Missing Girls (1936)

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Director:

Phil Rosen

Writers:

John W. Krafft (screenplay)
Martin Mooney (story)

Release Date:

10 September 1936 (USA)

Genre:

Crime | Drama

Tagline:

Embittered, brow-beaten, discontent! They left home to seek fame and fortune and found shame and disgrace! A daring drama that reveals for the first time the inside story of the woman-racket!

Plot:

A group of gangsters shoot Senator Benson (Wallis Clark) and take his daughter, Dorothy Benton (Muriel...

Plot Keywords:

Reporter | Tramp | Hideout | Senator | Fugitive

Cast

Roger Pryor	...	Reporter Jimmie Dugan
Muriel Evans	...	Dorothy Benson
Sidney Blackmer	...	Dan Collins
Noel Madison	...	Ben Davis
Ann Doran	...	Ann Jason
George Cooper	...	Zig
Dewey Robinson	...	Harry Wilson
Wallis Clark	...	Senator Benson
Vera Lewis	...	Ma Barton
Warner Richmond	...	Ray Hanson
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Joe Barton	...	Pawnbroker
Harry Bowen	...	Willie
Lynton Brent	...	Larry
Don Brodie	...	Chuck Martin
Frank Bruno	...	Frank Jackson
Ben Carter	...	Pokey
Ethel Clark	...	Mrs. Bliss
Kit Guard	...	Gangster
Frank LaRue	...	Mr. Jason
Thelma Long	...	The Maid
Charles McAvoy	...	Dominick
Beulah McDonald	...	Office Girl
Lafe McKee	...	Waise
Jack Shutta	...	The Turk
Al Thompson	...	Joey

Also Known As:

When Girls Leave Home

Runtime:

66 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

USA:Approved

Company:

Chesterfield Motion Pictures Corporation (I)

A Mixed Bag That Achieves Only Partial Success

*** This comment may contain spoilers ***

Despite the promise of its advertising catch-line ("These girls left home to find fame and fortune, but instead found shame and disgrace!"), the title of this film is actually a catch-all pun. After a brief nod in the direction of the missing girls the title implies, the screenplay then weaves a lengthy tale around illegal gambling and the role of an honest, investigative reporter (Roger Pryor), before focusing on two young ladies who are accidentally kidnapped by gangsters. When they reach their "safe house", the gang puts the girls to work washing dishes and ironing clothes.

This sudden spurt of action comes to a well-staged climax. But the main burden of the story aims a two-pronged attack on gambling syndicates and on the injustice of grand juries who compel reporters to disclose the sources of their information.

Although Rosen's indifferent direction muffles the attack, it's obvious former New York newspaperman, Martin Mooney, is trying to get a few things off his chest in this movie, for which a far more accurate title would be "Grand Jury Injustice!" Suitable catch-cries might then revolve around "Fearless Reporter Jailed for Telling the Truth! Grand Juries Run Amok! To Spite Congress and F.B.I., Callous Grand Jury and Obdurate Judge Send Reporter to Jail!"

Aside from Lloyd Ingraham, most of the acting is unimpressive. Ingraham is excellent in his very brief role as the unyielding judge who "upholds" the law. Even more incisive is Mooney's depiction of the Grand Jury who have a great time laughing and joking with the hapless reporter (poorly played by Pryor, who evokes little audience sympathy for his plight) before sending him to jail.