It's surprising to find Howard Hawks tackling this type of film, yet he guides this solid, straightforward crime story with a consistent hand, successfully communicating a sense of dread and brutality without resorting to excessive onscreen bloodshed. While Paul Muni was billed as the lead, George Raft really captivated me—he’s brimming with charm. Boris Karloff seems somewhat out of place in his role, but Dvorak and…