Johnny Eager

Here's a glossy world of crime wrapped in white fox and expensive leather where one sinks into deep armchairs and drinks imported Scotch. This is the crooked cafe society world of callow, sexy Taylor who abuses callow, sexy Turner. They're made for each other, see? Each acts in a highly stylized mode of tragic glamour that is most evident in the swooning vortex of their love scenes. Casting them together was inspired--they give each other extra resonance and depth.

Taylor is the rottenly handsome title character, hiding the tenderness of his pretty face behind a gigolo's pencil mustache. At the opening, he misleads viewers. He wears a cab driver's hat and report...