You have to appreciate Noir Alley and TCM. If not for those two details, this ode to the low places and supper clubs probably wouldn't exist. Also, a shout out to MoviesTVNetwork that plays some gems as well. Thankfully, all the shadows align and here we go, off to Panama to extend the crawl internationally.
Lobby Card
RIFFRAFF takes us to the streets of Panama. Pat O'Brien plays Dan Hammer, a kind of laidback P.I. with a lazier dog and a saucy parrot. Into his path comes a mysterious man with a Maguffin: A map to an oil well hidden somewhere in the jungle. Everyone wants this map. Charles Hasso may have thrown a man out of a plane to get it. Eric Molinar beats people up for it. An oil company hires Hammer to find it. That's the plot: Find the map.
The Streets of Panama
More of the Streets
The movie begins with the arrival of Charles Hasso, played by Marc Krah, in Panama. He hails a cab and takes us on a tour of the city streets. It's all part of cinematographer-turned-director Ted Tatzlaff's direction of Martin Rackin's script. The first six and a half minutes has zero dialogue. All we see and hear are the sights and sounds around Hasso.
Hammer and a chanteuse played by Anne Jefferys, spend a lot of their spare time at an outdoor venue that apparently has no name but is clearly the place in town to be seen. Apparently makes a decent champagne cocktail, to boot! But if booze ain't your cup o' tea, yo can always get the Old Guy special- a glass of milk.
A No Name Cafe in Panama
Strangers in the Night
(Check out the extra. snagging FaceTime.)
Best glass of milk in town
Scene Stealer: The champagne cocktail (and Anne Jefferys.)
Where everybody knows your name even if you don't know theirs
Not just a customer, but also the club chanteuse
We meet again...
After a night on the town, Hammer goes looking for Hasso who happens to be shacking up at the Hotel Emporio. A fine establishment and quite possibly the only establishment in town. The rooms are cozy and come with a tub. Car service is available if you're in the mood to go out or go shopping.
Fits the budget
Ring for a ride!
Window shopping is always fun!(Wonder if Eddie Muller has that tie?)
It's a friendly town. Just ask the guys who want you gone by check-out time.
Don't 'Hasso' him!
Looking for a more upscale place to stay? Ask the guys at the oil company. They know the swankier places!
Ask for the Petroleum Suite- comes with breakfast and a houseman!
A comfortable place to have friends over
Listening to the wise words of the ancient mystagogue
O'Brien and Jefferys seem like an unlikely duo for a noir film, but somehow they make the. chemistry work. Jefferys is a surprise, going from playing Tess Trueheart in Dick Tracy serials to a gal paid by the oil company to distract the man they hire to find the map. She stayed toe to toe with some of noir's toughest character actors and she never weakened. The lady had cinematic presence. Percy Kilbride fills the role of the ancient mystagogue as he guides the other actors with his years of wisdom.
Overall, I enjoyed RIFFRAFF. Four out of five slugs.
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