''The Hoodlum Saint'' is a 1946 American drama film starring

William Powell William Horatio Powell (July 29, 1892 – March 5, 1984) was an American actor. A major star at Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, he was paired with Myrna Loy in 14 films, including the '' Thin Man'' series based on the Nick and Nora Charles characters cr ...

and Esther Williams.

Plot

Major Terry O'Neill (William Powell) returns to Baltimore in 1919, after the end of

World War I World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire, with fightin ...

, expecting to get his old newspaper night editor job back. However, the paper has recently changed owners, the job has been filled, and his friend and former editor, Allan Smith (an uncredited Will Wright), has been told to cut costs. Disillusioned, Terry decides to abandon his ideals and make his fortune by whatever means necessary. Leaving the building, he runs into two less-than-savory friends, "Fishface" (

Rags Ragland Rags Ragland (born John Lee Morgan Beauregard Ragland, August 23, 1905 – August 20, 1946) was an American comedian and character actor. Personal life Ragland was born on August 23, 1905, in Louisville, Kentucky, to parents Adam Joseph Ragland ...

) and "Three Finger" (

Frank McHugh Francis Curry McHugh (May 23, 1898 – September 11, 1981) was an American stage, radio, film and television actor. Early years Born in Homestead, Pennsylvania, of Irish descent, McHugh came from a theatrical family. His parents, Edward A ...

). When the pair are arrested for bookmaking, it takes all his money to pay their fines and that of "Snarp" (

James Gleason James Austin Gleason (May 23, 1882 – April 12, 1959) was an American actor, playwright and screenwriter born in New York City. Gleason often portrayed "tough-talking, world-weary guys with a secret heart-of-gold." Life and career Gleason w ...

). He crashes a high society wedding party in the hope of meeting businessman Lewis J. Malbery ( Henry O'Neill). When a guard insists on seeing his invitation, Terry grabs guest Kay Lorrison (Esther Williams) and kisses her, much to her surprise. After the guard goes away, she slaps Terry in the face, but after his honest confession, begins to warm to him. She introduces him to her uncle, publisher Joe Lorrison (

Charles Trowbridge Charles Silas Richard Trowbridge (January 10, 1882 – October 30, 1967) was an American film actor. He appeared in more than 230 films between 1915 and 1958. Biography Trowbridge was born in Veracruz, Mexico, where his father served in the ...

). Terry impresses him with his ideas on how to fight a bitter foe - none other than Malbery - and lands a job. He and Kay, who works on occasion at the paper, develop a relationship. After masterminding a skillful newspaper campaign against Malbery, Terry surprises his boss by quitting his relatively low-paying job to go to work for Malbery in New York. Snarp, Fishface, Three Finger and "Eel" (

Slim Summerville Slim Summerville (born George Joseph Somerville; July 10, 1892 – January 5, 1946), was an American film actor and director best known for his work in comedies. Early life Summerville was born in Albuquerque, New Mexico, where his mother d ...

) tag along and open a pool room. When after three years, Malbery promotes him to executive vice president of the company, he returns to Baltimore to see Kay. He finds her once again at a wedding. To his dismay, however, she informs him that this time she is the bride.

Nightclub singer A nightclub act is a production, usually of nightclub music or comedy, designed for performance at a nightclub, a type of drinking establishment, by a nightclub performer such as a nightclub singer or nightclub dancer, whose performance may ...

"Dusty" Millard (

Angela Lansbury Dame Angela Brigid Lansbury (October 16, 1925 – October 11, 2022) was an Irish-British and American film, stage, and television actress. Her career spanned eight decades, much of it in the United States, and her work received a great deal ...

) gets him on the rebound. After a while, Terry crosses paths with Kay once more. She is a widow, and interested in picking up where they left off. Dusty gives up, realizing she has no chance against her rival. However, Kay learns that Terry has become hard and cynical. When Snarp's bookmaking operation was uncovered, his disreputable pals appealed to Terry; he secretly had Snarp freed, but saw to it that his good fortune was attributed to

Saint Dismas The Penitent Thief, also known as the Good Thief, Wise Thief, Grateful Thief, or Thief on the Cross, is one of two unnamed thieves in Luke's account of the crucifixion of Jesus in the New Testament. The Gospel of Luke describes him asking Jesus ...

. Terry loses everything in the

Wall Street Crash of 1929 The Wall Street Crash of 1929, also known as the Great Crash, was a major American stock market crash that occurred in the autumn of 1929. It started in September and ended late in October, when share prices on the New York Stock Exchange coll ...

. Nearly all his friends and associates, who invested in the stock market on his advice, make him a scapegoat. The only exceptions are Snarp and Dusty. A reformed Snarp tries to get Terry to put his faith in Saint Dismas, without success. Dusty offers Terry an expensive bracelet he once gave her, but he turns her down. Embittered by the rejection, she takes over a charity Snarp set up dedicated to Saint Dismas, intending to steal the donations and place the blame on Terry. When Terry leaves town on business, he falls ill and is cared for by Father Nolan (

Lewis Stone Lewis Shepard Stone (November 15, 1879 – September 12, 1953) was an American film actor. He spent 29 years as a contract player at Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer and was best known for his portrayal of Judge James Hardy in the studio's popular ''Andy H ...

). Snarp comes to see him to tell him what Dusty and their old associates are doing. Then a concerned Kay shows up. Terry drives into town to plead with Dusty to return the money. Dusty and the others are unmoved at first, but when they see how sincere he is, Dusty gives it all back, and more.

Cast

as Terry O'Neill * Esther Williams as Kay Lorrison *

as "Dusty" Millard (singing voice dubbed b
Doreen Tryden
*

as "Snarp" *

as Father Nolan *

as "Fishface" *

as "Three Finger" *

as "Eel" *

Roman Bohnen Roman Aloys Bohnen (November 24, 1901 – February 24, 1949) was an American actor. He is perhaps best known for his roles in the films ''Of Mice and Men'' (1939), '' The Song of Bernadette'' (1943), and ''The Best Years of Our Lives'' (194 ...

as Father O'Doul *

Charles Arnt Charles E. Arnt (August 20, 1906 – August 6, 1990) was an American film actor from 1933 to 1962. Arnt appeared as a character actor in more than 200 films. Arnt was born in Michigan City, Indiana, the son of a banker. He graduated from ...

as O'Neill's Secretary *

Louis Jean Heydt Louis Jean Heydt (April 17, 1903 – January 29, 1960) was an American character actor in film, television and theatre, most frequently seen in hapless, ineffectual, or fall guy roles. Early life Heydt was born in 1903 (not 1905, as many sou ...

as Mike Flaherty *

as Uncle Joe Lorrison * Henry O'Neill as Lewis J. Malbery * William "Bill" Phillips as Dave Fernby * Matt Moore as Father Duffy *

Trevor Bardette Trevor Bardette (born Terva Gaston Hubbard; November 19, 1902 – November 28, 1977) was an American film and television actor. Among many other roles in his long and prolific career, Bardette appeared in several episodes of '' Adventures of S ...

as Rabbi Meyerberg * Addison Richards as Rev. Miller * Tom Dugan as Buggsy *

Emma Dunn Emma Dunn (26 February 1875 – 14 December 1966) was an English actress. After starting her acting career on stage in London, she became known for her works in numerous films and Broadway productions. Career Emma Dunn appeared onstage in ...

as Maggie * Mary Gordon as Trina *

Charles D. Brown Charles D. Brown (July 1, 1887 – November 25, 1948) was an American stage and film actor. Born in Council Bluffs, Iowa, Brown wrote and directed a single short film in 1914. As an actor, he appeared in more than 100 films, stretching fro ...

as Ed Collner

Production

The film was announced in 1943. It was based on the life of Dempster MacMurphy a Chicago newspaper executive who engaged in philanthropy under the name of St Dismas.

Casey Robinson Kenneth Casey Robinson (October 17, 1903 – December 6, 1979) was an American producer and director of mostly B movies and a screenwriter responsible for some of Bette Davis' most revered films. Film critic Richard Corliss once described him ...

was signed to write the script. Rev Edward Dowling was hired as a consultant. Eventually Frank Wead was assigned to the script.

Reception

The film received mixed to negative reviews. According to MGM records the film made $1,156,000 in the US and Canada and $413,000 elsewhere, resulting in a loss of $918,000.

References

External links

* * * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Hoodlum Saint 1946 films American romantic drama films American black-and-white films Films directed by Norman Taurog Films set in 1919 Films set in the 1920s Films set in Baltimore Films set in New York City Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer films Films produced by Cliff Reid Films scored by Nathaniel Shilkret 1946 romantic drama films 1940s English-language films 1940s American films