Destination Murder (1950)

User Rating:

5.5/10   

Director:

Edward L. Cahn

Writer:

Don Martin (original screenplay)

Release Date:

9 June 1950 (USA)

Genre:

Action | Adventure | Crime | Drama | Film-Noir | Romance

Plot:

Laura Mansfield's father is killed, apparently by a telegraphic messenger. She spots Jackie Wales in a police lineup...

Plot Keywords:

Killer | Nightclub | Gang Leader | Henchman | Gangster

Cast

Joyce Mackenzie	...	Laura Mansfield (as Joyce MacKenzie)
Stanley Clements	...	Jackie Wales
Hurd Hatfield	...	Stretch Norton
Albert Dekker	...	Armitage
Myrna Dell	...	Alice Wentworth
James Flavin	...	Police Lt. Brewster
John Dehner	...	Frank Niles
Richard Emory	...	Police Sgt. Mulcahy
Norma Vance	...	Fran, Inebriated Lady
Suzette Harbin	...	Harriett, Nightclub Maid
Buddy Swan	...	Arthur - Blue Streak Messenger
Bert Wenland	...	Dave, Blue Streak Messenger
Franklyn Farnum	...	Arthur Mansfield, Laura's Father
Steve Gibson	...	Leader of Redcap Singing Group
Steve Gibson's Redcaps	...	Singing Group

Runtime:

72 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (RCA Sound System)

Certification:

USA:Passed (National Board of Review) | USA:Approved (PCA #14387)

Filming Locations:

Los Angeles, California, USA

Company:

Edward L. Cahn Productions

Trivia:

In this 1950 movie, a behind-the-times movie theater is showing Flight Lieutenant (1942) and Corregidor (1943). Posters seen outside the theater include Mr. Smith Goes to Washington (1939) and Germania anno zero (1948) (Germany: Year Zero).

Goofs:

Plot holes: When Alice at Stretch's apartment she hears a player piano, goes in to the next room looking for it and is murdered by Armitage. However when Stretch is turning over the club to Armitage, Armitage suggests bringing the player piano from the club to Stretch's apartment.

Movie Connections:

Features Corregidor (1943)

Soundtrack:

Let's Go To A Party

Armitage Needs an Overhaul

The film carries the RKO banner, but it's not an RKO production. That studio's great production unit knew how to make noirs. This independent production released by RKO apparently knows little. The film is almost a complete misfire from muddled script, to lackluster direction, to absent style, to the waste of Albert Dekker, Hurd Hatfield, and John Dehner. In fact, the ordinarily competent James Flavin almost sounds like he's doing his cop dialogue by the numbers. Please, if you can make sense of the story line, there's a place for you in the MIT physics department, (did writer Martin forget what he had written from one day to the next). And who in the heck held the gun to Dekker's head in such an embarrassing piece of Jekyll and Hyde that it's likely the low point of his career. Add to that the staging of a final scene so clumsily done, it parodies the real thing. Yes, there are some novel ideas trying to survive, (just what is the relationship between Armitage and Stretch). But unfortunately they're buried in a tangle of half-ideas, never to see the light of day. I have the utmost respect for RKO's great noir tradition. But releasing this misbegotten indie could have threatened the whole concept. The only good thing is the really smooth jazz combo who should have gotten the entire 70 minutes instead of just five.