Whistle Stop (film)
| Whistle Stop | |
|---|---|
Theatrical release poster
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| Directed by | Léonide Moguy |
| Produced by | Seymour Nebenzal |
| Screenplay by | Philip Yordan |
| Based on |
Whistle Stop 1941 novel by Maritta M. Wolff |
| Starring |
George Raft Ava Gardner Victor McLaglen Tom Conway |
| Music by | Dimitri Tiomkin |
| Cinematography | Russell Metty |
| Edited by | Gregg C. Tallas |
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Production
company |
Nero Films
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| Distributed by | United Artists |
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Release date
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Running time
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85 minutes |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
Whistle Stop is a 1946 crime film noir directed by Léonide Moguy and featuring starring George Raft and Ava Gardner. The screenplay is written by Philip Yordan, and based on a novel by Maritta M. Wolff. The supporting cast was headed by Victor McLaglen and Tom Conway
Away for two years, a woman named Mary (Ava Gardner) returns to her home in a small town (a 'whistle stop'). She attempts to reconcile with Kenny Veech (George Raft), her former romantic interest, but he is jealous and bitter, particularly after she takes up with Veech's mortal enemy, nightclub owner Lew Lentz (Tom Conway).
Gitlo (Victor McLaglen), a friend of Kenny's who works for Lentz, talks him into a scheme to rob and kill Lentz at a train station as he leaves for Detroit, then hide his corpse to make Mary believe he chose not to return. Mary manages to foil Veech's plans, but she remains torn between the two men.
Seeking vengeance, Lentz tries to pin a murder on Veech and Gitlo, who barely make a getaway. Gitlo and Lentz end up killing one another, and Mary finds Veech recovering from a gunshot wound to the arm he had suffered while making his and Gitlo's escape. The movie ends with them arm-in-arm, walking away to live happily ever after.
Philip Yordan bought the film rights to the 1940 novel and wrote a screenplay. He got Seymour Nebenzal to produce and remained associate producer in exchange for $50 of the profits.
The film was financed by a bank in Palm Springs.
The film was a box office hit.
When the film was released, film critic Bosley Crowther, dismissed the film, writing, "A slice of sordid life in a small mid-Western town was somewhat faithfully reflected in Maritta Wolff's novel, Whistle Stop, but the same can't be said for the picture, based upon it, which came to the Globe on Saturday. This plainly remote and artificial concoction lacks flavor, consistency, reason and even dramatic suspense. And it is also abominably acted—which covers about everything ... The film was directed by Leonide Moguy, late of France. Don't ask us why."
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Wikipedia