Whistle Stop was released on January 25, 1946. In this crime film noir, George headlined and Ava appeared in her first starring role. Victor McLaglen turned in a pitch-perfect supporting performance to round out the cast. The film earned favorable reviews and was a financial success.
George plays a gambler and Ava an old flame who returns to their small town after living for years in the big city. Initially, their romance thrives but it doesn’t take long for the relationship to fall apart. After a tragedy, they come back together only to see things fall apart again when George is framed for murder. As is so often the case with film noir, there is an unexpected plot twist and the final outcome is uncertain until it happens.
Although George recommended Ava for the role, her lack of experience shows in how she plays to the camera and not her co-star. George seems too careful with her except in a few notable moments. A better director would have seen and remedied both faults. Despite that, the film holds together well with McLaglen providing the glue.
Ava had this to say about her co-star:
I enjoyed Whistle Stop mainly because George Raft was such fun. I think George was always teasing a bit, too. We went dancing on a couple of occasions, and George danced like a dream, and although there was always a small wrestling match when he dropped me off, our relationship remained stable.
Whistle Stop is available free at George Raft Films or from the Movie Playlist on the front page of this website.
