A calculating racketeer manipulates the vulnerable daughter of a district attorney to secure his criminal enterprise.
Johnny Eager (Robert Taylor), a cunning gangster looking to expand his control over local gambling, begins a relationship with a susceptible society girl, Lisbeth ‘Liz’ Bard (Lana Turner). Unbeknownst to her, she is merely a tool for his criminal ambitions, as her father is the local D.A. As Johnny uses Liz to advance his schemes, his actions are observed by his loyal but troubled friend, Jeff Hartnett (Van Heflin). The romance becomes a dangerous liability, drawing Johnny deeper into a world of betrayal and violence from which there is little chance of escape.
MGM’s entry into the crime melodrama genre was given a high-budget treatment, pairing its established star Robert Taylor with 21-year-old Lana Turner. The studio’s publicity trumpeted the film as a “flaming drama” centered on a “high-born beauty” and an “icy-hearted big shot,” a description that accurately captures the film’s polished but cynical tone. While the central romance was the primary draw, it was Van Heflin’s performance as Johnny’s alcoholic, conscience-stricken friend that earned the most significant praise, securing him an Academy Award. Director Mervyn LeRoy balances the slick gangster mechanics with the high-gloss melodrama typical of the studio’s output.
Production Co: MGM / 107 mins / 1941
Director: Mervyn LeRoy
Screenplay: John Lee Mahin, James Edward Grant
Main Cast: Robert Taylor (Johnny Eager), Lana Turner (Lisbeth ‘Liz’ Bard), Van Heflin (Jeff Hartnett), Edward Arnold (John Benson Farrell), Robert Sterling (Jimmy Courtney), Glenda Farrell (Mae Blythe Agridowski), Patricia Dane (Garnet)
