There are good entries for this film online. Everything that can be said about it has already been said – except that enough justice can never be done to the superb acting by MacMurray, Stanwyck, and Robinson. When Edward G. Robinson says ‘Closer than that’ to MacMurray at the very end, emotion breaks into this tough film noir and tissues might momentarily be required.

Notable are the film’s secondary and minor characters, like Norton, the head of the insurance firm (Richard Gaines), the janitor of the office building (the later black-listed John Berry), poor Lola (Jean Heather), seeking solace in Dvorak’s New World Symphony sitting with Neff above the Hollywood Bowl, the young baddie Zachetti (Byron Barr), and the ineffable Mr Jackson (Porter Hall) from Medford (concerned not to miss an appointment with his osteopath).

Miklos Rosza’s superb and brilliantly used score is an integral part of the film’s character and beauty, which improves with every showing.