Crime Ring (1938)

Director:

Leslie Goodwins

Writers:

J. Robert Bren (screen play), Gladys Atwater (screen play),

Stars:

Allan Lane, Frances Mercer, Clara Blandick

Cast

Complete credited cast:
Allan Lane	...	Joe Ryan
Frances Mercer	...	Judy Allen
Clara Blandick	...	Phoebe Sawyer
Inez Courtney	...	Kitty
Bradley Page	...	Lionel Whitmore
Ben Welden	...	Nate
Walter Miller	...	Jenner
Frank M. Thomas	...	Thomas Redwine
Vinton Hayworth	...	Buzzell (as Jack Arnold)
Morgan Conway	...	Ray Taylor
George Irving	...	Clifton
Leona Roberts	...	Mrs. Wharton
Charles Trowbridge	...	Marvin

Storyline

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Plot Keywords:

detective | stock broker | district attorney | murder | actress | 

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Genres:

Drama | Crime

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Certificate:

Approved

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

8 July 1938 (USA)

Also Known As:

Círculo de Crime

Company Credits

Production Co:

RKO Radio Pictures

Technical Specs

Runtime:

70 min

Sound Mix:

Mono (RCA Victor System)

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Several cast members listed in contemporary news items did not appear or were not identifiable in the movie. These were Paul Guilfoyle, Jack Carson and Phyllis Kennedy.

User Reviews

Fortune-Tellers and the Underworld...

This is a predictable, yet very enjoyable, crime drama about a "protection" racket for fortune-tellers. It's a fast moving little programmer with a wonderful cast of veteran supporting actors.

Allan Lane, playing a newspaper reporter, is the leading man. The leading lady was a nobody with a pretty face. In fact, you might as well say that the 'leading-lady' was Clara Blandick. She was cast as a crusty old multi-millionaire who, as the reporter's friend, ultimately helps him break up the 'crime-ring' of the film's title.

The story in a nut-shell: A newspaper reporter goes after a "crime ring" that 'protects' the city's bogus fortune tellers in return for 10% of their take.

But that's not the crime-ring's main source of income. They use the fortune tellers to 'steer' gullible victims to the crime-ring's spurious mining-stock salesmen, as well as other rip-offs.

This "Crime-Ring" indulges in fraud, extortion, abduction, murder--- well, you get the idea....

The background and supporting roles are played with great skill by a cast which is largely (and amazingly) uncredited!

B-Movie devotees will spot some of the genre's 'greats' in fairly meaty supporting roles, yet their names failed to appear anywhere in the credits. For example- the great 'comedy-relief' supporting actor, Tom Kennedy, appears throughout this film (AS the film's comedy-relief, natch), but is no where in the credits!

Also uncredited were B-movie & short-film vets Jack Rice & Byron Foulger.

This is a short, zippy, well-acted little film with a great cast. It follows a standard 'formula', so there are no surprises, but it's great fun to watch and I highly recommend it.