take Liz with him. Johnny cannot figure out his "angle", why he would do such a selfless thing. In fact, the only soft spot Johnny seems to have is for his intellectual, alcoholic right-hand man, Jeff Hartnett (Van Heflin), and even he is not sure why. Jeff has an insight, telling his boss that "even Johnny Eager has to have one friend." However, when Johnny learns that Liz intends to turn herself in, he discovers the meaning of love for the first time in his life. He confesses to her that he staged the whole incident, but she does not believe him. To prove his claim, he decides to produce a live Julio, but Julio has defected to Johnny's dissatisfied partner, Bill Halligan (Cy Kendall). Johnny manages to bring Julio (at gunpoint) to Liz, but in the process he shoves Johnny and runs away. Johnny forces Liz and Courtney to flee to safety before the gunfight with Halligan and his men. Eager kills Halligan and Julio, but is spotted by a policeman as he attempts to flee and is shot down. Jeff arrives and embraces Johnny as he finally dies. The policeman, in a twist of fate, turns out to be Mae's husband. Cast Robert Taylor as Johnny Eager Lana Turner as Lisbeth Bard Edward Arnold as John Benson Farrell Van Heflin as Jeff Hartnett Robert Sterling as Jimmy Courtney Patricia Dane as Garnet Glenda Farrell as Mae Blythe Henry O'Neill as A.J. Verne Diana Lewis as Judy Sanford Barry Nelson as Lew Rankin Charles Dingle as A. Frazier Marco Paul Stewart as Julio Cy Kendall as Bill Halligan Don Costello as Billiken Lou Lubin as Benjy Joe Downing as Ryan Connie Gilchrist as Peg Fowler Robin Raymond as Matilda "Matty" Fowler Leona Maricle as Miss Mines Emory Parnell as Policeman Byron Shores as Officer 711 (Mae's husband) Reception Box office According to MGM records the film earned $1,596,000 in the US and Canada and $990,000 elsewhere resulting in a profit of $1,110,000. Critical response The New York Times film critic called the film "a tight tale of underworld terror that drives hard—even in the clinches" and, though not a "serious drama", "as pure melodrama 'Johnny Eager' moves at a turbulent tempo" .... "Mr. Taylor and Miss Turner strike sparks in their distraught love affair. Van Heflin provides a sardonic portrait of Johnny's Boswell, full of long words and fancy