Sometimes compelling, often confusing private eye flick from Republic. What is or isn't noir is debated a lot by classic film fans. You can see some of that in the reviews here. It's a bit like the horror vs thriller debate I guess. I don't see that it matters all that much. There's nothing in this that screams film noir to me but I could say the same for a lot of crime pictures that are widely accepted as staples of the genre. This is a so-so B movie from a "lesser" studio that could surprise you from time to time with real gems. This is not one of those times. If you're like me and you sometimes feel like you've seen everything from the 40s, give it a shot. It won't likely become a favorite but maybe you'll enjoy it for what it is.