Red Light (1949)

Nick Cherney, in prison for embezzling from Torno Freight Co., sees a chance to get back at Johnny Torno through his young priest brother Jess. He pays fellow prisoner Rocky, who gets out a... See full summary »

Director:

Roy Del Ruth

Writers:

Don 'Red' Barry (story), George Callahan (screenplay),

Stars:

George Raft, Virginia Mayo, Gene Lockhart

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
George Raft	...	Johnny Torno
Virginia Mayo	...	Carla North
Gene Lockhart	...	Warni Hazard
Raymond Burr	...	Nick Cherney
Harry Morgan	...	Rocky (as Henry Morgan)
Barton MacLane	...	Detective Strecker
Arthur Franz	...	Capt. Jess Torno (Chaplain)
Ken Murray	...	Ken Murray
Stanley Clements	...	Carlson Hotel Bellhop
William Frawley	...	Hotel Night Clerk
Arthur Shields	...	Father Redmond
Frank Orth	...	Wallace 'Wally' Stoner
Phillip Pine	...	Pablo Cabrillo
William 'Bill' Phillips	...	Detective Jim Ryan (as William S. Phillips)
Movita	...	Trina (as Movita Castenada)

Storyline

Nick Cherney, in prison for embezzling from Torno Freight Co., sees a chance to get back at Johnny Torno through his young priest brother Jess. He pays fellow prisoner Rocky, who gets out a week before Nick, to murder Jess...who, dying, tells revenge-minded Johnny that he'd written a clue "in the Bible." Frustrated, Johnny obsessively searches for the missing Gideon Bible from Jess's hotel room. Meanwhile, Nick himself gets out with murder still in his heart. But another factor is in play that none of them (except the murdered Jess) had planned on.

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Plot Keywords:

bible | brother | hotel | hotel room | priest | 

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Taglines:

RAFT IS ON THE PROWL FOR BIG GAME with luscious Virginia Mayo as his "killer bait!" (original poster)

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Genres:

Crime | Film-Noir | Drama

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Certificate:

Approved

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

30 September 1949 (USA)

Also Known As:

Mr. Gideon

Filming Locations:

Carmel Mission, Carmel, California, USA

Company Credits

Production Co:

Roy Del Ruth Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

83 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

United Artists 1949 publicity release for newspapers: "The sweaters and skirts Virginia Mayo wears in "Red Light" were all purchased in Paris, when Miss Mayo was there after attending a Command Performace in London. They were designed by the famous French dressmaker, Henri de la Penses."

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Quotes

Strecker: You know, Johnny, when you play solitaire you can only beat yourself.

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Soundtracks

"Ave Maria"
(uncredited)
Music by Franz Schubert

User Reviews

Burr and Raft go after revenge

One man (Raymond Burr) avenges being sent to prison for embezzling from a San Francisco trucking company by having the younger brother, a priest played by Arthur Franz, of the owner of the trucking company (George Raft) killed, shot in cold blood in a hotel room by Burr's prison associate Henry Morgan. The killing itself is impressively done and Morgan looks surprisingly mean. Burr is in top form looking downright menacing, and basically carries a lot of this film, as Raft's part goes way overboard as the vengeful older brother, though the Gideon's Bible angle of the film gives the part some saving grace. Virginia Mayo's role as one of the people who stayed in the hotel room where the murder took place, does not add much, as she is used by Raft to help find the Bible in which there is supposedly a clue to the killer's identity. As well, the great talent of Gene Lockhart gets somewhat squandered in his role as company VP. The role of the Bible itself makes the film a bit of a religious noir, an element that is also captured in some superb cinematography by the great Bert Glennon. The final fifteen minutes do definitely not let one down as Burr and Raft meet in the trucking company office on a rainy night, and the pieces fall efficiently together.