A charming racketeer seduces the DA's stepdaughter for revenge, then falls in love.
Acting
Van Heflin's drunk philosopher steals every scene he's in.
Cinematography
Shadows so thick you could trip over them.
Writing
Dialogue that crackles like burning celluloid.
Director
Mervyn LeRoy
Robert Taylor
Johnny Eager
Lana Turner
Lisbeth Bard
Edward Arnold
John Benson Farrell
Van Heflin
Jeff Hartnett
Robert Sterling
Jimmy Courtney
Patricia Dane
Garnet
Glenda Farrell
Mae Blythe
Henry O'Neill
Mr. Verne
Diana Lewis
Judy Sanford
Barry Nelson
Lew Rankin
Charles Dingle
Marco
Paul Stewart
Julio
Cy Kendall
Halligan
Don Costello
Billiken
Lou Lubin
Benjy
Trivia, insights & behind the scenes
Lana Turner's character was originally written as a hardened dame; she insisted on playing innocent, which makes the corruption hit harder.
Released right before Pearl Harbor, this was the last gasp of Depression-era cynicism before patriotic uplift took over Hollywood.
US
