Midnight Taxi (1937)

A federal agent goes to work for a taxi company believing it to be a front for a gang of counterfeiters.

Director:

Eugene Forde

Writers:

Borden Chase (based on the story by), John Patrick (screenplay),

Stars:

Brian Donlevy, Frances Drake, Alan Dinehart

Cast

Complete credited cast:
Brian Donlevy	...	Charles 'Chick' Gardner
Frances Drake	...	Gilda Lee
Alan Dinehart	...	Philip Strickland
Sig Ruman	...	John B. Rudd
Gilbert Roland	...	Flash Dillon
Harold Huber	...	Walter 'Lucky' Todd
Paul Stanton	...	Agent J. W. McNeary
Lon Chaney Jr.	...	Detective Erickson
Russell Hicks	...	Barney Flagg
Regis Toomey	...	Hilton
Rest of cast listed alphabetically:
DeWitt Jennings	...	Capt. Wainwright (scenes deleted)

Storyline

G-Man Chick Gardner, posing as a taxi driver, convinces the members of a counterfeiting gang that he is on their side and is taken into the organization by Philip Strickland, the boss, over the objections of gang lieutenant Flash Dillon. Gardner meets Gilda Lee, a member of the gang, and learns of the planned smuggling of a load of counterfeit money at a remote wharf. He arranges with the Federal officers to foil the landing but their presence is detected and the gang escapes, with Gardner being wounded in the mêlée by his own men. Dillon discovers Gardner's true identity and tells Gilda to take him for a ride. Instead, she helps Gardner kill Dillon, in return for which he promises her immunity. She goes with Strickland to the yacht of John Rudd, who is the secret leader of the counterfeiters. Gardner and the federal agents follow her.

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Plot Keywords:

counterfeiter | federal agent | taxi | smuggling | escape | 

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Genres:

Crime | Drama

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Certificate:

Approved

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

5 April 1937 (USA)

Also Known As:

Jagd auf Gangster

Filming Locations:

20th Century Fox Studios - 10201 Pico Blvd., Century City, Los Angeles, California, USA

Company Credits

Production Co:

Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation

Technical Specs

Runtime:

73 min

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Mirrophonic Recording)

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

A nitrate print of this film survives in the UCLA Film and Television Archives, and is not listed for preservation.

User Reviews

Eugene Forde's Best Film

Two interesting Fox 1937 "B" movies, both starring Brian Donlevy as a cab-driver, are available on a VintageFilmBuff DVD. The better of the two is Midnight Taxi, which has the advantage of a superior support cast in Alan Dinehart at his most menacingly stylish; Harold Huber sans ridiculous accent in one of his most convincing performances (yes, he does overact in one scene, but in that little bit he's supposed to be putting on an act); Gilbert Roland, who makes a surprisingly effective heavy; Sig Rumann, chillingly underplaying his unforgettable entrance; and Frances Drake as our charmingly crooked heroine. I was surprised to note the names Lon Chaney Jr, and Regis Toomey in the end credits. I hadn't noticed them at all, so I ran the movie again. They both play treasury men and in their scenes they are completely shaded by James Flavin and Norman Willis who enjoy just about all the dialogue, plus all the close-ups and all the action. Production values are remarkably high for a "B", and director Eugene Forde has taken advantage of this largess to snap up the pace and super-charge the action. Strikingly moody noirish photography from Barney McGill also helps. John Patrick and Lou Breslow take credit for the snappy script which also supplies some wonderfully vivid dialogue for masterful but little-known players like Harry Semels as the sleazy café proprietor who just manages to beat the rap.