Blue, White and Perfect (1942)

Director:

Herbert I. Leeds

Writers:

Borden Chase (story)
Samuel G. Engel (screenplay)

Release Date:

6 January 1942 (USA)

Genre:

Crime | Drama | Mystery | Romance

Tagline:

MIKE SHAYNE SIGNS UP WITH UNCLE SAM...AND HIS PAST ADVENTURES LOOK LIKE A PICNIC! (original poster - all caps)

Plot:

Detective Michael Shayne boards a Hawaii-bound ocean liner on the trail of stolen industrial diamonds and a Nazi smuggling ring.

Plot Keywords:

Detective | Hawaii | Dress | Nazi | Smuggler

Cast

  (Cast overview, first billed only)

Lloyd Nolan	...	Michael Shayne
Mary Beth Hughes	...	Merle Garland
Helene Reynolds	...	Helen Shaw
George Reeves	...	Juan Arturo O'Hara
Steven Geray	...	Vanderhoefen
Henry Victor	...	Rudolf Hagerman
Curt Bois	...	Friedrich Gerber, alias Nappy Dubois
Marie Blake	...	Ethel
Emmett Vogan	...	Charlie
Mae Marsh	...	Mrs. Toby
Frank Orth	...	Mr. Toby
Ivan Lebedeff	...	Alexis Fournier
Wade Boteler	...	Judge
Charles Trowbridge	...	Capt. Brown
Edward Earle	...	First Officer Richards

Runtime:

74 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

USA:Passed (National Board of Review) | USA:Approved (PCA #7886)

Company:

Twentieth Century-Fox Film Corporation

Trivia:

Although this film was made long before product placement became prevalent in films, the Del-Monte logo is shown on crates in the hold of the ship.

Goofs:

Plot holes: If the smuggled diamonds are supposedly going to German factories, why are they smuggled from New York to Honolulu in the Pacific Theater?

Quotes:

Juan Arturo O'Hara: She's what I call a very attractive woman!
Michael Shayne: Yeah, she's a very regular fella too.

Movie Connections:

References A Yank in the R.A.F. (1941)

Soundtrack:

(I Wish I Was in) Dixie's Land

They really don't make them like this any more.

Crisp black and white prints look very good on my HD set. Great film, part of a package of four on two DVDs. My wife and I have now gone through three with one to go. I was intrigued by product placement which is very unusual at this time in film history. For example, in Sleepers West, a pack of Chesterfield cigarettes is held so that anyone can read it. Then, in Blue, White and Perfect, two cartons of Chesterfields are held up for the longest time. Mission Orange soda is also prominently shown and directors make no effort to disguise the makes of the great cars used in the films. DelMonte is plainly advertised along with Yellow Cab. Also, there seems to be just enough location scenes to give the viewer a good look at life in the 40s. This Michael Shane group is great fun and easy viewing; four little time machines waiting to take you back.