Hunted Men

Gangster Lloyd Nolan kills a partner who has been cheating him. He's spotted, and has to go on the lam. He winds up in the home of Lynn Overman, where the exposure to their decent behavior slowly forces him to reevaluate himself.

The movie begins with an exciting opening, but it soon turns into a soggy, middle-class version of ANGELS WITH DIRTY FACES. While the scenes with Mary Carlisle spoke to me, the scenes with Delmar Watson seemed forced. Nolan gives it his all, and his performance is up to his usual standards of excellence, his face showing the disjuncture between his behavior and his thoughts.

Most of the problems with this movie -- the subplot with Delmar Watson -- are due to a simplistic understanding of the issues of redemption which became popular in the years following the imposition of the Production Code. I believe in redemption, but the implications of this movie are so troubling as to render the circumstances of Nolan's potential redemption irrelevant. It supposes that Nolan is completely unaware of any world outside his narrow world of gangsters, gambling and night clubs. Apparently this character has been too busy killing people to listen to the radio or go to a movie.

The movie is not without its engaging points of interest. Nolan, as noted, gives a fine performance, and the other performers do likewise. However, the situation is so distinct from reality as to make the movie mediocre.