Whistle Stop (1946)

User Rating:

5.7/10   

Director:

Léonide Moguy

Writers:

Maritta M. Wolff (novel)
Philip Yordan (screenplay)

Release Date:

25 January 1946 (USA)

Genre:

Drama | Crime | Film-Noir

Tagline:

SHE SPELLED TROUBLE FOR EVERY GUY THAT MADE A PLAY FOR HER! (original print ad - all caps)

Plot:

When beautiful Mary returns home to her "whistle stop" home town, long-standing feelings of animosity between two of her old boyfriends leads to robbery and murder.

Plot Keywords:

Carnival | Mink Coat | Bartender | Cigarettes | Chicago

Cast

George Raft	...	Kenny Veech
Ava Gardner	...	Mary
Victor McLaglen	...	Gitlo
Tom Conway	...	Lew Lentz
Jorja Curtright	...	Fran
Jane Nigh	...	Josie Veech
Florence Bates	...	Molly Veech
Charles Drake	...	Ernie
Charles Judels	...	Sam Veech
Carmel Myers	...	Estelle
Jimmy Conlin	...	Al - the Barber
Jimmy Ames	...	Mr. Barker
Mack Gray	...	Bartender

Also Known As:

Flamingo bar (France) [fr]
Rivaler (Sweden) [sv]
Rohkeita otteita (Finland) [fi]
Sangue all'alba (Italy) [it]
Señal de parada (Spain) (TV title) [es]
Tragique rendez-vous (France) [fr]

Runtime:

85 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Recording)

Certification:

USA:Passed (National Board of Review) | Finland:K-16 | USA:Approved (PCA #11258, General Audience) | Sweden:15

Filming Locations:

San Fernando, California, USA

Company:

Nero Films

Trivia:

Mack Gray, who plays the replacement bartender, was an old friend of Raft's and his film career consisted mostly of cameos in Raft films.

Quotes:

Lew Lentz: This was a private party!
Lew Lentz: I just thought I could do something for you, sonny.
Kenny Veech: Yeah! You can give me a cigarette.
Lew Lentz: [after he does] Anything else?
Kenny Veech: Now you can light it!
Lew Lentz: [he pauses and lights his cigarette] Now you've got all you want. You better go! I don't want you hanging around here! The next time won't be so sociable!
Kenny Veech: If you said that with a smile, it'd sound better.
[to Mary]
Kenny Veech: Let's go!
Mary: Go where?
[...]

Ava Shines in Her Early Work!

There was a time when the studio system had the actors and actresses like Ava Gardner and Victor McLaglen making about 5 films a year. Actors and actresses in the studio system worked hard and some films never became brilliant but did entertain audiences. This film was on my compact disc with three other fair films with other actresses like Jane Wyman, Marilyn Monroe in a small role but still, and Joan Crawford in "Rain." One cannot stop looking at Ava Gardner playing Mary, a girl who returns to her small town life from the big city of Chicago which she left in a mystery. She returns to her boyfriend who is unmotivated gambler and meets a rich businessman who takes a liking to her. Ava steals this film hands down. It's not a great film but it's more about characters and story lines than anything else.