Invisible Stripes (1940)

54% of users liked it
(124 ratings)

Invisible Stripes is a cookie-cutter Warners prison drama which rounds up the usual suspects. George Raft and Humphrey Bogart are top-billed, and as is often the case in such a circumstance, it is Raft who is given the larger (albeit less interesting) role. Raft plays Cliff Taylor, an ex-convict who… More Invisible Stripes is a cookie-cutter Warners prison drama which rounds up the usual suspects. George Raft and Humphrey Bogart are top-billed, and as is often the case in such a circumstance, it is Raft who is given the larger (albeit less interesting) role. Raft plays Cliff Taylor, an ex-convict who finds that his "invisible stripes" prevent him from getting a decent job. Cliff's younger brother (William Holden) shows unfortunate signs of following his older sibling's footsteps when he is pressured into crime to support himself and his girl friend (Jane Bryan). To save his brother, Cliff joins Humphrey Bogart's gang and earns enough dishonest money to set his brother up in business. But movie censorship prevails, and all of the miscreants in Invisible Stripes--even those motivated by good intentions--must pay the penalty. Side note: The prankish Humphrey Bogart spent so much time needling newcomer William Holden that Holden nearly came to blows with the older actor; the animosity persisted into the Bogart-Holden costarring feature Sabrina, made fourteen years later. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

Rating, Runtime: Unrated, 1 hr. 22 min.
Directed By: Lloyd Bacon
Genres: Drama, Action & Adventure, Classics

In Theaters: Dec 30, 1939 Wide
On DVD: Oct 21, 2008

Critic Reviews

Dennis Schwartz, Ozus' World Movie Reviews
Morose, humorless and predictable prison story.

Critic ratings and reviews powered by RottenTomatoes.com

Fresh (60% or more critics rated the movie positively)

Rotten (59% or fewer critics rated the movie positively)

Featured Audience Ratings

jay n

Raft gives a slightly more animated performance than usual, which means his face actually moves once or twice but his eyes are still empty and dead. But he is supported by a much better cast than he, an unbelievably young William Holden who does fine by his part but is still rather… More
Raft gives a slightly more animated performance than usual, which means his face actually moves once or twice but his eyes are still empty and dead. But he is supported by a much better cast than he, an unbelievably young William Holden who does fine by his part but is still rather green. Flora Robson and Jane Bryan have thankless parts as the long suffering mother and girlfriend but do okay with them. The real standout is Bogart followed closely by Lee Patrick as his moll they breath life into the picture whenever they are on screen. Bacon's direction is nothing special but he keeps things moving along at a good clip.
Michael G

Invisible Stripes is pretty forgettable. The story starts off misleading you into thinking its going to go off into about 5 other more interesting directions. Then things uncharacteristically come out of left field and leave you just waiting for the end. George Raft is pretty boring… More
Invisible Stripes is pretty forgettable. The story starts off misleading you into thinking its going to go off into about 5 other more interesting directions. Then things uncharacteristically come out of left field and leave you just waiting for the end. George Raft is pretty boring and the most interesting thing he's got going in Invisible Stripes is the disturbing relationship with his mother (which incidentally isn't worth watching the movie for) but its nice to see Bogart not play a total bad guy. Its odd to see William Holden this young even if his character doesn't really leave you caring what happens to him. Generally weak with a few moments of charm.
cody f

Good but not great. Typical Warner Brothers Gangster film about 2 guys being released from Sing Sing,one goes straight(Raft) and one goes back to crime(Bogart). One thing that makes this film enjoyable is the young William Holden as Raft's younger brother.Raft has seen the errors… More
Good but not great. Typical Warner Brothers Gangster film about 2 guys being released from Sing Sing,one goes straight(Raft) and one goes back to crime(Bogart). One thing that makes this film enjoyable is the young William Holden as Raft's younger brother.Raft has seen the errors of his ways and is forced to go back to crime in a effort to keep his brother out. Another nice surprise is that Bogie isn't your typical bad guy. He is honorable, likable and he never does anything too despicable. This movie is worth seeing for the three heavies, they are great and it's 15 years before Bogie and Holden teamed up for Sabrina.Sadly this film is hampered by the Hayes Code crime does not pay rule.

Cast

            George Raft as Cliff Taylor

            Jane Bryan as Peggy

            William Holden as Tim Taylor

            Humphrey Bogart as Chuck Martin

            Flora Robson as Mrs. Taylor

            Paul Kelly as Ed Kruger

            Lee Patrick as Molly Daniels

            Henry O'Neill as Parole Officer Masters

            Frankie Thomas as Tommy McNeil

            Moroni Olsen as Warden

            Margot Stevenson as Sue

            Marc Lawrence I as Lefty Sloane

            Leo Gorcey as Jimmy

            William Haade as Shrank

            Tully Marshall as Old Peter

            Maude Allen as Woman

            Irving Bacon as Personnel Director

            Bruce Bennett as Rich Man

            Wade Boteler
            
            Frank Bruno as Smitty a Prisoner

            Eddy Chandler as Police Driver

            Lane Chandler as Detective

            Cliff Clark as Policeman

            Chester Clute as Mr. Butler

            George Pat Collins as Alec a Prisoner

            Ray Cooke as Pinky

            Joseph Crehan as Mr. Chasen the Garage Manager

            William B. Davidson as Chief Foreman

            Joe Devlin
            
            Joseph J. Dowling as Johnny

            Ralph Dunn as Doorman

            Frank Faylen as Steve the Henchman

            Pat Flaherty as Worker

            Mack Gray
            
            John Hamilton as Capt. Johnson

            Lew Harvey as Man

            Al Hill as Henchman

            Max Hoffman Jr. as Chauffeur

            William Hopper as Young Man

            J. Anthony Hughes
            
            Selmar Jackson as Lieutenant

            Walter James
            
            Victor Kilian as Foreman

            Ethan Laidlaw as Cop Outside Station House

            Frank Mayo as Guard at Gate

            Jack Mower as Guard in Charge

            Pat O'Malley as Lieutenant

            Emory Parnell as Policeman

            John Ridgely as Employment Clerk

            Harry Strang as Bartender at Party

            George Taylor as Paully a Prisoner

            Charles C. Wilson
            
            Harry Wilson as Worker

            Dorothea Wolbert as Flower Woman

            Bert Hanlon as Shorty

            John Irwin as Prisoner

            Richard Clayton as Boy

            Sam Finn as Spotter

            Michael Lally
            
            Claude Wisberg as Older Boy

            Robert Elliott
            
See full cast