Cold War and Crime

A
Bullet For Joey (1955) – An exiled mob boss is recruited to kidnap a
Canadian nuclear scientist during the Cold War.

Directed by Lewis Allen Starring Edward G. Robinson, George Raft

Why I Liked It – Two great mobster movie actors at once!

My reaction above was my starting point with this one. I’d never
heard of it, but it had Robinson and Raft. I think of both of them in
roles as mobsters, even though that’s not fair to either actor.
Here, Robinson is the cop trying to stop the kidnapping, then hunting
down Raft and his gang. It’s a low-key role for him, lacking the
bravado that is a trademark of his best known performances. That’s
perfect for the relentless Inspector Leduc. Robinson brings calm
assurance, bravery and dedication to the role of the Canadian
detective. It’s the perfect balance to Raft’s more energetic Joe
Victor.

Ah, George Raft. A big star in his time, but often his own worst
professional enemy. Which is why his name is unknown to most modern
movie fans. And if the name means anything to you, you’re like me
“Didn’t he play gangsters?”

Yes, he did, but not exclusively. He came to Hollywood as a dancer
and always maintained he didn’t know how to act. What he had going
for him was that he looked good on the screen and he could play off
of his cast mates. His ability to provide a relatable reaction to the
action around him made him a fan favorite in his day. The downside of
Raft was he was difficult to work with either on screen or off. In a
production a decade before with Robinson, the two of them had a
fistfight. Raft’s history shows several suspensions by several
studios. He turned down movies that became classics like the Bogart
roles in both “High Sierra” and “The Maltese Falcon” (Legend
says he turned down “Casablanca” too, but while he was a
candidate for the role of Rick, there was no offer made). He refused
to make one movie because he didn’t like the cameraman, another
because he refused to work with a rookie director, and several
because he didn’t like the way his role was written. But his movies
were successful on the whole, and that is always the bottom line.

Here he does a nice turn as a mobster who doesn’t care about
anything or anyone but himself. Turning over nuclear secrets to a
foreign government? How much does it pay? He demands that his old
girlfriend come back to him. She’s left her previous life behind
and has found success on the legal side of the tracks. He threatens
to destroy her is she doesn’t come back and then sends her out to
seduce their target. The anger and greed stay just below the surface
in Raft’s performance.

For all the good work by the cast, the script is Cold War
predictable. The scenery shows the low budget nature of the
production as well. There’s a little twist at the end that caught me by surprise. While not a great movie, it’s a solid effort.
And those two stars are the primary reason.

Rating – *** Worth A Look