Meet Boston Blackie (1941)

User Rating:

6.7/10   

Director:

Robert Florey

Writers:

Jack Boyle (character)
Jay Dratler (story)

Release Date:

20 February 1941 (USA)

Genre:

Crime | Drama

Tagline:

1941'S HEADLINE MENACE! (original print media ad - all caps)

Plot:

When a murder occurs on an ocean liner docked in New York, the trail leads to Coney Island and a spy ring. |

Plot Keywords:

New York | Coney Island | Spy | Murder | Wheelchair

Cast

Chester Morris	...	Boston Blackie
Rochelle Hudson	...	Cecelia Bradley
Richard Lane	...	Inspector Faraday
Charles Wagenheim	...	The Runt
Constance Worth	...	Marilyn Howard
Jack O'Malley	...	Monk
George Magrill	...	Georgie
Michael Rand	...	Mechanical Man
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Harry Anderson	...	Dart Game Barker (uncredited)
Sam Bernard	...	Telescope Man (uncredited)
James Blaine	...	Police Captain (uncredited)
Harry Bowen	...	Hot Dog Vendor (uncredited) (unconfirmed)
Stanley Brown	...	Max - Police Lab Technician (uncredited)
Eddie Fetherston	...	Second Freak Show Barker (uncredited)
Budd Fine	...	Police Officer (uncredited)
Richard Fiske	...	Police Officer (uncredited)
Byron Foulger	...	Blind Man (uncredited)
Jack Gardner	...	Tunnel of Horror Barker (uncredited) (unconfirmed)
John Harmon	...	Weight Guesser (uncredited)
Ethan Laidlaw	...	Brakeman (uncredited)
William Lally	...	Police Officer McCarthy (uncredited)
Eddie Laughton	...	First Freak Show Barker (uncredited)
Philo McCullough	...	Tunnel of Horror Attendant (uncredited)
George McKay	...	Baseball Barker (uncredited)
Edward Mundy	...	Fire Eater (uncredited)
Nestor Paiva	...	Martin Vestrick (uncredited)
Ralph Peters	...	Second Cabby (uncredited)
Walter Sande	...	Officer at Amusement Park (uncredited)
Schlitze	...	Princess Betsy - Bird Woman (uncredited)
Lee Shumway	...	Immigration Officer (uncredited)
Bruce Sidney	...	Customs Officer (uncredited)
Charles Sullivan	...	First Cabby (uncredited)
John Tyrrell	...	Freak Show Doorman (uncredited)
Ed Wolff	...	Giant (uncredited)

Directed by
Robert Florey

Writing credits
Jack Boyle		(character)
Jay Dratler		(story and screenplay)

Produced by
Irving Briskin	....	executive producer (uncredited)
Ralph Cohn	....	producer (uncredited)

Original Music by
Sidney Cutner		(uncredited)

Cinematography by
Franz Planer		(as Franz F. Planer)

Film Editing by
James Sweeney

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Milton Carter	....	assistant director (uncredited)

Sound Department
George Cooper	....	sound engineer (uncredited)

Music Department
Sidney Cutner	....	composer: background cues
Raphael Penso	....	composer: background cues
Gerard Carbonara	....	composer: stock music (uncredited)
Howard Jackson	....	composer: stock music (uncredited)
Louis Silvers	....	composer: stock music (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Columbia Pictures Corporation

Distributors

• Columbia Pictures
• Sony Pictures Television (????) (USA) (TV)

Runtime:

60 min (copyright length) (TCM print)

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Mirrophonic Recording)

Certification:

USA:Approved (PCA #7045) | USA:TV-G (TV rating)

Filming Locations:

Coney Island, Brooklyn, New York City, New York, USA

Company:

Columbia Pictures Corporation

Trivia:

This film marked the screen debut of "Boston Blackie," and was sufficiently popular to spawn 13 more hour-long "Blackie" pictures.

Goofs:

Continuity: Blackie uses a round-back chair to lock Cecelia in her wall bed. When the police arrive and free her, they remove a different square-back arm chair.

Quotes:

Cecelia Bradley: Why do those men want to kill you?
Horatio 'Boston Blackie' Black: I don't think they like me.

Movie Connections:

Follows Boston Blackie's Little Pal (1918)

Soundtrack:

Santa Lucia

Fun beginning to the series

Chester Morris is Boston Blackie, and his first appearance was aptly titled "Meet Boston Blackie" in 1941. There were 14 films in all produced by Columbia. In this first film, Blackie finds a corpse, Martin Vestrick, in his stateroom when the steamer he traveled back to the states on docks. Blackie and Runt (Charles Wagenheim) remember seeing the victim with a woman (Constance Worth) on the ship. They follow her to Coney Island where, at a exhibit of freaks, spies are meeting. Blackie attempts to talk with the woman on the Tunnel of Horrors ride, but she's murdered - and the killers almost get Blackie. He hijacks a car being driven by Cecilia Bradley (Rochelle Hudson) to get away. Meanwhile, Inspector Faraday now wants Blackie in connection with two murders, and Blackie is after spies.

These are fast-moving films with some very witty dialogue. Morris is an expert at smooth comic delivery and cool under pressure, as well as Blackie's magic tricks, such as getting out of handcuffs. Hudson is very exotic looking and gives good support. Heartily recommended to put a smile on your face.