cinematographer Burnett Guffey lights the sets with moody effectiveness. In true genre tradition, there are plenty of double-crosses played out by the strong cast. Drew, as casino boss Gomez’s wife and Powell’s ex-lover, is under-used but adds glamour, whilst Keyes occasionally overdoes the histrionics. Otherwise, this is a highly competent thriller that just falls short of classic status.
