Nocturne (1946)

Forties Noir. - Nocturne review by Steve

So many Hollywood classics are connected to a scare story that George Raft was close to being cast in the lead, like it would be be the worst possible calamity. Including The Maltese Falcon, Casablanca and Double Indemnity. Well he's actually in this RKO film noir, and while he sleepwalks through the role, he's ok. Though this isn't a picture of that stature.

It's a minor murder mystery about a rich playboy musician who is gunned down in his swanky Frank Lloyd Wright show home while playing the title song on his grand piano. The idiots at LAPD say suicide, but a maverick on homicide (Raft, naturally) suspects one of the many bombshells whose pictures decorate the walls of the death room.

So the detective chases them down. There are signs that this was once a longer film with more leads followed up, and the clumsy editing shows. Sometimes the search for the murderer seems to be forgotten while the cop cracks wise with the RKO starlets. Virginia Huston stands out among the photogenic suspects.

There's some decent smartass dialogue, and attractive noir photography. And there's a nice, studio impression of LA and a few sultry torch songs performed in a glitzy hotspot. Raft eventually gets suspended for his obsessive behaviour and goes solo, but really should have been kicked off the force for taking so long to solve the case!