Director: MICHAEL CURTIZ. Screenplay: Rian James. Story: Raoul Whitfield. Photography: Tony Gaudio. Film editors: George Amy, Harold McLernon. Art director: Jack Okey. Costumes: Orry-Kelly. Music composed by Bernhard Kaun, directed by Leo F. Forbstein. Associate producers: Tenny Wright, Hal B. Wallis. (Although he is credited in some movie books, and possibly even on IMDb, Wallis did not regard this film as one of HIS movies).
Copyright 20 July 1933 by Warner Bros. Pictures, Inc. Presented by Warner Bros. Pictures, Inc. and the Vitaphone Corp. New York release at the Radio City Music Hall, 6 July 1933. 8 reels, 67 minutes.
Television title: MAN KILLER.
SYNOPSIS: A seedy private eye becomes involved with a lady gambler.
COMMENT: A somewhat episodic plot is very stylishly tied together and tautly directed by Michael Curtiz. The movie has plenty of early film noir ambiance and a number of striking scenes in which Curtiz makes full use of some marvelously atmospheric sets.
Gaudio's artful cinematography is also a major factor, as is Amy's judicious film editing and Kaun's menacing score.
The acting is well-nigh perfect. Powell was born to play this type of role and he receives forceful assistance here from a classic roster of character artists, led by Ruth Donnelly. Arthur Hohl as usual is an absolute stand-out. As the mystery heroine, Margaret Lindsay provides a most attractive foil.
One can only wonder why such a great piece of vintage entertainment is not better-known and why it doesn't command the sort of cult following that Powell's more or less contemporary "The Kennel Murder Case" (1933) and "Manhattan Melodrama" (1934) still enjoy today.
Copyright 20 July 1933 by Warner Bros. Pictures, Inc. Presented by Warner Bros. Pictures, Inc. and the Vitaphone Corp. New York release at the Radio City Music Hall, 6 July 1933. 8 reels, 67 minutes.
Television title: MAN KILLER.
SYNOPSIS: A seedy private eye becomes involved with a lady gambler.
COMMENT: A somewhat episodic plot is very stylishly tied together and tautly directed by Michael Curtiz. The movie has plenty of early film noir ambiance and a number of striking scenes in which Curtiz makes full use of some marvelously atmospheric sets.
Gaudio's artful cinematography is also a major factor, as is Amy's judicious film editing and Kaun's menacing score.
The acting is well-nigh perfect. Powell was born to play this type of role and he receives forceful assistance here from a classic roster of character artists, led by Ruth Donnelly. Arthur Hohl as usual is an absolute stand-out. As the mystery heroine, Margaret Lindsay provides a most attractive foil.
One can only wonder why such a great piece of vintage entertainment is not better-known and why it doesn't command the sort of cult following that Powell's more or less contemporary "The Kennel Murder Case" (1933) and "Manhattan Melodrama" (1934) still enjoy today.