Fingers at the Window (1942)

User Rating:

6.3/10   

Director:

Charles Lederer

Writers:

Rose Caylor (story)
Rose Caylor (screenplay) ...

Genre:

Action | Adventure | Film-Noir | Mystery | Romance | Thriller

Tagline:

DANGER AT NIGHTFALL! (original poster - all caps)

Plot:

The City of Chicago is gripped by an Axe Murderer. The streets are empty at night as there has been six murders and six people have been caught...

Plot Keywords:

Axe | Murder | Police | Actor | Psychiatry

Cast

Lew Ayres	...	Oliver Duffy
Laraine Day	...	Edwina 'Eddie' Brown
Basil Rathbone	...	Cesar Ferrari, alias Dr. H. Santelle
Walter Kingsford	...	Dr. Cromwall
Miles Mander	...	Dr. Kurt Immelman
Charles D. Brown	...	Police Inspector Gallagher
Cliff Clark	...	Police Lieutenant Allison
James Flavin	...	Police Lieutenant Schaeffer
Russell Gleason	...	Ogilvie - Reporter
William Tannen	...	Devlan - Reporter
Mark Daniels	...	Haguey - Reporter
Bert Roach	...	Krum - Reporter
Russell Hicks	...	Dr. Chandley - Speaker at the Conference
Charles Wagenheim	...	Fred F. Bixley
Robert Homans	...	Officer O'Garrity

Runtime:

80 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Sound System)

Certification:

USA:Approved (PCA #8102) | USA:Passed (National Board of Review)

Company:

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM)

Trivia:

Lew Ayres changed his military status from "conscientious-objector" to "non-combatant" in April 1942 causing great consternation at M-G-M, which already reshot the "Dr Kildare" film he had just completed, removing him from the cast completely. By the time this film was released, the furor had died down and it opened without incident. In fact, one reviewer noted the business was brisk, possibly because of Ayres' honesty and courage in jeapardizing his movie career for the sake of his principles.

Soundtrack:

Over the Rainbow

Very neat little mystery

Laraine Day and Lew Ayers always seemed to have great chemistry between them and this picture carries on that tradition. Ayers is an out of work actor who happens to see Day being followed by a man who is carrying an axe. He manages to save her and capture the would-be killer but it's obvious that there will be further attempts on her life. Ayers tries to solve the mystery of why she is being stalked and manages to get himself in trouble both with the law and with the mastermind of the killings. Basil Rathbone does his usual top job in a role that calls for someone who is both suave and has ice water in his veins. The cast is rounded out with many familiar faces of MGM contract players. All in all, a very good mystery with Ayers and Day providing just the right amount of light interplay.