Sometimes you just luck out. As a sixth grader at Lakewood’s Navy Base grade school, with both parents working I often stayed home after calling the school to say I was ill and wouldn’t be attending class. I loved to stay home and watch black and white movies. I don’t recall seeing the film “Angels Over Broadway,” but it is one I would have picked to stay home and enjoy.
Here is the description of the film: “A cuckolded embezzler on the verge of suicide is helped by a tout, an alcoholic playwright, and a pick-up girl to reimburse the money with a gambling sting.”
I was in bed and looking for an interesting film. I was watching the channel Tubi and chose to search for a “Film Noir” production. On the very top of the first six films was “Angels Over Broadway.” I knew nothing about it, but started it going. What quickly caught my eye was John Qualen, a second fiddle actor who seemed to be the main character. I found this interesting. I recognized the face from other movies I loved: Grapes of Wrath, The Jungle Book, Casablanca, Anatomy of a Murder, and The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance among others.
“One of the best and most familiar character actors of the first four decades of sound films, although few who knew his face also knew his name, John Qualen was born in Canada to Norwegian parents. His father was a minister. The family moved to the United States and Qualen (whose real name was Kvalen) grew up in Elgin, Illinois. He won an oratory contest and was given a scholarship to Northwestern University. His interest in acting was piqued there, and he began appearing in tent shows on the Lyceum-Chautauqua.”
Charles Engle (John Qualen) has been caught embezzling thousands of dollars. He writes a suicide note, and goes out wandering on the town. Small-time hustler Bill O’Brian (Douglas Fairbanks Jr.) sees him give a couple of big tips, figures he’s rich and plans to take him over to a big-time card game and fleece him. He enlists Nina Barone (Rita Hayworth) to help get Engle into the game. She goes along, but is more interested in O’Brien than in his schemes. Meanwhile, a perpetually drunk and none too successful playwright, Gene Gibbons (Thomas Mitchell), finds the suicide note. He cooks up a scheme (with the reluctant aid of O’Brien) to get the money Engle needs to pay back his employer and save his life.
Ben Hecht wrote the film and directed it with Lee Garmes. The actors did a wonderful job and the action just pulled me along. When Peg came to bed I tried to find the film to re-watch it with her, but gave up searching. I know Peggy will love the film and I am anxious to find it and see it again. I feel like I should dedicate the film to my sixth grade teacher who put up with my poor attendance, decent grades, the love of stories, films, and live theater.
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