The main theme through most of the film was excellent. George Raft is being released from prison on parole. He honestly wants to succeed and does his best to stay clean, but has a hard time getting a fair shake on the outside. He's got a devil of a time getting a job and the system seems out to put a lot of roadblocks in his way. This social justice theme is good and provokes a lot of thought,...then it all gets lost as the plot takes a crazy turn that tends to undo so much of the original message. In so ways, it looked like two different films melded together!
At about one hour into the film, Raft is taken in by the police for questioning about a robbery. He was innocent and ultimately is exonerated and at the same time he's just completed his one year of parole. However, now that his life is falling into place, he goes back to a life of crime!!! Yes, the film tried to show that he was doing this to help his struggling brother, but it still made no sense. After all, throughout the film, he stood up for what was right and was a decent guy you couldn't help but like,...and then THAT?!?! It just wasn't at all convincing and helped to hopelessly muddle the message.
This is a real good example of the actors being better than the material--and it's just too bad. While still a decent gangster film, it could have been a better gangster film with a real message--something that is just tossed aside for some inexplicable reason.
At about one hour into the film, Raft is taken in by the police for questioning about a robbery. He was innocent and ultimately is exonerated and at the same time he's just completed his one year of parole. However, now that his life is falling into place, he goes back to a life of crime!!! Yes, the film tried to show that he was doing this to help his struggling brother, but it still made no sense. After all, throughout the film, he stood up for what was right and was a decent guy you couldn't help but like,...and then THAT?!?! It just wasn't at all convincing and helped to hopelessly muddle the message.
This is a real good example of the actors being better than the material--and it's just too bad. While still a decent gangster film, it could have been a better gangster film with a real message--something that is just tossed aside for some inexplicable reason.