Riffraff (1947)

A nice surprise,  9 December 2020

It seems that everyone in Panama has their eyes out for a missing map worth a fortune and P.I./con-man/fixer Dan Hammer (Pat O’Brien) is at the center of everything.  Caught between the police, hoodlums, and gorgeous dame, Hammer’s got his work cut out for him.  But like everyone else, he has no idea where to find the map - even though it’s hidden in plain sight.

What a nice surprise!  Going in, I had no idea what to expect from Riffraff (or Riff-Raff or Riff Raff or however you want to spell it), but it’s truly a wonderful little film.  It’s got a lot going for it. Frist, the cinematography is fantastic.  Riffraff looks way better than its modest budget would suggest.  Second, the acting is very strong.  Overall, I’m not much of a Pat O’Brien fan, but here, he does a nice job.  Anne Jefferys is more than his equal as the blonde love interest.  Walter Slezak makes for the perfect heavy.  And Percy Kilbride (of Ma and Pa Kettle fame) shines as the comic relief.  Third, the direction is spot on.  Director Ted Tetzlaff does a remarkable job with the film’s nifty pacing.  There are very few dull moments to slow things down.  And that opening - wow!  It must have been a gamble to film the first 10 or so minutes in silence, but it paid off.  Finally, the writing is first rate.  Riffraff has all that cool, fast-talking dialogue I’ve come to love in a film noir. 

7/10