The biggest thing that Deadline At Dawn has going for it is the snappy dialog by one of the best word-smith's around at the time in Clifford Odets. It really crackles, especially what comes from Susan Hayward's mouth. What prevents it from being top rated noir is the rather unbelievable character of Bill Williams, the green kid sailor from Poughkeepsie.
Williams gets himself too much of a snootful of booze and ends up in Lola Lane's apartment with her quite dead. She asked him to 'fix her radio' just like guys ask women to 'see their etchings'. He also has $1400.00 in cash in his pocket and hasn't a clue how that got there either because he was in a poker game with Lane's brother Joseph Calleia, a most crooked gambler.
Fortunately for Williams he meets up with a cynical Susan Hayward who sees something in Williams, a naiveté she's not used to in the big city. She helps him investigate Lane's murder and before the cops are called in, they've got an interesting assortment of suspects.
The Deadline At Dawn refers to the fact that poor Williams has to get back to his ship by dawn else he be declared AWOL. At times that seemed to worry him more than the fact he's in a nice little jackpot.
Deadline At Dawn has a great cast and some great writing. But try as I might I couldn't get convinced about the character of Williams. Nobody could be that naive.
Williams gets himself too much of a snootful of booze and ends up in Lola Lane's apartment with her quite dead. She asked him to 'fix her radio' just like guys ask women to 'see their etchings'. He also has $1400.00 in cash in his pocket and hasn't a clue how that got there either because he was in a poker game with Lane's brother Joseph Calleia, a most crooked gambler.
Fortunately for Williams he meets up with a cynical Susan Hayward who sees something in Williams, a naiveté she's not used to in the big city. She helps him investigate Lane's murder and before the cops are called in, they've got an interesting assortment of suspects.
The Deadline At Dawn refers to the fact that poor Williams has to get back to his ship by dawn else he be declared AWOL. At times that seemed to worry him more than the fact he's in a nice little jackpot.
Deadline At Dawn has a great cast and some great writing. But try as I might I couldn't get convinced about the character of Williams. Nobody could be that naive.