“Angels Over Broadway” (working title “Before I Die”) is a 1940 American film noir drama film starring Douglas Fairbanks Jr., Rita Hayworth, Thomas Mitchell and John Qualen. Ben Hecht, who co-directed (with cinematographer Lee Garmes), co-produced and wrote the screenplay, was nominated for an Oscar for Best Original Screenplay. Fairbanks Jr. co-produced, helping persuade Harry Cohn of Columbia to finance. Cohn gave them Rita Hayworth, in her first leading role in an "A" picture. "Cohn couldn't figure out what the picture was about but neither could we," said Fairbanks Jr.
Ben Hecht turned to his regular collaborator, composer George Antheil to write the original score. There is relatively little of his music contained in the film. Morris Stoloff conducts. Uncredited stock music is attributed to Germaine Ortala Leclerc. The musical suite featured in the video below may contain also some of Leclerc’s music.
Synopsis: "A cuckolded embezzler on the verge of suicide is helped by a tout, an alcoholic playwright, and a pick-up girl to reimburse the money with a gambling sting."
This video contains music with some dialogue & sound effects.
