Bogart, as retired mobster turned bigtime gambler, is easy to take.

In spite of its slap-bang construction and its hour-and-three-quarters length, the picture does move with precision and steadily maintained suspense.

Strong acting from a superb cast make it more than watchable, though both propaganda and direction are less than inspired.

Propaganda at its pulpiest, with Humphrey Bogart given a gangster-like role but made the hero rather than the heavy.