Nocturne

Raft knocks it out of the park as the Marlowe-esque detective in this lively whodunit. Also a really spirited group of supporting characters. Some of the attempts at humor don't quite connect, but there's a lot of really funny stuff, and the dialogue sizzles with hard-boiled lingo. The film isn't wall-to-wall greatness but it definitely has some wonderful moments, and if the mystery isn't the most compelling, at least there's some nice details and it's not as convoluted as Chandler. Lots of fun.

This George Raft whodunnit is briskly paced and has a sharp, wise-cracking screenplay by Jonathan Latimer, author of "Solomon's Vineyard" and the Bill Crane mysteries.

George Raft brawls with heavy Bern Hoffman, that wonderful mother of his and such a classy dame act Lynn Bari portrayed, makes Nocturne (1946) ones of the more underrated noirs of '46.

Good looking old Hollywood noir with some nifty visuals and solid supporting performances. Too bad George Raft is the worst cop ever. He treats everyone like crap for no reason (except his Mom) and the villain basically has to confess to the crime to keep Raft from arresting everyone else. The last 5 minutes are as bad as it gets.

Who doesn't love a nice film noir about cuckoldry. "He had money, a nice house. Only he apparently decided he needed a little more ventilation. So he put a hole through his head."

I liked the plot and movie overall, but George Raft in the lead role hurt it for me. Too wooden.

Joe Warne goes around Hollywood punching people and acting like an entitled ass. Not really solving the crime, more stumbling from scene to scene having others piece together the mystery between fights. Nocturne is braindead in its story. Acting is mediocre with no standout performances. The highlight is the cinematography. Nothing revolutionary, just competent workmanlike composition and slightly inspired use of light and shadows during intense scenes.

If you're looking for sheer entertainment, this is pretty sweet.

George Raft is a cop who doesn't care for your damn rules, suspend him and he'll just keep on doing what he wants. I like sassy dialogue in noirs and, while not the finest example, it has more than enough to satisfy. I like mysteries too, and that aspect is very good as well. Throw in some Hitchcock-like comedy with the mother and a few other assorted side characters and you've got a really entertaining little movie. Quite a few really great shots too, especially the entire opening sequence.

The text is bad and the performances are worse.

A solid mix of hard-boiled dialogue, fun characters and a sweet atmosphere of late-night melancholy. Raft is not the most expressive of actors, but his style suits the world-weary, no-nonsense nature of his character. Mabel Paige, playing his mother, is hilarious. The screenplay is a lot of fun too, what with the writers dancing around the Production Code regarding where the female characters get all their money from. Overall, not one of the very best noirs, but still pretty good.

A competent noir flick that doesn't do much to stand out.