Surprisingly interesting and fascinating for being branded as a B-feature, this is a fascinating web of relationships and how they get disturbed. John Carroll is a better actor than his reputation, and here he smears his part with a suavity which greatly enhances the general intriguing character of the plot. Robert Paige is his half brother, who apparently suffers from some incurable and mortal disease and constantly plays the organ in his rich millionaire's mansion by the sea - the settings here are extremely romantic and luxurious, like in "Rebecca". It appears that the brothers are in love with the same girl, Vera Ralston, who is engaged as a nurse for Paige, who falls in love with her and wants to marry her, strongly against his aunt's wishes, who rules the house. The fact that Carroll hasn't given up on Ralston is observed by a blackmailer, Broderick Crawford, as nasty as ever, which complicates things. He on his side has another girl, Constance Dowling, who makes a spectacular performance in a night club - this film is made in the "Gilda" year - which could be seen as the highlight of the film. The rhythm of the film is dead slow, you don't understand much of the intrigue to begin with, until gradually the skies are clearing and the clouds lifting, and the plot appears as gloomy and fatal as you could well wish for any classical noir. This is definitely underrated and should deserve a place in the canon of the best noirs.
