One Dangerous Night (1943)

User Rating:

6.2/10   

Director:

Michael Gordon

Writers:

Donald Davis (screenplay)
Max Nosseck (story)

Release Date:

22 January 1943 (USA)

Genre:

Adventure | Crime | Drama

Tagline:

THE LONE WOLF GOES ON A WOMAN-HUNT...but is trapped in the toils of feminine arms! (window card)

Plot:

A "Lone Wolf" advenure. The Lone Wolf tries to clear himself of a charge of murdering a blackmailer.

Plot Keywords:

Sequel | Beautiful Woman | Based On Novel | Number In Title

Cast

Warren William	...	Michael Lanyard / The Lone Wolf
Marguerite Chapman	...	Eve Andrews
Eric Blore	...	Jamison
Mona Barrie	...	Jane Merrick
Tala Birell	...	Sonia Budenny
Margaret Hayes	...	Patricia Blake (Shaw)
Ann Savage	...	Vivian
Thurston Hall	...	Inspector Crane
Warren Ashe	...	Sidney Shaw

Runtime:

80 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

USA:Approved

Company:

Columbia Pictures Corporation

Movie Connections:

Follows The Lone Wolf Strikes (1940)

Reformation was not Jamison's long suit.

*** This comment may contain spoilers ***

Another of the Lone Wolf films in the Columbia series featuring Warren William as the reformed thief who goes around and about helping Columbia's inept police department solve crimes while the police are trying to pin the crime on him. This is the same police department that always has Fred Kelsey as their lead detective, whose suspects on any crime on Columbia's lot is limited to either Laynard or Boston Blackie. Kelsey's detective characters never wasted much time in believing that a leopard could change its spots. But, while Michael Lanyard (aka The Lone Wolf) has indeed reformed, his man Friday/Butler/Gofer Jamison (Eric Blore, also a reformed thief who likes to keep in practice in the event a chance to un-reform pops up, and they always do,)can be depended upon to to steal something in the first reel in order to get Lanyard involved.

In this one, Lanyard and Jamison pick up Eve Andrews (Marguerite Chapman) when her card is wrecked, and drive her to an address she gives them. After leaving her, Lanyard learns that Jamison has stolen her purse. Returing to the apartment where they deposited Eve, they discover the body of wealthy playboy Harry Cooper (Gerald Mohr, who would later replace Warren William as Columbia's Lone Wolf) and, while they are examining the body, Police Inspector Crane (Thurston Hall) and Detective Dickens (Fred Kelsey), and immediately accuse Lanyard and Jamison or the murder, especially when they learn some jewels are missing. Based on the fact that missing jewels were often reported missing from locations that Lanyard had just vacated, this is not an all-together invalid assumption on the part of the police, plus it allows Lanyard to get involved in the case while running from the police.

Lanyard and Jamison escape, of course, and while tracing Eve, Laynard learns that Cooper was blackmailing her and Sonia Budenny (Tala Birell), wife of the famous physician Eric Budenny (Gregory Gay), and Jane Merrick (Mona Barrie), a famous actress. Lanyard is spotted by Sidney Shaw (Warren Ashe)a local gossip columnist (who may or may not have been famous)who tells Lanyard he won't turn him over to the police if Lanyard will allow him to "tag along" on the investigation. Hmnn

Lanyard learns that Cooper had planned to meet a woman at the airport. He hurries to the airport, where Lloyd Bridges is tending a gate, spots the girl, Patricia Blake (Margaret Hayes), follows her to her hotel and, while he is questioning her, she is mysteriously shot and wounded. Leaving her in a doctor's care, Lanyard goes to the theatre to question Jane Merrick and all the other principals in the case also show up, as does Inspector Crane and Detective Dickens who have been tipped off by Shaw as to the current whereabouts of Lanyard. Another hmnn.

Jamison rescues Lanyard and they both go back to question Patricia some more at her hotel...and the murderer shows up.