Red Light (1949)

The former employee of a trucking company, currently in prison for embezzling the company, plans his eventual revenge against his former boss.

Director:

Roy Del Ruth

Writers:

Don 'Red' Barry (story "This Guy Gideon") (as Donald Barry), George Callahan (screenplay)

Stars:

George Raft, Virginia Mayo, Gene Lockhart

Cast

Complete credited cast:
George Raft	...	John Torno
Virginia Mayo	...	Carla North
Gene Lockhart	...	Warni Hazard
Raymond Burr	...	Nick Cherney
Harry Morgan	...	Rocky (as Henry Morgan)
Barton MacLane	...	Strecker
Arthur Franz	...	Jess Torno
Ken Murray	...	Ken Murray
Stanley Clements	...	Bellboy
William Frawley	...	Hotel Clerk
Arthur Shields	...	Father Redmond
Frank Orth	...	Stoner
Phillip Pine	...	Pablo Cabrillo
William 'Bill' Phillips	...	Ryan (as Wm. S. Phillips)

Storyline

Nick Cherney, in prison for embezzling from Torno Freight Co., sees a chance to get back at John 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 John that he'd written a clue "in the Bible." Frustrated, John 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.

---

Plot Keywords:

bible | brother | hotel | hotel room | prison | 

---

Taglines:

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

---

Genres:

Crime | Drama | Film-Noir | Thriller

---

Certificate:

Passed

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

30 September 1949 (USA)

Also Known As:

Mr. Gideon

Filming Locations:

San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge, San Francisco Bay, California, USA

Company Credits

Production Co:

Roy Del Ruth Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

83 min

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Recording)

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."

---

Goofs

The collar Father Jesse wears is not a Roman Catholic clergy collar, but a Protestant version.

---

Quotes

John Torno: Don't give me all that malarkey about "do unto others as you would have them do unto you." Sure, Jess went for that stuff and what did it get him? A bunch of lilies and six silver handles!

---

Crazy Credits

During the closing scene a neon sign reads "24 HOUR SERVICE". When the film ends another neon sign lights up with "THE END" below it.

---

Soundtracks

Ave Maria
(uncredited)
Music by Franz Schubert

User Reviews

Mystifying title for a revenge crime melodrama featuring George Raft and The Bible...

With so much of this gangster melodrama revolving around the Gideon Bible holding the clue to the murderer, it's no wonder that Dimktri Tiomkin plays up the pious "Ave Maria" every time any mention of "the clue" is made. George Raft's monotone voice and intense expression never changes much throughout, but he's convincing as a man on a mission to find and kill his brother's murderer.

Along the way, he enlists the aid of the lovely Virginia Mayo, who helps him track down the killer while reminding him that his brother was strictly a "Thou shalt not kill" sort of Army Chaplain. Thus, the grim ending for the killer comes not from Raft but providence when he's disposed of quite dramatically.

Raymond Burr plays the "heavy," a sadistic thug who seems to enjoy every kill, even if it means pushing a man off a train or having a truck falling on top of a man in hiding. A good cast, including Arthur Franz as Raft's brother, Gene Lockhart, Harry Morgan, Barton MacLane, Ken Murray, William Frawley and Arthur Shields. Virginia Mayo gives an excellent performance as the gutsy gal who helps Raft in his quest to find a killer.

Trivia: Interesting to note that most of the supporting cast would go on to TV fame in an era when that medium was just starting to give film players some iconic breaks.

Summing up: Good revenge melodrama with film noir touches.