Whistle Stop (1946)

When beautiful Mary returns home to her "whistle stop" home town, long-standing feelings of animosity between two of her old boyfriends leads to robbery and murder.

Director:

Léonide Moguy (as Leonide Moguy)

Writers:

Maritta M. Wolff (novel), Philip Yordan (screenplay)

Stars:

George Raft, Ava Gardner, Victor McLaglen

Cast

Complete credited cast:
George Raft	...	Kenny Veech
Ava Gardner	...	Mary
Victor McLaglen	...	Gitlo
Tom Conway	...	Lew Lentz
Jorja Curtright	...	Fran
Jane Nigh	...	Josie Veech
Florence Bates	...	Molly Veech
Charles Drake	...	Ernie
Charles Judels	...	Sam Veech
Carmel Myers	...	Estelle
Jimmy Conlin	...	Al - the Barber
Jimmy Ames	...	Mr. Barker
Mack Gray	...	Bartender

Storyline

Beautiful Mary returns to her small hometown after many years from Chicago wearing a mink coat and carrying an expensive cigarette case. Her arrival causes long standing enmities to surface between two of her old boyfriends, Kenny Veech, a loafing gambler, and debonair Lew Lentz, owner of a local nightclub. Their deep-seated animosity repeatedly results in antagonism and fights as they compete for Mary's affections. Kenny's friend Gitlo, a bartender in Lentz' club, enlists Kenny in an aborted plan to rob Lentz of $15,000 in profits from sponsoring a local carnival. Lentz retaliates by framing both men for murder.

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Plot Keywords:

mink coat | bartender | nightclub | carnival | arm sling | 

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Taglines:

SHE SPELLED TROUBLE FOR EVERY GUY THAT MADE A PLAY FOR HER! (original print ad - all caps)

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Genres:

Crime | Drama | Film-Noir

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Certificate:

Passed

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

25 January 1946 (USA)

Also Known As:

Angeloi kai daimones

Filming Locations:

San Fernando, California, USA

Company Credits

Production Co:

Nero Films

Technical Specs

Runtime:

85 min

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Recording)

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

At the beginning of the film Ava Gardner gets off a train and goes to a house. She enters the front door and slams the door behind her with enough force to latch it. However, the door does not latch and bounces open a few inches.

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Quotes

Gitlo: How about a game of casino?
Kenny Veech: Ah, I don't feel like.
Gitlo: Ah, just a couple of hands. I can never sleep until daylight.

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Connections

Featured in The Good Wife: The Dream Team (2012)

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Soundtracks

Turkey in the Straw
(uncredited)
Traditional
Played at the fair

User Reviews

Ava Gardner is Amazing

This movie doesn't quite make it into the ranks of noir. Although it's interesting to watch George Raft and Ava Gardener, there isn't any chemistry between them and their relationship is not believable.

Nevertheless, Gardner is amazing eye candy, a screen goddess, and steals every scene she is in. Frankly, she is so gorgeous that she is completely miscast in this little melodrama about small town hicks.

The story takes place in the post-depression era and contains a few nice plot twists. Victor McLaglen delivers a terrific performance as Raft's drinking buddy and partner in crime, but the rest of the cast don't do much for the movie except provide forgettable characters.

The direction and cinematography are okay but the biggest problem is the casting. None of the main characters except McLaglen fit their roles. The DVD (Classic Film Noir, Volume 2) is worth watching for Gardner and McLaglen, who sparkle in a movie that is otherwise quite ordinary.