MamaGravity
good back-story, and good acting
Afouotos
Although it has its amusing moments, in eneral the plot does not convince.
robert-temple-1
This powerfully-directed thriller by Anthony Mann is about somebody who gets framed. Mann knew how to deliver, and it is very gritty. There are some crackling lines of dialogue and sharp performances. Jane Randolph is outstanding as a hard-bitten moll with a vulnerable streak, who starts out determined and then wobbles when things finally get too extreme. The film is about the frame-up of an innocent boy for a robbery and a killing. Behind it all is the ruthless psychotic gunman John ("don't give me that love stuff!") Ireland, who never had any trouble making people believe he would kill them as soon as look at them. (He was also a bit of a lady-killer off screen, at least one gal thought so and told me about it, but she lived.) Sheila Ryan is convincing as the good girl who gets it all wrong and makes things worse by suspecting the good guy and trusting the bad guy. Things get pretty tense, John Ireland just seems to want to shoot everybody, and he always seems to be one move ahead. It's amazing what you can do with a gun if you know how, or with a camera if you are Anthony Mann.
krorie
Top billing for "Railroaded!" goes to the great actor John Ireland who plays the coldblooded killer Duke Martin. Today, Ireland is perhaps best remembered for his role as the gunslinger, Cherry Valance, in the John Wayne western classic "Red River" and for his Academy-Award- nominated performance as a reporter in another Hollywood classic "All the King's Men." Duke Martin, as with most of the heavies in noir flicks, is a misogynist. But this time the woman hater doesn't get away with it completely. Both Clara Calhoun (Jane Randolph) and Rosie Ryan (Sheila Ryan) put him in his place. When Duke misquotes Oscar Wilde, "Some women should be beaten regularly, like gongs" (it was actually Noel Coward who used the line), Clara is quick to respond to the effect that if that line belonged to Oscar Wilde, then let him have it. When Rosie and Duke first meet at Duke's club, Duke calls women "dames." Rosie responds sharply, "I don't like that term." Duke backs up and uses the still somewhat derogatory "gals."The plot involves Rosie's brother, Steve, portrayed by unknown actor Ed Kelly, who only made three films to my knowledge. Duke and his girlfriend, Clara, frame Steve for a bookie heist, during which time a patrolman is killed. The police are after a quick conviction and are getting ready to go to trial and ask for the death penalty when Police Sgt. Mickey Ferguson (Hugh Beaumont, aka Ward Cleaver) falls for Rosie and decides that her brother may not be guilty after all. Ferguson attempts to help Rosie find the real murderer when Rosie decides to conduct her own investigation by becoming chums with Duke. This all leads to more murders until the ultimate confrontation between Ferguson and Duke. The film is fast-paced and somewhat violent for its day.The creative use of darkness and shadow was an important ingredient of noir cinema, but as one IMDb reviewer has already noted, there is so much darkness in "Railroaded!" that at times it is difficult to see what is happening. One reason for this may be viewing the film on a TV screen. Perhaps on the big screen there was no problem. Outside of this minor weakness, "Railroaded!" is a winner all the way.
wiggy3056
This was the first time I heard of this movie and it was really good,dark and is B/W still the best in those 40's crime movies. John Ireland really good as villain and woman beater,Leave It To Beaver father Hugh Beaumont a surprise as good guy detective. The police methods Pre-Miranda are frightening,no lawyers and roughing up suspects and obvious shaky evidence and possible frame-up. But the one great thing about the movie is that great fight between the Babes(rarely ever seen today) It was great to watch. This has to rank as one of the all-time woman fights on screen! Great cars and of course nightclub with people all dressed up and smoking.
zaarnak
"Railroaded!" is hyped as film noir but it is not...classically. The look is dark and the mood is somewhat somber, but, the principal characters are aloof. Classic film noir involves principal characters with whom we empathize at least a little (Walter Neff, Dix Handley)but who either die or are fully demoralized in the end (whom the French called the 'damned man'). The only person we give a hoot about is poor Steve, the accused. Steve (Ed Kelly) is a small role not really involved in the story despite being the object in it.Maltin rates "Railroaded!" with 3 stars. That's one star too many. Ireland and Sheila Ryan give good performances but standard all the way. The best line is by Steve's mother about her cake ("Who could eat a cake with a gun in it?").
