Back to trending
Johnny Eager

Johnny Eager

Crime · Drama · 1941

A charming racketeer seduces the DA's stepdaughter for revenge, then falls in love.

Movie details

Johnny Eager

“They’re Dynamite”

1941 Crime · Drama 1h 47m

Critical arithmetic

One number, for now.

TMDB

6.2 / 10

Community rating

A charming racketeer seduces the DA's stepdaughter for revenge, then falls in love.

CriticWise case file

What this film says about your taste.

Not a recommendation score. A measure of how closely the film’s taste signals resemble yours.

The archetype split

Who fights over Johnny Eager?

The split comes from the same five-axis model used by the test, not audience ratings or review sentiment.

Taste neighbourhood

Nearby on the taste map.

TMDB supplies the candidates. CriticWise reorders them by craft, strangeness, prestige, emotion, and pace.

Johnny O'Clock

Johnny O'Clock

Crime · 1947

When an employee at an illegal gambling den dies suspiciously, her sister, Nancy, looks into the situation and falls for Johnny O'Clock, a suave partner in the underground casino. Selfish and non-committal by nature, Johnny slowly begins to return Nancy's affection and decides to run away with her, but conflict within his business threatens their plans. As Johnny tries to distance himself from the casino, his shady past comes back to haunt him.

Framed

Framed

Crime · 1947

Truck driver Mike Lambert is a down-and-out mining engineer searching for a job. When his rig breaks down in a small town, he happens upon a venomous seductress. When her boyfriend robs a bank, they intend to frame Lambert.

Force of Evil

Force of Evil

Crime · 1950

Lawyer Joe Morse wants to consolidate all the small-time numbers racket operators into one big powerful operation. But his elder brother Leo is one of these small-time operators who wants to stay that way, preferring not to deal with the gangsters who dominate the big-time.

I Walk Alone

I Walk Alone

Drama · 1947

Bootleggers on the lam Frankie and Noll split up to evade capture by the police. Frankie is caught and jailed, but Noll manages to escape and open a posh New York City nightclub. 14 years later, Frankie is released from the clink and visits Noll with the intention of collecting his half of the nightclub's profits. But Noll, who has no intention of being so equitable, uses his ex-girlfriend Kay to divert Frankie from his intended goal.

The Dark Corner

The Dark Corner

Crime · 1946

Ex-con turned private investigator Bradford Galt suspects someone is following him and maybe even trying to kill him. With the assistance of his spunky secretary, Kathleen Stewart, he dives deep into a mystery in search of answers.

Pitfall

Pitfall

Drama · 1948

An insurance man wishing for a more exciting life becomes wrapped up in the affairs of an imprisoned embezzler, his model girlfriend, and a violent private investigator.

Plunder Road

Plunder Road

Crime · 1957

A spectacular heist starts to unravel as the crooks take it on the lam.

The Damned Don't Cry

The Damned Don't Cry

Crime · 1950

Fed up with her small-town marriage, a woman goes after the big time and gets mixed up with the mob.

The Man with the Golden Arm

The Man with the Golden Arm

Drama · 1955

When illegal card dealer and recovering heroin addict Frankie Machine gets out of prison, he decides to straighten up. Armed with nothing but an old drum set, Frankie tries to get honest work as a drummer. But when his former employer and his old drug dealer re-enter his life, Frankie finds it hard to stay clean and eventually finds himself succumbing to his old habits.

Angel Face

Angel Face

Drama · 1953

Ambulance driver Frank Jessup is ensnared in the schemes of the sensuous but dangerous Diane Tremayne.

Where it lives

Watch in your region.

Cinema release signals and current streaming, rental, and purchase options for your region.

Streaming availability data supplied by JustWatch.

Names above the title

The people responsible.

Directed by

Mervyn LeRoy

Written by

James Edward Grant · John Lee Mahin

Robert Taylor

Robert Taylor

Johnny Eager

Lana Turner

Lana Turner

Lisbeth Bard

Edward Arnold

Edward Arnold

John Benson Farrell

Van Heflin

Van Heflin

Jeff Hartnett

Robert Sterling

Robert Sterling

Jimmy Courtney

Patricia Dane

Patricia Dane

Garnet

Glenda Farrell

Glenda Farrell

Mae Blythe

Court is in session

Put Johnny Eager on trial.

Two incompatible taste archetypes. One film. Read the arguments, then issue a completely binding cultural ruling.

The defence The Auteur Devotee

“Form is the argument.”

Every composed frame and deliberate cut is evidence that control can be thrilling in its own right.

The prosecution The Popcorn Loyalist

“Technique in search of a pulse.”

Immaculate construction is still construction. The film may be too busy proving its craft to feel alive.