Johnny O'Clock Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		3.5
Video		4.5
Audio		5.0
Extras		3.0
Overall		3.5

Johnny O'Clock Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Dr. Svet Atanasov May 18, 2021

Robert Rossen's "Johnny O'Clock" (1947) arrives on Blu-ray courtesy of Indicator/Powerhouse Films. The supplemental features on the disc include excursive new audio commentary by filmmaker and film historian Jim Hemphill; vintage promotional materials for the film; short films; and more. In English, with optional English SDH subtitles for the main feature. Region-B "locked".

Are there any other flights tonight?

Show me who your friends are, I will tell you who you are. You are familiar with the expression, correct? It has been tested many times over the years and we know for a fact that it is entirely legit. But what happens if we replace friends with business partners? Stop. Don’t answer before you see Robert Rossen’s Johnny O’Clock because this film offers some very interesting food for thought. I agree with pretty much all of its revelations, but not the message that emerges at the end of it. I will tell you why at the bottom of this article because I don’t want to spoil the film for you.

At first, O’Clock (Dick Powell) looks like the perfect right-hand man for any serious businessman -- a sharp workaholic who leaves absolutely nothing to chance. He does not have any vices either, which means that he can’t be compromised or exploited, plus he is single, so there is no one at home that can influence his decisions. Naturally, O’Clock always thinks clearly and acts appropriately.

But O’Clock isn’t a right-hand man, or at least not a classic one. He is a junior partner with unique responsibilities in a large casino with an established clientele. There O’Clock takes orders from former gangster-turned-businessman Guido Marchettis (Thomas Gomez), who is in a complex partnership with the crooked cop Chuck Blayden (Jim Bannon), who plans to become a full partner and get his ‘fair share’ of the profits. This is a tricky situation that O’Clock cannot manage properly, and it becomes even trickier when Blayden’s latest girlfriend, a bubbly coat-check girl from the casino, dies in her apartment. When her body is discovered, the seasoned inspector Koch (Lee J. Cobb) begins digging for information, and the more he does, the more O’Clock begins appearing on his radar, looking very much like a man who could have done Blayden a big favor. But while inspector Koch tries to figure out what the favor might have been for Blayden’s body is pulled out of the local river, and then the coat-check girl’s sister, Nancy (Evelyn Keyes), arrives in town and confirms his suspicion that he is facing a double murder case. With O’Clock and Marchettis emerging as the only obvious suspects, however, inspector Koch realizes that there is a power struggle in the casino that might be a lot more complex than he had anticipated.

Director Rossen directed Johnny O’Clock after he adapted an original story by Milton Holmes, which I am completely unfamiliar with but would love to read because it appears that it is infused with the same type of cynicism that Dashiell Hammett’s work is famous for. However, our man O’Clock has very little in common with Hammett’s classic characters, which is essentially the reason why Rossen’s film is so interesting to deconstruct.

O’Clock is a very pragmatic professional that takes his appearance as seriously as James Bond will a couple of decades later, but he is perfectly fine doing business with some real shady guys. Though he has an assistant, O’Clock is a cold-hearted loner too, and he very much likes being alone because the empty space around him keeps him focused on the things that supposedly matter the most – money and connections. But his ‘perfect environment’ begins to fall apart after he connects with the coat-check girl’s sister, Nancy, and she shows willing to be in a romantic relationship with him. What should O’Clock do? Let her in his life and allow her to make him vulnerable, or remain a pragmatic professional that sees women as hazardous distractions?

Given the age of the film, the right answer may seem painfully obvious, but our man O’Clock goes through a surprisingly long and serious emotional struggle that nearly costs him his life. In fact, right until the very end it looks like he will go with his gut, which time after time gives him plenty of excellent reasons to remain the pragmatic professional that has been running the casino on behalf of Marchettis.

Spoiler.

O’Clock’s transformation at the end is unconvincing. Considering that the entire film emphasizes how his cynicism is his protective shield, it does not feel right that he would discard it to be a new man with a girl like any other girl visiting the casino. In real life, guys like O’Clock do not take such risks. If a time comes when they have to settle down, they would do it on their terms, or they won’t do it at all.

Johnny O'Clock Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Presented in an aspect ratio of 1.33:1, encoded with MPEG-4 AVC and granted a 1080p transfer, Johnny O'Clock arrives on Blu-ray courtesy of Indicator/Powerhouse Films.

I don't know when the current 2K master that was used to source this release was prepared, but on my system Johnny O'Clock looked very nice. Even in areas where it was easy to tell that time has left its mark -- and there are actually not that many -- density of the visuals was quite impressive. Delineation and depth typically range from good to excellent, and some indoor footage where light is carefully controlled can look outstanding. The grayscale is very convincing. A few blacks might appear slightly stronger than they need to be, but the overall balance between the blacks, whites, and different ranges of grays was solid. Image stability is excellent. There are no traces of problematic digital work. A few white specks can be spotted, but there are no distracting large debris, cuts, damage marks, warped or torn frames to report in our review. (Note: This is a Region-B "locked" Blu-ray release. Therefore, you must have a native Region-B or Region-Free player in order to access its content).

Johnny O'Clock Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

There is only one standard audio track on this Blu-ray release: English LPCM 1.0. Optional English SDH subtitles are provided for the main feature.

The lossless audio is very healthy. I was alone when I viewed the film and had the volume on my system turned up quite a lot and did not detect any distracting age-related anomalies. The upper register was stable and clean. Areas with where the music has an important role to play had good dynamic intensity as well.

Johnny O'Clock Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

• Trailer - remastered vintage trailer for Johnny O'Clock. In English, not subtitled. (2 min).

• Image Gallery - a collection of vintage promotional materials for Johnny O'Clock.

• No One Shall Die (1957) - presented here is a United Jewish Appeal short starring Guy Madison and made by the core crew of many Columbia noirs, including cinematographer Burnett Guffey, editor Al Clark, art director Cary Odell, set decorator Frank Tuttle, and composer Morris Stoloff. In English, with optional English SDH subtitles. (30 min).

• Whoops, I'm an Indian - a short film featuring the three stooges directed by Del Lord in 1936. In English, with optional English SDH subtitles. (18 min).

• Commentary - in this new audio commentary, filmmaker and film historian Jim Hemphill discusses in great detail the progression of Robert Rossen's career, the production of Johnny O'Clock (there is some very interested information about the casino set, which at the time was supposedly the most expensive one built in Hollywood after the wartime restrictions were lifted), the specific characterizaitons the film promotes, the Columbia Noir style, how Johnny O'Clock compares to other films noirs from the same period, etc. It is a very nice commentary.

• Book - limited edition exclusive 120-page book with new essays by Peter Stanfield, David Cairns, Michał Oleszczyk, Adam Scovell, Fintan McDonagh, Andrew Nette, Jeff Billington, and Ramsey Campbell, archival articles and interviews, and film credits.

Johnny O'Clock Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

In the real world guys like Johnny O'Clock would never allow to be compromised by a woman, regardless of how special she might be. They are cold-hearted pragmatics that would immediately recognize the risk and then make the necessary adjustments to avoid it. This is why they get to play with the big boys and benefit from their connections. They are all in for the money, and view everything else -- from morality to sex and romance, even family -- as expendable details. Robert Rossen's directorial debut speculates that it isn't so, but the truth is that the Johnny O'Clocks of this world are exactly like the people they do business with, in some ways even greater cynics and backstabbers. It isn't difficult to understand why either. They come from a different place and unlike the big boys cannot afford to make any mistakes. Johnny O'Clock is sourced from a very nice 2K master that was supplied by Sony Pictures. It is included in Indicator/Powerhouse Films' Columbia Noir #3 box set. RECOMMENDED.