The Adventures of Jane Arden (1939)

Reporter Jane Arden goes undercover to try to expose a gang of jewel thieves and smugglers. Her mission becomes more dangerous when her identity is discovered early on by one of the gang ... See full summary »

Director:

Terry O. Morse

Writers:

Vincent Sherman (screen play), Lawrence Kimble (screen play),

Stars:

Rosella Towne, William Gargan, James Stephenson

Cast

Complete credited cast:
Rosella Towne	...	Jane Arden
William Gargan	...	Ed Towers
James Stephenson	...	Dr. George Vanders
Benny Rubin	...	Marvin Piermont
Dennie Moore	...	Teenie Moore
Peggy Shannon	...	Lola Martin
Edgar Edwards	...	William 'Bill' Clifton
Hobart Cavanaugh	...	Suspect 'Killer'
Pierre Watkin	...	Albert Thayer
Maris Wrixon	...	Martha Blanton - Debutante
John Ridgely	...	Reporter
Rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Benny Burt	...	Greek (scenes deleted)
Eddie Conrad	...	Italian man (scenes deleted)
Sol Gorss	...	Driver (scenes deleted)
Eddie Graham	...	Reporter (scenes deleted)

Storyline

Reporter Jane Arden goes undercover to try to expose a gang of jewel thieves and smugglers. Her mission becomes more dangerous when her identity is discovered early on by one of the gang leaders.

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Plot Keywords:

reporter | undercover | ship | new york city | smuggling | 

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Genres:

Crime | Drama | Romance

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Certificate:

Approved

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

18 March 1939 (USA)

Filming Locations:

Warner Brothers Burbank Studios - 4000 Warner Boulevard, Burbank, California, USA

Company Credits

Production Co:

Warner Bros

Technical Specs

Runtime:

58 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Did You Know?

Soundtracks

"Deep in a Dream"
(1938) (uncredited)
Music by Jimmy Van Heusen
First tune played in the ship's lounge

User Reviews

A pleasant little surprise

"The Adventures of Jane Arden" is an orphan film: It was supposed to be the first in a series about a popular comic strip heroine, but the series never got rolling.

Audiences presumably didn't warm up to this movie, but it's hard to understand why. Compared to most of the "B" cheapies of its time, it's excellent. Though it's short (about an hour), it starts with a bang and rolls right along. And its obscure star, Rosella Towne, is really good.

Jane Arden, spunky girl reporter, is said to have been the inspiration for the later but better-remembered comic strip character Brenda Starr. Jane's strip died out sometime in the 1960s, but judging from her brief film career, I wish she were still around. It was a pleasure making her acquaintance.