Johnny Eager (1942)

User Rating:

7.0/10   

Director:

Mervyn LeRoy

Writers:

James Edward Grant (story)
John Lee Mahin (screenplay) ...

Release Date:

17 January 1942 (USA)

Genre:

Crime | Film-Noir

Tagline:

I've heard all about you, Johnny Eager . . . but I still want you to kiss me !

Plot:

District Attorney's daughter falls in love with a gangster the D.A. is trying to put in jail.

Plot Keywords:

Gangster | District Attorney | Taxi Driver | Parole Officer | Dog

Awards:

Won Oscar.

Cast

Robert Taylor	...	John 'Johnny' Eager
Lana Turner	...	Lisbeth 'Liz' Bard
Edward Arnold	...	John Benson Farrell
Van Heflin	...	Jeff Hartnett
Robert Sterling	...	Jimmy Courtney
Patricia Dane	...	Garnet
Glenda Farrell	...	Mae Blythe Agridowski
Henry O'Neill	...	A.J. Verne
Diana Lewis	...	Judy Sanford
Barry Nelson	...	Lew Rankin
Charles Dingle	...	A. Frazier Marco
Paul Stewart	...	Julio
Cy Kendall	...	Bill Halligan
Don Costello	...	Billiken
Lou Lubin	...	Benjy

Runtime:

107 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Sound System)

Certification:

Australia:G | Finland:(Banned) (1943-1950) | Finland:K-16 | Germany:16 | Sweden:15 | USA:Approved (PCA #7852)

Company:

Loew's

Trivia:

In one of the bedrooms in Johnny's apartment at the track is a large painting, done in the art deco style, of a reclining blonde woman. Coincidentally, this same painting is featured briefly but prominently in Eyes in the Night (1942), released the same year and also starring Edward Arnold, referred to in that film by Marty as "a blonde tomato."

Goofs:

Continuity: In the scene where Johnny is asking Benjy about the cop that won't let him put in slot machines, Benjy hands him a note with the cop's badge number (#711) on it which he unfolds before handing to Johnny. Then we see Johnny unfolding it again.

Quotes:

John 'Johnny' Eager: Oh, now don't turn ordinary on me. I get tired of ordinary dames. And I don't want to get tired of you.

Movie Connections:

Featured in Los Angeles Plays Itself (2003)

Soundtrack:

Melancholy

Plot-heavy crime melodrama with well-cast Taylor and Turner...

JOHNNY EAGER was one of MGM's early entries into film noir territory and it's an atmospheric and tough crime melodrama that gives Taylor and Turner some emotionally charged scenes. Too bad Turner's part isn't bigger than it is--she's more talked about than seen--but she makes it count in the big moments.

She plays a judge's daughter who falls in love with a mobster who it seems has never really loved a dame before. He leads her on to make her believe that she's guilty of a murder committed when he stages a fake fight with a fellow gangster. It's his way of blackmailing her father. The plot takes a lot of twists and turns before the complicated story runs its course--with Van Heflin in his Oscar-winning supporting role as the man who tries to be Johnny's conscience. Seems to me Heflin played much better roles after the war in leading roles for which he was never nominated again--namely 'Green Dolphin Street' (excellent work) and 'The Three Musketeers' (both times opposite Lana Turner).

You may be interested in reading my feature article on LANA TURNER appearing in the Spring 2002 issue of FILMS OF THE GOLDEN AGE.

Robert Taylor gives a solid, convincing performance in the title role. Barry Sullivan, Robert Sterling, Edward Arnold and Paul Stewart all do well in colorful supporting roles.