This is a great crime thriller with two of my favourite stars. Why Nancy Carroll had so short a career beats me!!! It was the fashion, years ago, to write off all her movies after "Night Angel" as second rate but now with more of her films becoming available, people are realising what a unique talent was wasted. This was one of George Raft's first starring films and he and Nancy have sizzling chemistry.
Wall Street cannot cope with a daring band of crooks who pull off one robbery after another - even with police surveillance. Thousands of dollars worth of bonds are disappearing week after week. Young Jimmie Madigan (William Janney) is picked to deliver some bonds and proudly shows the pockets in his coat where he will conceal them. Kenneth Mason (Lew Cody) is also in the office and offers Jimmy a lift in his limousine. Mason, who is the mastermind behind the robberies, slays him with an ingenious weapon, a small blade that is concealed in a fountain pen.
When a "fence" is also killed, Nick Darrow (George Raft) calls on the police commissioner (David Landau) and insists on joining the under- cover squad to catch the killers. The "fence" was his father. He gets help from Lora Madigan (Nancy Carroll), Jimmie's sister and infiltrates the gang as Ollie Snell. He takes her (as his "dame") to the "Padlock Club" where they meet up with Mason and his date Connie (Noel Francis makes a welcome appearance, playing almost the same role as she played in "Blonde Crazy" (1931)). While at Mason's apartment, Lora finds a peculiar fountain pen. Mason hastily says it is a family heirloom but Lora is convinced it is the weapon that killed her brother. She is determined to get that pen even though Ollie strictly forbids it. Meanwhile Mason and his gang suspect Ollie is working under-cover for the police so they set up an elaborate ploy to expose him but he passes with flying colours. Mason orders him to help with one last job before they "blow".
When Nick finds out that Martoff (Gregory Ratoff) is the man that killed his father - he kills him. Mason, thinking Nick has already been killed, tells Lora and she hysterically spills the beans about who she and Nick really are. There is a clever twist at the end.
The fan magazines of the day gave it enthusiastic reviews. Although Nancy didn't have much to do, "Motion Picture" thought she was on her way to stardom once again. She did become more beautiful with each scene.
Highly Recommended.
Wall Street cannot cope with a daring band of crooks who pull off one robbery after another - even with police surveillance. Thousands of dollars worth of bonds are disappearing week after week. Young Jimmie Madigan (William Janney) is picked to deliver some bonds and proudly shows the pockets in his coat where he will conceal them. Kenneth Mason (Lew Cody) is also in the office and offers Jimmy a lift in his limousine. Mason, who is the mastermind behind the robberies, slays him with an ingenious weapon, a small blade that is concealed in a fountain pen.
When a "fence" is also killed, Nick Darrow (George Raft) calls on the police commissioner (David Landau) and insists on joining the under- cover squad to catch the killers. The "fence" was his father. He gets help from Lora Madigan (Nancy Carroll), Jimmie's sister and infiltrates the gang as Ollie Snell. He takes her (as his "dame") to the "Padlock Club" where they meet up with Mason and his date Connie (Noel Francis makes a welcome appearance, playing almost the same role as she played in "Blonde Crazy" (1931)). While at Mason's apartment, Lora finds a peculiar fountain pen. Mason hastily says it is a family heirloom but Lora is convinced it is the weapon that killed her brother. She is determined to get that pen even though Ollie strictly forbids it. Meanwhile Mason and his gang suspect Ollie is working under-cover for the police so they set up an elaborate ploy to expose him but he passes with flying colours. Mason orders him to help with one last job before they "blow".
When Nick finds out that Martoff (Gregory Ratoff) is the man that killed his father - he kills him. Mason, thinking Nick has already been killed, tells Lora and she hysterically spills the beans about who she and Nick really are. There is a clever twist at the end.
The fan magazines of the day gave it enthusiastic reviews. Although Nancy didn't have much to do, "Motion Picture" thought she was on her way to stardom once again. She did become more beautiful with each scene.
Highly Recommended.