A MAN BETRAYED (1941)

After a small town athlete is found shot to death outside of the notorious Inferno Club, small town lawyer John Wayne comes to the big city to investigate.  What he finds is something straight out of a Dashiell Hammett novel.  A kingpin (Edward Ellis) with an iron grip controls the entire town from the mayor and the police all the way down the booze racket.  Naturally, Wayne falls in love with the kingpin's daughter (Frances Dee) and she with him, but it's not all rainbows and unicorns.  Wayne still needs to solve the murder. There's also a rigged election to deal with.

If this film was completely serious it would have been quite good, but for whatever bizarre reason the story is half-drama, half-comedy!  And unfunny comedy at that.  And let's not forget all the cornball romantic stuff going on.  Example: Wayne gets Dee alone on the top of a Ferris wheel and says "You sure would be lovely if you had brown hair." "I have brown hair.", she replies.  "Yeah." he sighs. [They kiss.]  Oh, brother!

Interesting for a single watch, but the drama/comedy/romance jerking back and forth all over the place was too much for me.  If you need me I'll be in my room reading "Red Harvest".

reflection