It’s a more mature role than her other two Bogart films, Marked Woman and Kid Galahad, and it suits Bryan well. This is no exception, as she gets some pretty meaty scenes with Holden, and a couple of good chances to interact with Flora Robson.

Bryan is on my shortlist for actors that need to go into ‘The Usual Suspects,’ as she’s usually a pretty strong supporter in every film that I’ve seen her in so far. Jane Bryan plays William Holden’s love interest, Peggy. The work she does with Raft in this film makes me want to explore her filmography further to see what I’ve been missing! How can you not love a mother like that? I wanted to hug and kiss her to death every time she appeared on screen. In my opinion, Robson’s performance steals the show, and I have an all new screen crush. Taylor, even though she was about six years younger than Raft at the time of filming. Erring a bit on the side over overacting, Holden does have a number of good scenes with Raft, and decent chemistry with Jane Bryan as his love interest.įlora Robson plays Raft’s mother, Mrs. Holden is fine in the role, but he has nowhere near the film presence that he would develop with another decade under his belt. William Holden plays Raft’s younger brother, Tim Taylor. This film is re-watchable for me based on Raft’s performance alone. He plays his emotions close to his vest and he did a wonderful job of making me believe that he loved and cared for his mother and brother. Several scripts that Raft turned down in his career went on to become some of Bogart’s most iconic films, so maybe with the additional appreciation of this film, I can finally get on the George Raft bandwagon. I’m not the biggest George Raft admirer, but I really liked him here as Cliff Taylor, the ex-con who tries to make good when released from the pen.

So I guess that if I’m going to watch someone play a likable bad guy, it’s a treat that it gets to be Bogart, even if the role is tiny. The film needed to spend its time building up the relationship between Raft and Holden. Could they have used him more? Probably, but it wouldn’t have fit with the story. The part is small, so there are long droughts throughout the film where Bogart’s presence isn’t felt, but when he’s onscreen, he pops. Right up until his final scene, we have to appreciate and respect Martin’s attempts to help George Raft’s Cliff pull himself up by his bootstraps – even if it’s not by legal means. Playing ex-con Chuck Martin, this might be one of the most likable thugs that Bogart ever got to play. Make no mistake, Raft and Robson create an incredibly dynamic mother-son relationship here, and it’s easy to understand the love they have for one another. Raft’s final line to his mother is so subtly done that I almost missed it, even though it’s an incredibly heart wrenching moment. All that aside though, the film is entirely watchable and keeps the drama and action chugging along at a pace that held my interest even on a second viewing.ĭirector Lloyd Bacon did so many good films with Bogart that he’ll eventually need to go into ‘The Usual Suspects.’ He handles this film well, especially in the quieter, character building moments of love and loss with Raft’s family. Bogart does his absolute best with the role that he’s given, but he’s underused, and a young William Holden still seems a little green as it’s only his fourth film. The story of an ex-con trying to go straight had been done so many times before this that it must have felt like old cliché. I can see why this movie might not have gotten the most glowing reviews. The cast of George Raft, William Holden, Jane Bryan, Bogart, and Flora Robson is one of the best ensembles I’ve seen in a while, and all the character relationships really crackled – especially Raft and Robson who give us most of the heart in this film.

This was my second viewing of Invisible Stripes, and I have to say that I liked it much better this time. A recently released convict (George Raft) does his best to go straight after prison, but his conscience gives way to the need to support his family.

Invisible stripes film