Underrated gem about three strangers (Rita Hayworth, Douglas Fairbanks, Jr., Thomas Mitchell) in a nightclub coming together to help out a suicidal embezzler (John Qualen). Fairbanks is a con man with his own angle to play. Hayworth is a slightly ditzy chorus girl who falls for him. Mitchell is a writer and drunkard. A labor of love for Ben Hecht, who wrote the screenplay as well as co-directed and produced. The script, smart and full of dark humor, plays like a Damon Runyan plot with cynical Hecht characters. The cast is good, with Hayworth, Mitchell, and Qualen all standouts. Fairbanks is OK but I agree with other reviewers that he's miscast for the role. He just doesn't seem like a streetwise hustler beaten down by bad breaks, which is what the role calls for. Anyway, he isn't bad and doesn't detract from the film in a way that is significant enough to hurt the overall enjoyment of it. Give it a look, I doubt you'll be disappointed. If you like Frank Capra films, you'll probably like this.
Review of Angels Over Broadway
