The Lone Wolf Spy Hunt (1939)

Director:

Peter Godfrey

Writers:

Jonathan Latimer (screenplay)
Louis Joseph Vance (story)

Release Date:

30 May 1939 (Denmark)

Genre:

Adventure | Comedy | Crime | Drama | Mystery

Tagline:

THE LONE WOLF'S TURNED SPY-SMASHER!

Plot:

A group of "spies" is after the plans for an anti-aircraft gun, and the leader uses the opportunity to embroil the Lone Wolf in the plot...

Plot Keywords:

Gun | Safe | Spy | Robbery | Automobile Chase

Cast

Warren William	...	Michael Lanyard
Ida Lupino	...	Val Carson
Rita Hayworth	...	Karen
Virginia Weidler	...	Patricia Lanyard
Ralph Morgan	...	Spiro Gregory
Tom Dugan	...	Police Sergeant Devan
Don Beddoe	...	Police Inspector Thomas
Leonard Carey	...	Jameson
Ben Welden	...	Jenks - Henchman
Brandon Tynan	...	Senator Carson
Helen Lynd	...	Marie Templeton

Also Known As:

The Lone Wolf's Daughter (UK)

Runtime:

71 min (TCM print)

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Mirrophonic Recording)

Certification:

USA:Approved (PCA #4927) | USA:TV-G (TV rating)

Company:

Columbia Pictures Corporation

Trivia:

Although the literary source of the film was the unpublished script of Columbia's The Lone Wolf's Daughter (1929), the story was so completely changed it could hardly be considered a remake.

Goofs:

Continuity: When Gromar comes down the staircase, from the second floor, the burglar alarm goes off. He runs back upstairs to check out the alarm. As he does so, the Lone Wolf is standing on the ground outside the window watching him - even though Gromar is supposed to be on the second floor.

Movie Connections:

Followed by Counter-Espionage (1942)

Espionage and Revenge

The Lone Wolf Spy Hunt marks the first appearance of Warren William as the dapper retired cracksman, Michael Lanyard who now occasionally assists the police instead of trying to evade them for a job he's committed.

Yet in this film William is indeed trying to shake the cops because they think he's stolen some highly secret war plans. Actually the guy doing it not only wants to get the plans, but he wants to make sure he frames William for the job and goes to all kinds of lengths to make that come about.

I'm surprised that Warren William lasted in the role of the Lone Wolf. No fault of his because he's as debonair and charming as the role calls for. But the film did get a bit silly at times. Ida Lupino is the dizzy daughter of a U.S. Senator and Virginia Weidler is William's daughter. Between the two of them and their crazy machinations, the Lone Wolf was lucky to get the case solved at all. I don't think it was an accident that Weidler's character was dropped in future Lone Wolf series films.

The Lone Wolf Spy Hunt is also known as being an early film that Columbia used to showcase one of their new discoveries, Rita Hayworth. Rita plays the moll of the leader of the spies and her beauty makes her stand out. No doubt she was going to be a star.