"Hunted Men" is not a bad film. But, it certainly was formulaic and schmaltzy. This is all the more obvious when you compare it to the similar classic film, "The Desperate Hours"...a film with pretty much the same plot but unlike "Hunted Men" it doesn't pull its punches.
When the story begins, mobster Joe Albany (Lloyd Nolan) confronts his business partner. It seems the guy's been embezzling...and soon this confrontation turns violent. Albany plugs the guy and almost immediately the police come looking for him. In desperation, Joe hides out with an unsuspecting family...and instead of leaving the next morning, things are still hot and Joe's right hand man tells him to stay put. So, Joe has no choice but to tell these nice folks who he is and that he's NOT leaving. And, if they tell the cops, Joe's men will make them pay!
Now this set-up is nearly exactly what's in "The Desperate Hours". But what happens next is a disappointment. While Joe is supposed to be a hardened criminal, the film tries to humanize him and make a sort of final redemption...something that just seemed false and a wimpy way out of a tough situation. In particular, the bits involving the 'cute kid' and Joe...well, they're just too saccharine to be believable. Still the basic plot IS very good....and you can see how they'd later recycle it and gave it a noir edge.
