RAW DEAL (DVD) DVD

Raw Deal
Violent and viscerally sexual, Anthony Mann's muscular low-budget noir tells the tale of a framed gangster's quest for vengeance after he busts out of prison. Once freed, gangster Joe Sullivan Dennis O'Keefe) and his girl friend Pat (Claier Trevor) set off to find the mobster who set him up. The kidnapping of Ann Martin (Marsha Hunt), the social worker who wrote to Joe in prison, leads the fugitive into a romantic triangle of death, passion and tragedy. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide

Cast Dennis O'Keefe as Joe Sullivan Claire Trevor as Pat Regan Marsha Hunt as Ann Martin John Ireland as Fantail Raymond Burr as Ricky Coyle Curt Conway as Spider Chili Williams as Marcy

Crew Edward Ilou - Art Director Frances Ehren - Costume Designer Ridgeway Callow - First Assistant Director Anthony Mann - Director Alfred de Gaetano - Editor Paul Sawtell - Composer (Music Score) Irving Friedman - Musical Direction/Supervision Ted Larsen - Makeup Ern Westmore - Makeup John Alton - Cinematographer Edward Small - Producer Clarence I. Steensen - Set Designer Armor E. Marlowe - Set Designer George J. Teague - Special Effects Jack R. Rabin - Special Effects Earl Sitar - Sound/Sound Designer Leopold Atlas - Screenwriter John C. Higgins - Screenwriter Arnold B. Armstrong - Short Story Author Audrey Ashley - Short Story Author

Raw Deal
A noir with several, clever scenes, some fine cinematography and no shortage of violence, Raw Deal is a better than average, crime story, but it lacks plausibility at times, and telegraphs its upcoming twists. Noir genius John Alton handles the camera here and deftly cloaks the whole film in shadows. As the film opens, Joe Sullivan (Dennis O'Keefe) is visited by both Pat (Claire Trevor) and Ann Martin (Marsha Hunt) in prison. This scene sparkles with some smart dialogue and is a nice warm-up to the love triangle that follows. The gangsters in Raw Deal are pretty mean with Raymond Burr leading the pack as he scalds a party girl with his birthday flambeé. One problem with Raw Deal is the lack of believable chemistry between Joe and Ann. She likes Joe, but quickly changes her mind and attempts to call the police after he breaks out of prison. Not long after, she declares her love for him again after shooting the man who's attempted to kill him. Why Joe so prefers Ann to his longtime girlfriend Pat is also not made clear. On the screen, Joe and Ann don't seem to have much in common and the attraction seems vague at best. Though, otherwise, this is an entertaining, if not terribly artful noir, with Alton's camerawork standing out more than Anthony Mann's direction. ~ Adam Bregman, All Movie Guide
 

Telluride Film Festival, Film Presented (nominated)

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