Race Street
| Race Street | |
|---|---|
 Theatrical release poster | |
| Directed by | Edwin L. Marin |
| Produced by | Nat Holt |
| Screenplay by | Martin Rackin |
| Story by | Maurice Davis |
| Starring |
George Raft William Bendix Marilyn Maxwell |
| Music by | Roy Webb |
| Cinematography | J. Roy Hunt |
| Edited by | Samuel E. Beetley |
| Distributed by | RKO Pictures |
Release dates |
|
Running time | 79 minutes |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
Race Street is a 1948 American crime film noir directed by Edwin L. Marin. The drama features George Raft, William Bendix and Marilyn Maxwell.[2]
Plot
When his bookie pal Hal is killed, nightclub owner Dan Gannin intends to do something about it. His police pal Lt. Runson warns him not to take the law into his own hands.
Also concerned is Dan's girlfriend, Robbie, a war widow. But when two thugs working for a mob boss blindfold and beat Dan, a disloyal Robbie is also in the room.
It turns out Robbie is not a widow at all but the showgirl ex-wife of the crime kingpin, Phil Dixon, and still working for him. She denies it at first, but Dan recalls recognizing the scent of her perfume while blindfolded.
Lt. Runson tries to provide Dan protective custody, but another bookie betrays Dan to the mob. The lieutenant is about to be shot when Dan intercepts the bullet. He dies as Dixon is placed under arrest.
Cast
- George Raft as Daniel J. 'Dan' Gannin
- William Bendix as Lt. Barney Runson
- Marilyn Maxwell as Robbie Lawrence
- Frank Faylen as Phil Dixon
- Harry Morgan as Hal Towers
- Gale Robbins as Elaine Gannin
- Cully Richards as Mike Hadley
- Mack Gray as Stringy
- Russell Hicks as Easy Mason
Reception
When the film was released, The New York Times film critic, Thomas M. Pryor, panned the film, writing, "In Race Street, a regulation melodrama which opened Saturday at the Mayfair, George Raft is playing a regulation big-time bookie who is harassed by regulation muscle-men. In fact, everything about this dreary exercise in violence is strictly formula, depressingly juvenile and dull...Mr. Raft, an old hand at this sort of thing, handles himself with ease and authority, and William Bendix does a good job as the detective. There is even professional dexterity to the direction, but all this energy is completely wasted on a shoddy, routine story."[3]
Box Office
The film made a minor profit. It was the last of four films Raft made for RKO.[4]
References
- ↑ "Race Street: Detail View". American Film Institute. Retrieved May 10, 2014.
- ↑ Race Street at the Internet Movie Database.
- ↑ Pryor, Thomas m. The New York Times, film review, August 23, 1948. Last accessed: February 27, 2011.
- ↑ Everett Aaker, The Films of George Raft, McFarland & Company, 2013 p 132
External links
- Race Street at the Internet Movie Database
- Race Street at AllMovie
- Race Street at the TCM Movie Database
- Race Street film scene on YouTube