Raw Deal (1948 film)

Infobox_Film
name = Raw Deal


caption = Theatrical poster
director = Anthony Mann
producer = Edward Small
writer = Story:
Arnold B. Armstrong
Audrey Ashley
Screenplay:
Leopold Atlas
John C. Higgins
starring = Dennis O'Keefe
Claire Trevor
Marsha Hunt
John Ireland
music = Paul Sawtell
cinematography = John Alton
editing = Alfred DeGaetano
distributor = Eagle-Lion Films
released = May 26 1948
runtime = 79 minutes
country = United States
language = English
amg_id = 1:107322
imdb_id = 0040723|

"Raw Deal" is a 1948 film noir directed by Anthony Mann and shot by cinematographer John Alton. [imdb title|id=0040723|title=Raw Deal.]

Plot

Prisoner Joe Sullivan (Dennis O'Keefe), who has "taken the fall" for an unspecified crime, breaks jail with the help of his girl, Pat (Claire Trevor). Neither Joe nor Pat is aware that the escape has been facilitated as a set-up by mobster Rick Coyle (Raymond Burr), a sadistic pyromaniac, who has arranged for Joe to be killed during the break-out in order to avoid confronting him and paying Joe his agree-upon share of $50,000 for the crime. When the break-out scheme succeeds, contrary to Rick's expectations, Rick decides that he must have Joe done in some other way, by somebody else.

In the course of their run, Pat and Joe kidnap a social worker, Ann (Marsha Hunt) who has been visiting Joe in prison, trying to reform him. This begins a doomed film noir love triangle. A fight with a vicious thug ends when Ann shoots Joe's attacker in the back. After this act of murder, Ann realizes she is in love with Joe. Relenting, he sends her away and prepares to flee the country with Pat. In their hotel room, Pat receives a phone call from Rick's associate warning them that Ann has been seized by Rick, and will be harmed if Joe and Pat do not come out from hiding. Pat does not disclose the nature of the phone call, but instead tells Joe that it was a call from the hotel desk clerk about their check-out time, since she is anxious to avoid telling him anything about Ann that would lead him to hesitate to begin a new life with Pat. Before heading to the ship to effect an escape from the country, Joe goes to kill Rick. Surprised by Joe’s sudden intrusion, Rick shoots him and inadvertently starts a fire. Trapped, Rick crashes through the upper-story window to his death. Ann nestles the dying Joe in her arms as Pat looks on.

Cast

* Dennis O'Keefe as Joseph Emmett & Joe Sullivan
* Claire Trevor as Pat Cameron
* Marsha Hunt as Ann Martin
* John Ireland as Fantail
* Raymond Burr as Rick Coyle
* Curt Conway as Spider
* Chili Williams as Marcy
* Regis Toomey as Police Capt. Fields
* Whit Bissell as Murderer
* Cliff Clark as Gates

Critical reception

When the film was released, "The New York Times" film critic, Bosley Crowther, panned the film and wrote, "But this, of course, is a movie—and a pretty low-grade one, at that—in which sensations of fright and excitement are more diligently pursued than common sense...Except for the usual moral—to wit, that crime does not pay—the only thing proved by this picture is that you shouldn't switch sweethearts in mid-lam." [ [http://movies.nytimes.com/movie/review?res=9904EFD8123EE03BBC4153DFB1668383659EDE Crowther, Bosley] . "The New York Times] , film review, July 9 1948. Last accessed: August 31 2008./]

David N. Meyer's in "Girl and a Gun: The Complete Guide to Film Noir" wrote, "It's the richest cinematography in noir outside of Orson Welles' "Citizen Kane"." [cite book
last = Meyer
first = David N.
authorlink =
title = A Girl and A Gun: The Complete Guide to Film Noir
publisher =
series =
year = 1998
doi =
isbn = 0-380-79067-X]

References

External links

*
*
*
* [http://www.noiroftheweek.com/2008/09/raw-deal-1948.html "Raw Deal"] at Film Noir of the Week
* [http://members.aol.com/MG4273/mann.htm#RawDeal The Films of Anthony Mann]
* [http://www.dvdbeaver.com/film/DVDReviews15/raw_deal_dvd_review.htm "Raw Deal"] at DVD Beaver (includes images)