While "Straight is the Way" is not a bad film, it does have one big strike against it. The main character, Benny Horowitz, is a Jewish guy living with his Jewish family...yet Hollywood decided to hedge its bets and made this the most Gentile-looking Jewish family...with Franchot Tone playing Benny. Now I don't think it ruins the film...plus not every Jew looks like the stereotypical Jewish person. But it sure did seem odd having Tone (of Irish ancestry) playing this role. Perhaps part of the problem is that in films of the day, MOST Jewish actors were comedians. Ricardo Cortez (who, despite his name, WAS Jewish) could have taken on this role...and I can't help but think that many others would have been better suited to this than Tone.
When the film begins, Benny is getting out of prison. It's not only been rough on him but his dear mother (May Robson) and she is terrified that he'll return to his old friends and his old ways. And, although Benny tries, the pull of his old girlfriend and old gang members is strong. Two especially bad problems are his trashy ex-girlfriend and a menacing hood named Monk (Jack La Rue).
This film, despite the odd casting, is a very nice B-movie...clocking in at under and hour. It works well because of the fine writing and Tone is very good...though not especially Jewish. Well worth seeing and a lot better made than most Bs of the day.