RED LIGHT
US, 1949, 89 minutes, Black and white.
George Raft, Virginia Mayo, Raymond Burr, Gene Lockhart, Henry Morgan, Arthur Franz, Arthur Shields, William Frawley.
Directed by Roy del Ruth.
Red Light is a brief crime thriller, echoes of the film noir. However, it goes in the direction of moral parable, a story about having faith, a story about not having vengeance - with quotations from the Bible.
George Raft is particularly stolid and immobile as the hero, a wealthy trucker, whose priest brother is killed for revenge by an unhappy worker, played with heavy menace by Raymond Burr. Virginia Mayo is not the femme fatale. Rather, she is the one who helps in the investigation. Arthur Franz is a suitably innocent and heroic war chaplain.
The musical score is Dimitri Tiomkin which draws on Schubert's Ave Maria whenever the screenplay focuses on faith. The screenplay is full of such statements as, "When you play solitaire, you can only beat yourself," and, "Liquor doesn't drown your troubles, it teaches them to swim." It ends in a very edifying way.
1. The tradition of the film noir in the '40s? Gangsters, murders, the atmospheric black and white photography, the score? The title?
2. The black and white photography, San Francisco locations, interiors, the use of light and shadow for good and evil? The musical score, religious overtones, the Ave Maria?
3. The introduction, the story about justice and vengeance, its beginning in prison? The focus on Nick and his fellow prisoner, watching the newsreel about Jess? Hatching the plot for the killing of Jess and the revenge on Johnny? The murderer and his going to the hotel room, shooting Jess? His later confrontations with Nick, his being thrown off the train, injured and returning, the final confrontation and his death?
4. Raymond Burr as Nick, the ultra screen heavy and villain? In prison, the embezzlement, his arrest, getting the gun, serving his sentence, the plan to get revenge on John? His following John around, applying for another job, overhearing the information, getting off the hook about the Bible, the confrontation on the steps with the killer, going to the roof, firing his gun, empty, his being electrocuted? The screenplay saying that God did it - and at least He was on duty?
5. John, George Raft's style, tough, his relationship with the priest, paying for the stained-glass window, proud of his brother in the seminary, giving him the Bible, welcoming him home, the plans for the church? His death, ambitions for revenge, his brutal manner? Tracking down the occupants of the hotel room, finding Carla, getting her to help? Her story about her brother? The further investigations, the interrogations, the blind man and the discovery of the Bible? His return, the confrontation with Nick, hazard and his help and his being killed? His being bent on revenge, Carla persuading him not, pleading with him that it was Jess's last wish? His not killing Nick?
6. Jess, the war hero, Carla's story and the photo, her brother? The church, respective parish work? His death, writing in the Bible, not wanting vengeance?
7. The range of minor characters in the hotels, the staff, the bookies, the Hispanic and the soldier who was blind, persuading against vengeance?
8. The religious themes, the church, the priest, the stained-glass window, Johnny praying before the statue of St Joseph, the quotes from the Bible? The priest and his talk about faith?
