Editing Johnny Eager (section)

==Reception==
According to MGM records, the film earned $1,596,000 in the U.S. and Canada and $990,000 in other markets, resulting in a profit of $1,110,000.<ref name="Mannix"/><ref>[https://archive.org/stream/variety149-1943-01#page/n57/mode/1up "101 Pix Gross in Millions" ''Variety'' 6 Jan 1943 p 58]</ref>

''The New York Times'' film critic called the film "a tight tale of underworld terror that drives hard—even in the clinches", and although 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 quotations."<ref>[https://movies.nytimes.com/movie/review?res=9906E5DD1439E33BBC4851DFB4668389659EDE ''The New York Times''], film review, February 20, 1942; accessed July 11. 2013.</ref>

Emanuel Levy was less enthused, complaining that the plot "fails to make any sense."<ref name=Levy>{{cite web |url= https://emanuellevy.com/oscar/oscar-movies-johnny-eager-1942-starring-robert-taylor/|title=Oscar Movies: Johnny Eager (1942): Starring Robert Taylor and Van Heflin
|author=Emanuel Levy |access-date=October 20, 2024}}</ref> However, he complimented Van Heflin for "stealing every scene he is in".<ref name=Levy/>

''Variety'' reported "''Johnny Eager'' is an underworld meller with a few new twists to the usual trappings, but by and large it's the familiar tale...of slick gangster vs innocent rich girl."<ref name=Variety>{{cite news|url= https://variety.com/1940/film/reviews/johnny-eager-1200413559|title=Johnny Eager|publisher=[[Variety (magazine)|Variety]]|date=December 31, 1940|access-date=October 20, 2024}}</ref> However, the reviewer praised all three leads, singling Van Heflin out as "outstanding".<ref name=Variety/>