Mr. Soft Touch

Before the war, "Joe" (Glenn Ford) and his partner ran a successful music venue. After he war, he returns to find that it wasn't his anymore and that his partner was no more at all! Set on revenge, he empties the safe of $100,000 and then takes refuge in a shelter run by "Jenny" (Evelyn Keyes) where he passes off a down-at-heel musician. His time with her makes him realise just how decent she is, at how important her work in the community is, and they gradually start to bond. Then John Ireland's nosey journalist "Byrd" manages to figure out his true identity and the resultant scoop puts his nemesis "Teener" (Roman Bohnen) and his thugs on his trail. Quickly, he realises that it's not just him that is in danger, and as a conflagration follows and the money changes hands a few times, "Joe" must make some tough choices to do the right thing and, hopefully, to stay alive too. There does end up being quite a decent chemistry between Ford and Keyes, but the rest of this is a slow burn and a bit keystone cops - only it's keystone gangsters instead, led by the most un-menacing "Rainey" (Ted de Corsia). Ireland probably steals the acting plaudits here, his character so unlikeable that it ended up being the most admirable. It does offer a message about the value of providing social care and of the kindly souls who move heaven and earth to provide it, but as a crime drama it's just a bit weak and Ford doesn't really impose himself, sorry.