Adultery and blackmail are possible motives for murder in this low-budget mystery thriller based on Cornell Woolrich's novel "The Black Angel". A convoluted plot, flawed characters and an unexpected twist all add to the enjoyment of watching this movie and a race against time to catch the killer becomes increasingly tense as the execution date for an innocent man moves ever closer.
Martin Blair (Dan Duryea) attempts to see his estranged wife on the night of their wedding anniversary but, on Mavis Marlowe's (Constance Dowling) instructions, is prevented from entering her apartment building. After sending her a heart-shaped brooch, he sees another man being allowed into the building to see Mavis and decides to drown his sorrows by getting drunk.
Next day, a man who was seen leaving Mavis' apartment shortly before her body was found, is arrested for her murder. Kirk Bennett (John Phillips) admits that he was one of her ex-lovers and was being blackmailed by her. He's subsequently tried and found guilty of the crime and sentenced to death. His loyal wife Catherine (June Vincent), is convinced that Kirk is incapable of murder and so sets out to prove his innocence. Her investigation leads her to Martin who she finds suffering the effects of a severe hangover and accuses him of killing his ex. When it transpires that he has a cast-iron alibi, she asks for his help to prove Kirk's innocence and her agrees to help her.
Martin, who's an accomplished pianist and composer, is surprised to discover that the man he saw being given access to Mavis' apartment was a nightclub owner called Marko (Peter Lorre) and so he and ex-nightclub singer Catherine decide to audition, as a double act, for work at Marko's club (Rio's). The couple prove to be a great success at Rio's and become convinced that they're on the right track when it seems that Marko may have also been blackmailed by Mavis and could also be in possession of her heart-shaped brooch. When they eventually discover that Marko couldn't have been the murderer and Martin tells Catherine that he's fallen in love with her, she rejects him and he consoles himself by going on another drinking binge. The developments that then follow prove to be a great shock to everyone concerned.
As the main character in this movie, Martin Blair is interesting because he's a very talented musician who's so driven by his emotions that when he's dumped by Mavis, his work suffers badly and he also resorts to extreme behaviour to try to ease his pain. His habitual drinking stops during the time that he's with Catherine because he enjoys her company and becomes focused on writing songs for her, just as he had done previously for Mavis (who was also a nightclub singer and recording artiste). When his affections then transfer to Catherine and she rejects him, he predictably relapses into his self-destructive behaviour again. Dan Duryea gives a very affecting performance as this sensitive and vulnerable character who instinctively turns to alcohol as a coping mechanism.
"Black Angel" begins impressively with a shot of Martin stood in the street outside the building where Mavis lives and then sweeps up to her floor and continues in through the window of her apartment. This piece of visual panache together with the movie's musical sequences and good supporting performances (especially from Peter Lorre) all contribute greatly to making this twisted whodunit both enjoyable and memorable.
Martin Blair (Dan Duryea) attempts to see his estranged wife on the night of their wedding anniversary but, on Mavis Marlowe's (Constance Dowling) instructions, is prevented from entering her apartment building. After sending her a heart-shaped brooch, he sees another man being allowed into the building to see Mavis and decides to drown his sorrows by getting drunk.
Next day, a man who was seen leaving Mavis' apartment shortly before her body was found, is arrested for her murder. Kirk Bennett (John Phillips) admits that he was one of her ex-lovers and was being blackmailed by her. He's subsequently tried and found guilty of the crime and sentenced to death. His loyal wife Catherine (June Vincent), is convinced that Kirk is incapable of murder and so sets out to prove his innocence. Her investigation leads her to Martin who she finds suffering the effects of a severe hangover and accuses him of killing his ex. When it transpires that he has a cast-iron alibi, she asks for his help to prove Kirk's innocence and her agrees to help her.
Martin, who's an accomplished pianist and composer, is surprised to discover that the man he saw being given access to Mavis' apartment was a nightclub owner called Marko (Peter Lorre) and so he and ex-nightclub singer Catherine decide to audition, as a double act, for work at Marko's club (Rio's). The couple prove to be a great success at Rio's and become convinced that they're on the right track when it seems that Marko may have also been blackmailed by Mavis and could also be in possession of her heart-shaped brooch. When they eventually discover that Marko couldn't have been the murderer and Martin tells Catherine that he's fallen in love with her, she rejects him and he consoles himself by going on another drinking binge. The developments that then follow prove to be a great shock to everyone concerned.
As the main character in this movie, Martin Blair is interesting because he's a very talented musician who's so driven by his emotions that when he's dumped by Mavis, his work suffers badly and he also resorts to extreme behaviour to try to ease his pain. His habitual drinking stops during the time that he's with Catherine because he enjoys her company and becomes focused on writing songs for her, just as he had done previously for Mavis (who was also a nightclub singer and recording artiste). When his affections then transfer to Catherine and she rejects him, he predictably relapses into his self-destructive behaviour again. Dan Duryea gives a very affecting performance as this sensitive and vulnerable character who instinctively turns to alcohol as a coping mechanism.
"Black Angel" begins impressively with a shot of Martin stood in the street outside the building where Mavis lives and then sweeps up to her floor and continues in through the window of her apartment. This piece of visual panache together with the movie's musical sequences and good supporting performances (especially from Peter Lorre) all contribute greatly to making this twisted whodunit both enjoyable and memorable.