The Crooked Way (1949)

Amnesia, Noir and Bad Life Choices - The Crooked Way review by griggs

Some noirs glide; this one stumbles a bit — but it does so with real flair. The Crooked Way follows a war veteran suffering from amnesia who returns to Los Angeles to rebuild his life, only to find everyone remembers him for all the wrong reasons. The plot ties itself in knots, but there’s enough atmosphere to make you forgive it.

John Alton’s cinematography is the real star. For a modest B-noir, it looks extraordinary — all stark contrasts, slicing neon, and clever use of darkness. Every alley and bar feels like it’s keeping a secret. Director Robert Florey works wonders on a shoestring, proving imagination can easily outshine money.

The story might lose its bearings, yet the style never wavers. The Crooked Way lives up to its name — a little crooked, sure, but still heading somewhere interesting.

Forties Noir. - The Crooked Way review by Steve

This stunning looking film noir has a classic genre premise about a war hero who loses his memory in combat and drifts back to Los Angeles to piece together his past. Where he discovers that he was a tough racketeer involved in illegal gambling and implicated in a murder. He has a wife who doesn't want to know him and his former gang intends to rub him out.

Admittedly, this was done better in 1946 as Somewhere in the Night, but it's still a foolproof formula. However... although Robert Florey is a stalwart genre director, he really doesn't make the most of the setup. There's a lot of low-watt tough guy dialogue which never gets close to B-picture poetry and the rambling narrative lacks imagination.

It suffers most because of John Payne's impassive performance as the conflicted veteran; though as the amnesiac won the silver star, we know how this will end. His absence of charisma delivers a void into the heart of the film. But as none of the cast give much impression of why all this matters, maybe the trail leads back to the director.

Still, it's an LA noir and there's a typical portrayal of the lonely fall guy who walks the mean streets of the city at night. Florey is usually good at atmosphere, and has legendary noir cinematographer John Alton to work the lights. This is about as dark as the frame can get. And it's the definitive noir look which is the best part of the film.