Raw Deal

When I think of Noir, I think of John Huston

Not this time though, now I'm thinking Anthony Mann.

Raw Deal is Noir.

There is a jail break, two women fighting for the affection of a tough-guy, police chases, gun fights with bad guys, cigarettes, booze and seedy hotel rooms. I think that is every item on the Noir checklist.

Raw Deal is realistic black & white action/adventure in the hard boiled streets of 1940's San Francisco. The film, while focusing on the flight to freedom for Joe Sullivan (a recent escapee from prison) is truly telling the sad love story of his long-suffering and devoted girlfriend Pat.

Pat is played by Claire Trevor.

Claire Trevor

...right, never heard of her.
In fact, I had never run across any of the cast - Denise O'Keefe, Marsha Hunt...

Oh wait

I have heard of the dude that played the bad guy - Raymond Burr
Seeing him in a role other than Perry Mason or Ironside was fantastic.
He was not a good guy. Raymond Burr added a dimension to Raw Deal
by portraying the villain with real depth. He was tough, merciless and cowardly. It was enjoyable to see him get his desserts.

But back to Claire - this is her story, and in keeping with the tradition of Noir, she is jealous of the other woman (this time played by Marsha Hunt). She watches the man she has invested so much of her life into fall little by little for the woman that they both need to ensure their escape. It is an unmanageable position and she can only continue to fight her way to safety while hoping for the best.
It isn't until later that she seizes the opportunity to "solve" her problem at the expense of the other woman.

The peak comes as Claire realizes that she'll never have Joe's heart and sends him to save the woman that is competing for his love. This finale is a master class for Noir with as much heartbreak as there is action. 

SPOILER BELOW

It ended with Claire watching the man she loved die in the arms of the woman he loved.
Poignant, hard and gritty. The only end possible in this King of Noirs.