IT CAME FROM THE BOTTOM SHELF!

Lost Weekend-type boozing and edge-of-your-seat suspense combine in Black Angel, a forgotten noir mystery that deserves to be better remembered. Based upon a novel by pulp scribbler Cornell “Rear Window” Woolrich, the film tells the story of Marty Blair (Dan Duryea), a full-time drunk and part-time songwriter who goes on a colossal bender when his chanteuse wife rejects him on their anniversary. The next morning, Marty’s spouse is found straggled, and an unlucky sap who discovers the body is mistaken for the murderer. When the innocent man is sentenced to death, his wife (June Bennett) enlists Marty’s help to track down the real killer. The key to proving the condemned man’s innocence lies in finding a missing broach, possibly in the possession of a mysterious nightclub owner (Peter Lorre); but the larger mystery is whether Marty can stay sober long enough to piece the puzzle together.

For a low budget flick, Black Angel boasts excellent direction, imaginative camerawork (including a spectacular opening shot and a flashback photographed as if through a drunken haze), and solid performances. June Vincent makes a fine female lead, and always reliable supporting actors Lorre and Broderick Crawford make the most of their screen time.

However, the film really belongs to Dan Duryea, who shines in a rare lead performance. With his slightly weather-beaten look, Duryea was usually relegated to playing heavies or character parts. Black Angel finally provided him the opportunity to carry a film, because his hangdog appearance was just what was required for the sad sack character of semi-functional souse Marty Blair. Duryea acquits himself nicely in the romantic scenes, but his acting is really outstanding in the sequences where Marty wallows in drunken despair. Marty’s alcoholism is never played for laughs, and Duryea’s performance rivals that of Ray Milland’s celebrated work in The Lost Weekend (which only preceded Black Angel by a few months).

While not exactly essential viewing for fans of film noir or of soused cinema, Black Angel is a solid entry in both genres. You won’t regret taking a taste of this rarely sipped cocktail.

USA/B&W-80m./Dir: Roy William Neill/Wr: Roy Chanslor (based on the novel by Cornell Woolrich)/Cast: Dan Duryea, June Vincent, Peter Lorre, Broderick Crawford, Constance Dowling, John Phillips

For Fans of: If you liked Dan Duryea’s supporting performances in films noir such as Scarlet Street (1945) and Too Late for Tears (1949), you’re sure to love him in this rare leading part.

Video: Arrow Academy will release a Blu-ray of Black Angel on January 28th, sourced from a brand new 2K restoration from the best available film elements.  The Blu-ray is sharp, clear, and almost entirely free of scratches and debris.  Some may find the film grain a little extra gritty at times, but I liked the authentic film look.

The uncompressed mono 1.0 PCM soundtrack has also been remastered, and the dialogue and frequent musical interludes sound perfect to my ears.

As one has come to expect from Arrow Academy, the prestige sub-label of Arrow Films, the movie is complimented by a nice collection of special features.  Those include:

• A new, informative audio commentary by the writer and film scholar Alan K. Rode
• A Fitting End, a new video appreciation of the film by the film historian Neil Sinyard
• The original theatrical trailer
• A gallery of original stills and promotional materials
• Optional English subtitles for the deaf and hard of hearing
• A reversible sleeve featuring two artwork options
• First pressing only: An illustrated collector’s booklet featuring new writing on the film by author Philip Kemp

Streaming: At the time of this review, Black Angel was unavailable to stream on any of the major subscription services.  It was also unavailable to download as a digital rental or purchase.

More to Explore: Anne Baxter goes on a drinking binge that ends in murder in Fritz Lang’s similarly themed The Blue Gardenia (1953).

Trivia: Black Angel was the last of over 100 films directed by Roy William Neill.  Neill’s career stretched back to the silent era, but he is best remembered for having directed eleven of the fourteen Sherlock Holmes films starring Basil Rathbone and Nigel Bruce.

For More Info: If you want to read the original source material for the film, Cornell Woolrich’s novel is available in paperback and e-book formats.