Its not a top notch noir and there is barely any location shooting at all but it has a good feel with the murder mystery element nicely set up. Based upon a Cornell Woolrich story and reputedly with much of him in the sad, heavy drinking main character played by Dan Duryea. He does well here and if the dialogue is not particularly inspiring there are still enough good lines to keep this going. There is a strange fascination in leading lady June Vincent too and the two make an unusually flawed pair teaming up to solve the unseen killing at the start. Peter Lorre, of course, is always a welcome addition to any film and here he plays the man we love to hate but is he simply a distraction? Rather nondescript studio bound shooting but enlivened with a few rather innovative montage sequences and a decent night club set where the main two perform. Not sensational by any means but a pleasant watch with most noir tropes at least getting a toe in.
Review of Black Angel
