http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0037832/
This was my first viewing of this film, and I chuckled that the story offered another link in the Raft & Casablanca history.
George did seem a bit more stiff than necessary, as if the good lines were being cut out of his dialog and he had to skip ahead so often that he seldom achieved any expression on his face at all.
I kept wondering, "So the girl's father owned all that gold first, and it's been stolen, but only his daughter is interested enough to chase after it?" Apparently so. No friends, no business associates?
So the story wasn't the smoothest, but it does have some good twists and mysterious goings-on.
And even though Hoagy Carmichael was almost silenced, his one piano entree was fun.
As a Raft fan, I'd certainly collect this DVD.
Johnny Angel (1945)
While I am a great admirer of George Raft, I am really not much of a fan of his work post-Warners. Granted, there are some gems scattered throughout ("Red Light", "Rogue Cop" and "Some Like It Hot"), but for the most part I find this declining period of his film career too filled with routine, uninspired movies. And, sadly, in many of them, George just seems to be going through the motions - apparently with little more motivation than the paycheck he needed to keep up with his generosity and expenses. I've always maintained that Raft fared best when working with a strong director and/or supported by a cast of talented actors. He started off his association with director Edwin L. Marin on a pretty good note with "Johnny Angel", which had great noir atmosphere, a swift running time and, to me at least, an unexpected wrap-up to the mystery (not to forget Claire Trevor in support), but Raft's further films with Marin declined rapidly. One reason being on his insistence on playing the good guy, which he performed with little variation in film after film. I think his best attempt at this was in "Red Light" (again, great supporting cast) where at least he got the chance to express some varied emotions and not rely on his deadpan.