Black Angel is directed by Roy William Neill and adapted to screenplay by Roy Chanslor from the novel written by Cornell Woolrich. It stars Dan Duryea, June Vincent, Peter Lorre, Broderick Crawford, Constance Dowling, John Phillips and Wallace Ford. Music is by Frank Skinner and cinematography by Paul Ivano.
Kirk Bennett (Phillips) is convicted of a singer's murder, but his wife Catherine (Vincent) tries to prove him innocent with the help of the victim's estranged husband, Martin Blair (Duryea).
For a mid 1940s film noir entry Black Angel is modest in terms of visuals and a general noir vibe, but with strong casting, intelligent scripting and a genuinely interesting mystery driving the story forward, it proves to be an enjoyable who done it?.
Director Neill, in spite of some gaping plot questions that surface, does a fine job of dangling carrots to keep us guessing on how this will eventually pan out. He also ensures that the principal players are given room to breath, with Duryea repaying the director's approach with a great, and rare, sympathetic performance.
A couple of technical flourishes hint at what a better film it could have been in terms of atmosphere and darkening of the mood; such as the re-creation of the murder in a swirling expressionistic haze, however, with deft observations on emotionally charged characters shaded in grey, it has enough interest to entice the film noir fan. 7/10
Kirk Bennett (Phillips) is convicted of a singer's murder, but his wife Catherine (Vincent) tries to prove him innocent with the help of the victim's estranged husband, Martin Blair (Duryea).
For a mid 1940s film noir entry Black Angel is modest in terms of visuals and a general noir vibe, but with strong casting, intelligent scripting and a genuinely interesting mystery driving the story forward, it proves to be an enjoyable who done it?.
Director Neill, in spite of some gaping plot questions that surface, does a fine job of dangling carrots to keep us guessing on how this will eventually pan out. He also ensures that the principal players are given room to breath, with Duryea repaying the director's approach with a great, and rare, sympathetic performance.
A couple of technical flourishes hint at what a better film it could have been in terms of atmosphere and darkening of the mood; such as the re-creation of the murder in a swirling expressionistic haze, however, with deft observations on emotionally charged characters shaded in grey, it has enough interest to entice the film noir fan. 7/10