AboveDeepBuggy Some things I liked some I did not.

Doomtomylo a film so unique, intoxicating and bizarre that it not only demands another viewing, but is also forgivable as a satirical comedy where the jokes eventually take the back seat.

Ortiz Excellent and certainly provocative... If nothing else, the film is a real conversation starter.

Sarita Rafferty There are moments that feel comical, some horrific, and some downright inspiring but the tonal shifts hardly matter as the end results come to a film that's perfect for this time.

MattyGibbs A detective tries to find the killer of a composer who was presumed to have committed suicide. The charismatic George Raft does a good job here as the detective who doesn't accept a suicide was murder. This atmospheric and moody thriller scoots along swiftly as the mystery as to who killed the man deepens. Raft is helped by a decent cast especially the beguiling Lynn Bari as Rafts chief suspect. The well paced script shows plenty of wit and lots of snappy one liners. It builds the suspense well as Raft slowly uncovers the truth.This is a classy and very entertaining 1940's thriller that holds up well today. Well worth seeking out.

Leofwine_draca NOCTURNE is a little-known film noir about an offbeat detective investigating the apparent suicide of a piano player who finds himself drawn into a world of seductive femme fatales. To be fair, the plot is extremely ordinary and matter-of-fact, but the stylish direction and some winning performances help to lift it at times.NOCTURNE peaks early with an absolutely brilliant opening sequence which has style to spare and which ends with a exceptional twist. Nothing that comes after can top that, sadly, but some witty, sharp-edged dialogue helps to propel the at-times-boring narrative along. The biggest downfall is the saggy middle, in which the detective interviews various women without getting anywhere, but it does pick up for the mildly exciting climax.I really enjoyed George Raft's laconic turn as the protagonist; despite being a detective employed by the local police department, he feels like the typical gumshoe with a ready wisecrack for any situation. The female cast are attractive and alluring, and prove equally sharp-witted when the need arises. NOCTURNE's mid-section is just too sluggish to be able to rate this as a good film, but it's worth tracking down as a rarity that passes the time adequately enough.

Alex da Silva The main guy (George Raft) is a policeman who doesn't believe that the death of a musician is a suicide and he pursues his hunch against the advice of his bosses. He is proved right. But who is Keith Vincent's (Edward Ashley) killer? As a womanizer, Keith Vincent has many enemies.....The film started well but gradually became less interesting. It wasn't helped by a slightly confusing storyline and a poor cast. The acting is actually quite bad in parts, eg, watch Virginia Huston as "Carol Page" as she listens to the tune of "Nocturne" for the first time in the nightclub.......ha ha......how obvious is SHE...!! Lynn Bari is also terrible as "Frances" throughout the whole film, while Bernard Hoffman has a stupid accent as "Torp". In fact, George Raft comes across as the best actor on the set and he's more known for his gangster connections than he is for his acting abilities. He's got a good voice, I'll give him that.As for the story, here is a daft moment - George Raft enters a room and flicks on the light switch even though he knows that it has been filled with gas ....??!!...In line with daftness, how about this for a plot contrivance - whole story is based on Raft's obsession with an unfinished piece of music (a matter which has absolutely no suspicious connotations whatsoever). The murdered guy was a musician and he was writing some music....!! There is also a poor attempt at a romantic thread between Raft and Bari but it is rushed and it also unconvincingly ends the film. I always look forward to watching RKO films but this effort was a disappointment for me. It doesn't need to be seen again.

RanchoTuVu Like others have noted, this is not a masterpiece in the canon of film noir, but it does have originality, humor, a good pace, and some downright interesting characters and actors, including the director Joseph Pevney as Fingers the piano player. George Raft gives a decidedly deceptive performance. He was a good enough actor to look as if he couldn't even act. But, nonetheless, he carries this film along with one deadpan diverting observation after another, spitting out lines from a screenplay that is full of one-liners, yet is cohesive enough to at least somewhat keep the plot unfolding, with scenes that vary from posh apartments and hillside houses, to a piano bar where the pianist and his piano are pushed on a little portable stage from table to table by a big, menacing lug, and even to the RKO studios where Raft pursues his chief suspect, played by Lynn Bari, in what only he and the real murderer knew was a murder and not a suicide. The film's light touch mixes well with its well placed darker moments, especially a pitch black and windy night ( probably Santa Ana winds) in Los Angeles.