The Hunted

“She’s an ex-con. What makes you think there’s anything good left in her?” Bookended by scenes of trespassing during a thunderstorm, Jack Bernhard’s The Hunted depicts the romantic conflict between Los Angeles police lieutenant Johnny Saxon (Preston Foster) and the former lover he arrested and sent to prison for jewel theft four years earlier, Laura Mead, played by Belita, a figure skater whom Republic Pictures was attempting to turn into a movie star. (Of course, the producers inserted an obligatory skating routine, but don’t expect 21st century Olympics-level difficulty). Just released from the pen, Laura continues to claim innocence and desires revenge against those who locked her up, which includes not only Saxon, who still loves her, but Simon Rand (Pierre Watkin), the defense attorney who lost her case and who will later end up dead. Despite sleepy direction by Bernhard (and arguably sleepy performances), the film entertains largely by adhering to a tried-and-true noir mold, which includes Laura’s going on the run and setting up a new life working in a country diner. Kay’s score stands out not just for its dramatic and romantic flourishes but for its woodwinds-driven mood-setting later in the film. And don’t miss Charles McGraw as a snarling detective.