Under-Cover Man

I entertained no great hopes for Raft's "Under-Cover Man" (1932), as it was directed by James Flood, co-helmer of the absolutely dreadful Mr Antonio (1929) and excruciatingly dull Wings in the Dark (1934). But, surprise, surprise! This one has some great action, snappy dialogue and good acting. True, there are at least three scenes that don't quite come off, despite the energetic efforts of the players, due to Flood's lax pacing and timing. Raft is in good form, although the director often allows David Landau, Roscoe Karns, Lew Cody and Gregory Ratoff to steal his scenes. And you can see why Nancy Carroll's career faded. She refused to wear Travis Banton's slinky costumes and insisted on adding a lot of fluffy clutter to the more homey designs of his assistant, Edith Head. As a result, it's Noel Francis, rather than Carroll who attracts all the attention here.