Early Spencer Tracy film when he was at Fox. He's good but he's not a particularly memorable gangster - those roles are always better when played with more ham eg Al Pacino, Cagney.
This was written and directed by Rowland Brown, who has a small cult around his relatively small output. He does a pretty good job especially considering it was an early sound film - imaginative compositions, brisk editing... such as an assassination shot from the POV of people's legs, and a montage of time.
The plot has trucker gangster Tracy go into crime, and get hung up on a society dame. Because its pre Code the dame can be a bit of a bitch, and when Tracy is knocked off by one of his own men, Warner Richmond, the man gets away with it.
George Raft has his first significant role. Scarface got all the credit for launching him but this one really set the Raft template of "seductive menace". As in Scarface he's a chief gunman for the lead actor who looks sinister and is a womaniser, who betrays his boss and is killed accordingly (only here it's not because he steals a woman that his boss is interested in... he just wants more money... the romantic connection is more dramatically satisfying which is why Scarface is better remembered... that and the coin toss and it being a better movie). Raft does a dance at a party too. He's awkward with dialogue but makes an impact.
Not a major league gangster flick - I think because Tracy underplays - but still worth seeing.
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