The story is interesting enough (it's based on a real life undercover cop) and maintains just enough energy and suspense to keep you watching (although not on the edge of your seat) but there's not a lot of soul to it. It's definitely got an authentic mid-thirties feel to it, there's no sugar coating on this hard hitting, realistic slice of the seedier side of New York but it just doesn't touch you. There's no emotion to it.
Nevertheless EGR, as you'd expect, gives a sincere and believable performance - and for a little chubby guy to be so convincing as 'the toughest cop in New York' shows pretty a impressive acting ability! He's not however very interesting and you can't emotionally invest in him. He's the epitome of integrity but (probably because he's based on a real living person at the time) he's got no personal problems, no weird idiosyncrasies, no skeletons in the cupboard - he's just a good, dedicated, upright copper. Good for crime fighting, less so for entertainment.
The rest of the cast are faultless - Bogart is believably unpleasant and Joan Blondell proves she could do much more than comedy but nobody smiles! One exception is Frank McHugh - amidst all this serious sincerity it looks like he was added for a bit of comedy relief. He's only got half a dozen lines but as bizarre as his casting might seem, he actually makes this a bit more palatable.
Nevertheless EGR, as you'd expect, gives a sincere and believable performance - and for a little chubby guy to be so convincing as 'the toughest cop in New York' shows pretty a impressive acting ability! He's not however very interesting and you can't emotionally invest in him. He's the epitome of integrity but (probably because he's based on a real living person at the time) he's got no personal problems, no weird idiosyncrasies, no skeletons in the cupboard - he's just a good, dedicated, upright copper. Good for crime fighting, less so for entertainment.
The rest of the cast are faultless - Bogart is believably unpleasant and Joan Blondell proves she could do much more than comedy but nobody smiles! One exception is Frank McHugh - amidst all this serious sincerity it looks like he was added for a bit of comedy relief. He's only got half a dozen lines but as bizarre as his casting might seem, he actually makes this a bit more palatable.