JOHNNY ONE-EYE

US, 1950, 79 minutes, Black-and-white.
Pat O' Brien, Wayne Morris, Dolores Moran, Gayle Reed, Donald Woods.
Directed by Robert Florey.

This is a sentimental thriller for an undemanding audience. Whatever its success in its time, later audiences will find it rather twee.

While the film was made in 1950, it is a throwback to films from the 1930s, especially with stars Pat O’ Brien and Wayne Morris as well as character actor, Donald Woods. And the director, Robert Florey, was successful in that previous decade. Memories of Warner Brothers.

However, of interest is that the story is based on writings by Damon Runyon, the very successful narrator of New York crim stories. He was most successful with such stories and film versions and is Little Miss Marker, Sorrowful Jones and, most prominently, Guys and Dolls.

The film starts in a rather tough manner, a narration by Pat O’ Brien, two criminals confronting a man who has betrayed them and pocketed the money. He is shot, the body thrown overboard a ferry. Sometime later, both men have parted ways but are successful in their careers. O’ Brien is a businessman who throws lavish parties. Morris is an entrepreneur for Broadway musicals. A blackmailer threatens O’ Brien and he goes on a quest to confront Morris.

There is some song and dance in the rehearsals for the Broadway show, Dolores Moran singing and dancing. She has a little girl at home, quite precocious, played by Gayle Reed who does not take well to Morris but is fond of a one eyed dog.

O’ Brien and Morris do confront each other, shots fired. O’ Brien is wounded, wanders the city, befriends the little girl and her dog, calling him Johnny One- Eye. He takes the dog to a vet, played by veteran Donald Woods, who recognises O’ Brien’s physical condition from his experiences in the war. He removes the bullet, enabling O’ Brien to continue his pursuit of Morris, continue friendly with the little girl who thinks he is Santa Clause, encounter the blackmailing crook and his ally from the DA’s office (who shoots the crook).

When he finds out that the little girl knows Morris well, he confronts him, and there is a mutual shootout. The film ends with his final words to the little girl.

A curiosity item for the director, the stars and Damon Runyon.