Rating: 
Summary: Black Angel
Review: For the most part boasting a strong cast that knows its tough guy way around a shadowy plot, in the final analyses BLACK ANGEL is a contrived and unconvincing story of a man wrongly accused, a housewife turned master sleuth and the barfly piano player who falls for her.
Dan Duryea stars as the ivory tickler, a tough guy in wide pinstripes and a snap-brim fedora. June Vincent plays the accused man's wife who, after the homicide squad and a criminal jury lock up and convict her husband of capital murder, dusts off her decoder ring and drags the movie into her quest to find out who really murdered chanteuse Mavis Malowe. Soon enough she makes her Pollyanna way to a place that nice girls get other people to scrape off the bottom of their shoes for them. In other words, she visits the apartment of the murdered woman's ex-husband, Dan Duryea, to find an angle or two the cops missed.
So far so good. Add good performances by Duryea and Peter Lorre as a shady nightclub owner, a subdued tough-guy turn by cop Broderick Crawford, and this movie is showing a net profit. Subtract a point or two for Vincent's frequent trips to the acting wood pile - she simply wasn't the most expressive of actresses - and this movie's assets still outweigh its liabilities.
BLACK ANGEL begins to fray in the second act, when the plot stretches and then breaks our credulity in order to maintain its forward momentum. Need an overlooked clue? Let's get something that the authorities would have impounded as evidence months ago, when the corpse was still warm. Need a way to get closer to nightclub owner/suspect Lorre? Let's make Duryea and Vincent a professional caliber nightclub act (after two days of rehearsal.) The movie is pushing the movie in directions it wouldn't normally take, and after a while it shows.
If you buy what precedes it, act three ought to provide a satisfying "Aha!" moment or two. Duryea throws everything he has into it, and on that level it doesn't disappoint. Far from a classic, BLACK ANGEL is nonetheless an entertaining genre entry.
Rating: 
Summary: BLACK ANGEL DISTURBING, COMPELLING, THRILLING
Review: A sexy singer, an ex lover and a dutiful wife: classic film noir lover's triangle tinged with a race against time and singed in sparkling performances from a stellar cast. In "Black Angel" femme fatale chanteuse Mavis Marlowe (Constance Dowling) turns up dead. Kirk Bennett (John Phillips) who used to be her lover seems the natural choice for the police's prime suspect and their latest blackmail victim. No one believes Kirk's story - it is a little hard to swallow - that he found Mavis already a goner on the floor of her apartment. However, when Kirk is sentenced to death, his long-suffering, too-good-to-be-true wife, Catherine (June Vincent) begins to investigate the crime for answers of her own. She's aided by Martin Blair (Dan Duryea) Mavis' husband. The film is riddled with rich curiosities of character; Kirk's philandering innocence, Mavis' evil vixen turned victim, Catherine's never wavering devotion to her wayward hubby and Blair's nonchalant, noncommittal dedication to discovering who really killed his wife. At one point Blair even goes so far as to offer himself as Kirk's replacement, should salvation not come in time to spare him from the electric chair. It must be love! An outstanding cameo comes by way of Peter Lorre as Marco, the always spurious, never to be trusted seedy nightclub owner who happened to visit Mavis Marlowe on the night she bought the farm. It should be pointed out however, that the suspense of finding the killer gets somewhat diffused in the process and never quite reaches the par excellence caliber of say, "The Asphalt Jungle" or "Laura."
Another solid effort from Universal.The gray scale is very well balanced with deep solid blacks and whites that are almost pristine. There's a hint film grain and some age related artifacts. Also, some edge enhancement and pixelization occur as well but nothing that will distract. The audio is mono and very well represented. There are no extras on this disc. Nevertheless, it is a good disc to add to your library of classic cinema.
Rating:
Summary: BLACK ANGEL DISTURBING, COMPELLING, THRILLING
Review: A sexy singer, an ex lover and a dutiful wife: classic film noir lover's triangle tinged with a race against time and singed in sparkling performances from a stellar cast. In "Black Angel" femme fatale chanteuse Mavis Marlowe (Constance Dowling) turns up dead. Kirk Bennett (John Phillips) who used to be her lover seems the natural choice for the police's prime suspect and their latest blackmail victim. No one believes Kirk's story - it is a little hard to swallow - that he found Mavis already a goner on the floor of her apartment. However, when Kirk is sentenced to death, his long-suffering, too-good-to-be-true wife, Catherine (June Vincent) begins to investigate the crime for answers of her own. She's aided by Martin Blair (Dan Duryea) Mavis' husband. The film is riddled with rich curiosities of character; Kirk's philandering innocence, Mavis' evil vixen turned victim, Catherine's never wavering devotion to her wayward hubby and Blair's nonchalant, noncommittal dedication to discovering who really killed his wife. At one point Blair even goes so far as to offer himself as Kirk's replacement, should salvation not come in time to spare him from the electric chair. It must be love! An outstanding cameo comes by way of Peter Lorre as Marco, the always spurious, never to be trusted seedy nightclub owner who happened to visit Mavis Marlowe on the night she bought the farm. It should be pointed out however, that the suspense of finding the killer gets somewhat diffused in the process and never quite reaches the par excellence caliber of say, "The Asphalt Jungle" or "Laura."
Another solid effort from Universal.The gray scale is very well balanced with deep solid blacks and whites that are almost pristine. There's a hint film grain and some age related artifacts. Also, some edge enhancement and pixelization occur as well but nothing that will distract. The audio is mono and very well represented. There are no extras on this disc. Nevertheless, it is a good disc to add to your library of classic cinema.
Rating: 
Summary: Great Treasure re-released
Review: Finally available is a not too often discussed, but superbly filmed drama about a person, whose guiltiness becomes clear only late in the movie. Dan Duryea, often framed by dull stories, acts without his usual (wanted) sliminess and is the tragic hero of a dark drama. A fine score as well as good costumes and a false fire performance by Peter Lorre complete this beautifully restored edition. Every noir fan has to get it.
Rating:
Summary: "Sometimes I find myself surrounded by puzzles."
Review: In the film "Black Angel" when beautiful singer Mavis Marlowe is found murdered in her apartment, her ex-lover and latest blackmail victim, Kirk Bennett is arrested and tried for her murder. No one believes his story that he found Mavis dead, but when he is sentenced to death, his long-suffering wife, Katherine starts looking for answers of her own. Katherine seeks out Martin Blair (Dan Duryea) the husband of the victim, and together they try to solve the crime. One interesting element in this film is the contrast between the two female leads--both are singers--both are attractive, and both are about the same age and size. Mavis Marlowe, though, is the quintessential Film Noir evil female, and this is evident by her dress, love affairs with men, and also in the abysmal way she treats people (especially the maid). Katherine Bennett, on the other hand, as the 'good woman' here, maintains an absolutely perfect home, and she sticks by her man no matter what he does. Kirk Bennett is a philanderer and quite possibly a murderer, but Katherine's heart never wanders--even though Martin Blair (Duryea) makes it perfectly clear that he'd happily step into Kirk's place now that hubbie is safely locked up in San Quentin. Another equally fascinating element in "Black Angel" is Marco (Peter Lorre)--the nightclub owner who visited the naughty Mavis Marlowe on the night of her death. Those lizard-like eyelids hide many secrets, and Peter Lorre is always fun to watch in any role. "Black Angel" as a classic Film Noir does include essential elements--an unsolved mysterious death, an evil woman, a race against time, irrevocable choices etc., However, that said, the suspense of finding the killer is not emphasized, and the film--while enjoyable--does not reach its maximum suspense potential. Some of the drama seems to surround the question of Kathy's choices--and whether or not Martin will do the right thing, and this results in a 4 star rating for this film--displacedhuman.
Rating:
Summary: "Sometimes I find myself surrounded by puzzles."
Review: In the film "Black Angel" when beautiful singer Mavis Marlowe is found murdered in her apartment, her ex-lover and latest blackmail victim, Kirk Bennett is arrested and tried for her murder. No one believes his story that he found Mavis dead, but when he is sentenced to death, his long-suffering wife, Katherine starts looking for answers of her own. Katherine seeks out Martin Blair (Dan Duryea) the husband of the victim, and together they try to solve the crime. One interesting element in this film is the contrast between the two female leads--both are singers--both are attractive, and both are about the same age and size. Mavis Marlowe, though, is the quintessential Film Noir evil female, and this is evident by her dress, love affairs with men, and also in the abysmal way she treats people (especially the maid). Katherine Bennett, on the other hand, as the 'good woman' here, maintains an absolutely perfect home, and she sticks by her man no matter what he does. Kirk Bennett is a philanderer and quite possibly a murderer, but Katherine's heart never wanders--even though Martin Blair (Duryea) makes it perfectly clear that he'd happily step into Kirk's place now that hubbie is safely locked up in San Quentin. Another equally fascinating element in "Black Angel" is Marco (Peter Lorre)--the nightclub owner who visited the naughty Mavis Marlowe on the night of her death. Those lizard-like eyelids hide many secrets, and Peter Lorre is always fun to watch in any role. "Black Angel" as a classic Film Noir does include essential elements--an unsolved mysterious death, an evil woman, a race against time, irrevocable choices etc., However, that said, the suspense of finding the killer is not emphasized, and the film--while enjoyable--does not reach its maximum suspense potential. Some of the drama seems to surround the question of Kathy's choices--and whether or not Martin will do the right thing, and this results in a 4 star rating for this film--displacedhuman.
Rating:
Summary: A good entry in Universal's noir series
Review: The housewife with no police experience conducts an amazingly more thorough investigation into her husband's guilt or innocence than the cops do, but aside from that hard-to-swallow fact, this is a pretty good film noir that delivers solid performances, a well-developed but still easy to follow story (unlike a lot of noirs that seem to make it a point of honor to confuse viewers at least a little), and a satisfyingly twisty close. The DVD features a nice print of the film and a trailer in much better shape than most of the trailers included on DVDs of 1940s movies.
Rating:
Summary: Black Angel = Mavis Marlowe
Review: This 1946 memorable noir boasts a fine cast that includes: Peter Lorre, Dan Duryea, June Vincent, and the stunningly beautiful Constance Dowling. Based on the novel by Cornell Woolrich and directed by Roy William Neill, Black Angel's storyline hinges on the elements that comprise many noir classics. Murder, blackmail, deceit, and a race against time to prove a desperate man's innocence are the essential plot elements that propell Neill's film through the uncertainties of urban darkness. Cheating husband Kirk Bennett (John Phillips) is wrongfully convicted of murder and is sentenced to die in the electric chair. This time it is a woman, Kirk's wife Cahterine ( June Vincent) who intensifies the murder investigation. As Kirk's execution date draws near, Catherine instills the help of an alcoholic songwriter, Marty Blair (Dan Duryea). Blair is the ex-husband of the murdered woman ( Constance Dowling). The unlikely pairing uncover a trail of clues that lead them to a swarthy night club owner named Marko ( Peter Lorre). Great performances by all actors highlight the picture. Lorre is excellent as the shaddy club owner who is being blackmailed. June Vincent as Catherine gives an admirable performance as she attempts to balance emotional distance and closeness with the rejuvenated Marty. But it is Constance Dowling as Mavis Marlowe who devours her screen time with vampish presence. Mavis exudes sexual danger as a pretensiously concieted singer who lives in a posh high-rise apartment surrounded by trinkets that reaffirm her beauty and status. Why Dowling never achieved the same screen stardom as actresses such as: Lauren Bacall, Barbara Stanwyck, or Rita Hayworth is mystifying. Maybe that is why films such as Black Angel are worth viewing over and over again.
Rating:
Summary: Black Angel = Mavis Marlowe
Review: This 1946 memorable noir boasts a fine cast that includes: Peter Lorre, Dan Duryea, June Vincent, and the stunningly beautiful Constance Dowling. Based on the novel by Cornell Woolrich and directed by Roy William Neill, Black Angel's storyline hinges on the elements that comprise many noir classics. Murder, blackmail, deceit, and a race against time to prove a desperate man's innocence are the essential plot elements that propell Neill's film through the uncertainties of urban darkness. Cheating husband Kirk Bennett (John Phillips) is wrongfully convicted of murder and is sentenced to die in the electric chair. This time it is a woman, Kirk's wife Cahterine ( June Vincent) who intensifies the murder investigation. As Kirk's execution date draws near, Catherine instills the help of an alcoholic songwriter, Marty Blair (Dan Duryea). Blair is the ex-husband of the murdered woman ( Constance Dowling). The unlikely pairing uncover a trail of clues that lead them to a swarthy night club owner named Marko ( Peter Lorre). Great performances by all actors highlight the picture. Lorre is excellent as the shaddy club owner who is being blackmailed. June Vincent as Catherine gives an admirable performance as she attempts to balance emotional distance and closeness with the rejuvenated Marty. But it is Constance Dowling as Mavis Marlowe who devours her screen time with vampish presence. Mavis exudes sexual danger as a pretensiously concieted singer who lives in a posh high-rise apartment surrounded by trinkets that reaffirm her beauty and status. Why Dowling never achieved the same screen stardom as actresses such as: Lauren Bacall, Barbara Stanwyck, or Rita Hayworth is mystifying. Maybe that is why films such as Black Angel are worth viewing over and over again.
Rating:
Summary: Great Final 30 Minutes
Review: This seems almost like two movies. The first hour is only mildly entertaining and the dialogue is clunky. As noted by another reviewer, Peter Lorre seems wasted; I think this was partly because his part was not written to be as menacing as it should have been. The excellent Dan Duryea, as the alcholic husband of a murdered woman, is interesting to watch, but he is swimming upstream through all the bad lines he has to speak. The plot line is intriguing enough: the wife (June Vincent) of the convicted killer conducts her own investigation to free him. The story becomes a little hard to swallow, though, because characters are constantly surprised by "new facts" that Miss Vincent uncovers. In the real world, these facts would have been brought to light much earlier. For example, Dan Duryea has never seen a picture of his wife's already-convicted killer until June Vincent shows it to him! He only then realizes that this was not the man he saw going to his wife's apartment shortly before her death. Why wasn't all this unearthed at the trial if not during the police investigation?
The last half hour of the film suddenly explodes into gritty noir, sort of a cross between "Lost Weekend," the "Snake Pit," and "Spellbound." It'a almost as though another director and writer took over. Even the cast is energized. Duryea is at his drunken, perspiring, tortured best and the ending will surprise you. I thought I had the killer identified after the first five minutes of the film, but I was very wrong. So the movie redeems itself in a way that makes you glad you kept watching.
A nice example of low-budget film noir starring an underrated actor, Dan Duryea!
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