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The Hoodlum Saint

The Hoodlum Saint
The Hoodlum Saint Titlecards2.jpg
Directed by Norman Taurog
Produced by Cliff Reid
Written by James Hill
Frank Wead
Frances Marion
Starring William Powell
Esther Williams
Music by Nathaniel Shilkret
Cinematography Ray June
Edited by Ferris Webster
Distributed by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer
Release date
4 April 1946
Running time
91 min.
Country United States
Language English
Budget $1,918,000
Box office $1,569,000

The Hoodlum Saint is a 1946 American drama film starring William Powell and Esther Williams.

Major Terry O'Neill (William Powell) returns to Baltimore in 1919, after the end of World War I, expecting to get his old newspaper night editor job back. However, the paper has recently changed owners, and his friend and former editor, Allan Smith (an uncredited Will Wright), has been told to cut costs. Disillusioned, Terry decides to abandon his ideals and make his fortune by whatever means necessary. Leaving the building, he runs into two less-than-savory friends, "Fishface" (Rags Ragland) and "Three Finger" (Frank McHugh). When they are arrested, it takes all his money to pay their fines and that of "Snarp" (James Gleason).

He crashes a high society wedding party in the hope of meeting businessman Lewis J. Malbery (Henry O'Neill). When a guard insists on seeing his invitation, Terry grabs guest Kay Lorrison (Esther Williams) and kisses her, much to her surprise. After the guard goes away, she slaps Terry in the face, but after his honest confession, begins to warm to him. She introduces him to her uncle, publisher Joe Lorrison (Charles Trowbridge). Terry impresses him with his ideas on how to fight a bitter foe - none other than Malbery - and lands a job. He and Kay, who works on occasion at the paper, develop a relationship.

After masterminding a skillful newspaper campaign against Malbery, Terry surprises his boss by quitting his relatively low-paying job to go to work for Malbery in New York. Snarp, Fishface, Three Finger and "Eel" (Slim Summerville) tag along and open a pool room. When after three years, Malbery promotes him to executive vice president of the company, he returns to Baltimore to see Kay. He finds her once again at a wedding. To his dismay, however, she informs him that this time she is the bride. Nightclub singer "Dusty" Millard (Angela Lansbury) gets him on the rebound.


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