Underrated Film Noir from Preminger

I found this by accident the other day.  I had recommended a friend watch Laura and I couldn't remember for the moment how it began so I cued up part 1 on youtube just to check.  On the side were other selections, one of which was this movie Fallen Angel, from 1945, which I had never heard of.   The cast surprised me.  I know Alilce Faye as mostly a musical comedy star.  I was surprised to see her in what appeared to be a film noir.  And to tell the truth, I didn't consider her performance the strongest, although it is just strange enough to work with the plot in the sense that you can't quite tell what her part in the crime really is.
The rest of the cast immediately screamed classic film noir.  Dana Andrews and Linda Darnell.  The rest of the cast is equally fine.  Anne Revere, (the mom from National Velvet and Gentlemen's Agreement) giving another great performance.  Charles Bickford as the hard-as-nails (and scary) cop, Bruce Cabot and even a surprisingly good Pa Kettle in an atypical but fine performance.  I know good writing is imperative but I also firmly believe that excellent performances can really make a picture.  This film is a case in point.  Some of the plot turns don't necessarily make as much sense as they should (especially to today's audiences) but the performances make them work by bringing it all to life so realistically.
When the titles showed that it was a Preminger film, I became excited because I realized that I was in the hands of a master and I'm happy to say I was not disappointed.  I really enjoyed this film, partially just from the joy of discovering something you haven't seen and having it not suck.   Dana Andrews, the detective from Laura, plays the lead in his simple, understated but strong way.  Linda Darnell is sexier than Lana Turner in The Postman Always Rings Twice.  I was actually surprised to see this portrayal in a post-code film.  There are very strong implications to her having relations with several men that she's not married to, unusual for the time.  Another cast member from Laura is the actress who played Laura's faithful maid and who here plays Linda Darnell's downstairs neighbor.  Look for her in a scene towards the end of the film. 
I would definitely reccomend this to any Noir lover.   True, it is full of cliche's and improbabilities, but somehow this cast makes it all work.  The scene where Charles Bickford questions Bruce Cabot in Linda Darnell's kitchen is unforgettable and chilling, no matter how hackneyed.  Clearly Preminger was trying to recreate his success with Laura,  he even goes so far as to have a particular song constantly being played on the jukebox and of course, Linda Darnell strongly resembles Gene Tierney.  I wonder if he originally wanted Tierney for the role?  Does anyone know this?  By the way, the singer of that song that keeps getting played is Bing Crosby.
For some interesting additional insights, check out http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fallen_Angel_(1945_film)