Johnny Eager

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Johnny Eager

1942,

1h 47m,

Crime/

Drama

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4 Reviews

Tomatometer

77%

500+ Ratings

Popcornmeter

Tomatometer

4 Reviews

77%

Popcornmeter

500+ Ratings

After Johnny Eager (Robert Taylor) is released from jail, the unreformed gangster fools his parole officer (Henry O'Neill) into believing his ways are changed. In actuality, Eager wants to return to racketeering by opening a dog-racing track, but the man who put him behind bars (Edward Arnold) is in the way. When that man's stepdaughter (Lana Turner) falls for Eager, the crook uses her as leverage to get what he wants. In this world of deceit, Jeff Hartnett (Van Heflin) is Eager's only friend.

James Agee

TIME Magazine

Feb 27, 2018

Mr. Taylor won't toughen up. He's too nice to be a melodramatic mobster, and he shows it. Lana Turner is similarly handicapped: Metro has swathed her best assets in a toga, swears that she shall become an actress, or else.

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Emanuel Levy

Variety

Sep 29, 2009

C+

Mervyn LeRoy's picture is more a melodrama than a crime-gangster due to star Robert Taylor and the studio behind it (MGM), but it's worth seeing for Van Heflin's Oscar performance as the cynical alcoholic given to philosophical observations.

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Yasser Medina

Cinefilia

Sep 25, 2023

7/10

A well-entertaining piece of film noir, which never misses its rhythm of consistency in its plot of gambling, blackmail and murder. [Full review in Spanish]

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Dennis Schwartz

Dennis Schwartz Movie Reviews

Dec 26, 2004

C

Nothing can save this syrupy crime melodrama from its eagerness to please as a romantic sudser.

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Han R

Nov 21, 2018

Rare Film Noit for Both MGM and Taylor. A little tedious at first. But, picks up steam. Outstanding cast. Including an Oscar performance for Van Heflin. Lana Turner is dumbstruck in love with Taylor.. Taylor(Johnny Eager) is a career gangster. who has just been released from prison. Johhny takes on a job as a cab driver. But, soon after finds himself back in comfortable surroundings. Playing nice wiith The Mob again. Johnny decides to open a dogtrack. Of course, with the assistance of his past associations. Johnny is faced with internal conflict. A Paradox. On one hand attempting moral compass. On the other, resorting to the comfortable dirt..Jeff (Heflin) plays the drunk and loyal foil to Johnny(Taylor)Someone who truly cares for Johnny as a human being.

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Finn S

Mar 16, 2018

Johnny Eager is an excellent film. It is about the daughter of a district attorney who falls in love with a gangster. Robert Taylor and Lana Turner give fantastic performances. The screenplay is well written. Mervyn LeRoy did a great job directing this movie. I enjoyed watching this motion picture because of the drama. Johnny Eager is a must see.

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Abraham L

Feb 25, 2018

For me it was Taylor's best performance and a different kind of noir. Turner was good too.

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Mervyn LeRoy

Director

Robert Taylor

John "Johnny" Eager

Lana Turner

Lisbeth "Liz" Bard

Edward Arnold

John Benson Farrell

Van Heflin

Jeff Hartnett

Robert Sterling

Jimmy Courtney

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Synopsis

After Johnny Eager (Robert Taylor) is released from jail, the unreformed gangster fools his parole officer (Henry O'Neill) into believing his ways are changed. In actuality, Eager wants to return to racketeering by opening a dog-racing track, but the man who put him behind bars (Edward Arnold) is in the way. When that man's stepdaughter (Lana Turner) falls for Eager, the crook uses her as leverage to get what he wants. In this world of deceit, Jeff Hartnett (Van Heflin) is Eager's only friend.

Director: Mervyn LeRoy
Producer: John W. Considine Jr., Mervyn LeRoy
Screenwriter: John Lee Mahin, James Edward Grant
Distributor: Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer
Production Co: Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer
Genre: Crime, Drama
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Jan 17, 1942, Original
Release Date (DVD): May 5, 2009
Runtime: 1h 47m

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