Sky Murder (1940)

A body is found in a locked airplane compartment and a German female refugee is a suspect. Passenger detective Nick Carter is convinced she didn't do it and works to solve the mysterious murder.

Director:

George B. Seitz

Writer:

William R. Lipman (original screen play)

Stars:

Walter Pidgeon, Donald Meek, Kaaren Verne

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Walter Pidgeon	...	Nick Carter
Donald Meek	...	Bartholomew
Kaaren Verne	...	Pat Evans (as Karen Verne)
Edward Ashley	...	Cortland Grand
Joyce Compton	...	Christine Cross / Her Twin Sister
Tom Conway	...	Andrew Hendon
George Lessey	...	Senator Monrose
Dorothy Tree	...	Kathe
Frank Reicher	...	Dr. Crattan
Chill Wills	...	Sheriff Beckwith
George Watts	...	Judge Whitmore
Byron Foulger	...	Kuse
William Tannen	...	Gus
Milton Parsons	...	Brock
Tom Neal	...	Steve

Storyline

A body is found in a locked airplane compartment and a German female refugee is a suspect. Passenger detective Nick Carter is convinced she didn't do it and works to solve the mysterious murder.

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Plot Keywords:

hideout | trap | police | impersonation | party | 

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Genres:

Mystery | Comedy | Drama

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Certificate:

Approved

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

27 September 1940 (USA)

Also Known As:

Flygmordet

Company Credits

Production Co:

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM), Loew's

Technical Specs

Runtime:

72 min

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Sound System)

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Virginia O'Brien's first screen role.

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Goofs

Nick Carter carries the unconscious Karen Verne upstairs to the bedroom but she lifts her arm to clear the bed as he lays her down.

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Connections

Follows Phantom Raiders (1940)

User Reviews

Kid Stuff

When I heard "Nick Carter," I was expecting a dark, noir-ish hard boiled detective story, along the lines of Sam Spade or Philip Marlowe. "Sky Murder" is anything but.

I thought the first few scenes of the movie were so bad, I was going to give it a 3 and turn it off. (No movie can score higher than a 3 with me if I can't stand it till the end.)

For some reason, though, and it wasn't any sudden change in plot or acting, I kept with it. It was more than three quarters of the way through, more than 45 minutes into the film, that I suddenly realized this is a rollicking adventure story aimed at eight-year-old boys, with no pretensions of being anything but a good time. It is a comic book come to life, sort of like the old Superman TV show from the fifties.

Once I realized that, the movie became much more enjoyable.

I don't know if an eight-year-old would enjoy it today, though. It's not full of fast action, has no gunfire, and of course it has no CG.

So, without modern kid appeal, and, as other reviewers have shown, it doesn't hold much for adult viewers, I'm afraid this well-done and entertaining film is probably destined for obscurity.