Nocturne (1946 film)

Infobox Film
name = Nocturne


caption = Theatrical Poster
director = Edwin L. Marin
producer = Jack J. Gross
Joan Harrison
writer = Frank Fenton
Roland Brown
Joan Harrison
Jonathan Latimer
starring = George Raft
Lynn Bari
Virginia Huston
Joseph Pevney
music = Leigh Harline
cinematography = Harry J. Wild
editing = Elmo Williams
distributor = RKO Radio Pictures
released = November 9, 1946 (U.S.A.)
runtime = 87 minutes
country = United States
language = English
budget =
amg_id = 1:35581
imdb_id = 0038782|

"Nocturne" (1946) is a black-and-white film noir starring George Raft and Lynn Bari. The film was produced by longtime Alfred Hitchcock associate Joan Harrison, scripted by Jonathan Latimer, and directed by Edwin L. Marin. [imdb title|id=0038782|title=Nocturne.]

Plot

A Hollywood film composer is found dead. The police think it is suicide but a cop, Joe Warner (Raft), suspects murder. Warner begins looking for "Dolores," a name in a song by the dead man. While investigating, Warner finds out the dead man has had a list of models as girlfriends and that ten of them have a motive for the suspected murder.

His ruthless questioning tactics lead to several suspects reporting him for abuse. Pursuing the case with dogged determination, the obsessed Warner is eventually suspended from the police force while on the case. As he digs deeper into the case, the clues draw him closer to Frances Ransom (Bari), who may be involved in the killing.

Cast

* George Raft as Joe Warner
* Lynn Bari as Frances Ransom
* Virginia Huston as Carol Page
* Joseph Pevney as Ned "Fingers" Ford
* Myrna Dell as Susan Flanders
* Edward Ashley as Keith Vincent
* Walter Sande as Police Lt. Halberson
* Mabel Paige as Mrs. Warne
* Bern Hoffman as Erik Torp
* Queenie Smith as Queenie, Nora's Roommate
* Mack Gray as Gratz

Critical reception

When the film was released, the staff at "Variety" magazine discussed the acting in the drama and wrote "Nocturne" is a detective thriller with action and suspense plentiful and hard-bitten mood of story sustained by Edwin L. Marin's direction. There's some confusion towards windup in pulling all threads of tale together but this was apparently due to editing problem in keeping footage to tight 86 minutes running time. George Raft is seen as hardboiled detective lieutenant whose stubbornness leads to uncovering a murder previously tagged a suicide. He gives his usual, slow-paced, tough touch to assignment to make it thoroughly effective. Co-star Lynn Bari, a prime suspect through much of the footage, turns in a capable job. Virginia Huston is interesting as Bari's songstress sister and sings three tunes." [ [http://www.variety.com/review/VE1117793567.html?categoryid=31&cs=1&query=Nocturne+review "Variety"] . Film review, 1946. Last accessed: February 25 2008.]

Film critic Dennis Schwartz called the film, "A low rent version of the film noir "Laura," and added, "It was a snappy film that makes the most of its murder investigation with insightful looks at the lives of those on the fringe associated with Hollywood. The viewer is taken on a tour of 1940s styled nightclubs, different income styles of living quarters, and into the RKO studio lot, as the tough guy Raft lives on the job vicariously through others. It's a film with many ironies. It was scripted by Jonathan Latimer and directed by Edwin Marin, and it was produced by longtime Alfred Hitchcock associate Joan Harrison." [ [http://www.sover.net/~ozus/nocturne.htm Schwartz, Dennis] . "Ozus' World Movie Reviews," film review, March 12 2002. Last accessed: February 25, 2008.]

References

External links

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* [http://noiroftheweek.blogspot.com/2005/08/nocturne-1946-8162005.html " Nocturne"] at Film Noir of the Week by Ian W. Hill.