Perhaps because of her lengthy career and well-known toughness, it is hard to picture Betty Davis walking the streets, searching for a job and ending up working for a mobster because she can't find anything else. She works for the notoriously racketeer Ricardo Cortez who is absolutely excellent showing charm and ruthlessness as he fools the government as to the nature of his business. Davis is his bookkeeper who knows his secrets and secretly betrays him with reporter / special agent George Brent who could maneuver secrets out of presidential advisors. Cortez has managed to escape justice as his enemies and those who portray him fall dead around him, but it is only a matter of time for any bully irregardless of their business dealings and power before they fall into the pit of earthly justice.
Of course the feds go after Cortez for tax evasion just like Al Capone, but it is only a matter of time before he faces Justice in a completely different way. The three stars are perfectly cast in their parts and that creates a spark that makes this above average in the string of similar films at Warner Brothers did throughout the 1930's and even into the 1940's. It is obvious that Bette puts her all into the park even though it was a B movie that she was desperately trying to get away from by this point in her career.
Everybody in the supporting cast delivers as well from the accountants confronted by Cortez for skimming off the top of the prophets (trembling as he tries to buy his way out of certain death) and a police stool pigeon who steals information to give to Cortez. Brent is brilliant as he continues to fool Cortez who thinks he's providing him with information needed to protect him as he sets Cortez up for his downfall. You have to look past the obvious flaws and enjoy this for the snap, crackling way that this is developed and resolved, and once again showing that justice always prevails no matter how big the man being taken down is....or thinks he is.
Of course the feds go after Cortez for tax evasion just like Al Capone, but it is only a matter of time before he faces Justice in a completely different way. The three stars are perfectly cast in their parts and that creates a spark that makes this above average in the string of similar films at Warner Brothers did throughout the 1930's and even into the 1940's. It is obvious that Bette puts her all into the park even though it was a B movie that she was desperately trying to get away from by this point in her career.
Everybody in the supporting cast delivers as well from the accountants confronted by Cortez for skimming off the top of the prophets (trembling as he tries to buy his way out of certain death) and a police stool pigeon who steals information to give to Cortez. Brent is brilliant as he continues to fool Cortez who thinks he's providing him with information needed to protect him as he sets Cortez up for his downfall. You have to look past the obvious flaws and enjoy this for the snap, crackling way that this is developed and resolved, and once again showing that justice always prevails no matter how big the man being taken down is....or thinks he is.