Dick Tracy vs. Crime Inc. (1941)

User Rating:

8.6/10   

Directors:

John English
William Witney

Writers:

Ronald Davidson (original screenplay)
Chester Gould (comic strip characters)

Release Date:

27 December 1941 (USA)

Genre:

Action | Crime | Drama

Tagline:

DICK TRACY'S CHALLENGE! America's greatest detective hurls defiance into the shadows of the Underworld in his search for murderous criminals who threaten New York's destruction. The top Tracy Serial of all time.

Plot:

Dick Tracy goes up against a villain known as The Ghost, who can turn himself invisible. |

Plot Keywords:

Dick Tracy | Serial | Based On Comic | Good Versus Evil | Detective

Cast

Ralph Byrd	...	Dick Tracy
Michael Owen	...	Billy Carr
Jan Wiley	...	June 'Eve' Chandler
John Davidson	...	Lucifer
Ralph Morgan	...	J.P. Morton
Kenneth Harlan	...	Police Lt. Cosgrove
John Dilson	...	Henry Weldon
Howard C. Hickman	...	Stephen Chandler
Robert Frazer	...	Daniel Brewster
Robert Fiske	...	Walter Cabot
Jack Mulhall	...	Jim Wilson
Hooper Atchley	...	Arthur Trent
Anthony Warde	...	John Corey
Chuck Morrison	...	Henchman Trask [Ch. 1]

Also Known As:

Dick Tracy vs. the Phantom Empire (USA) (TV title)

Runtime:

263 min (15 episodes)

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (RCA Sound System)

Filming Locations:

Iverson Ranch, Chatsworth, Los Angeles, California, USA

Company:

Republic Pictures (I)

Trivia:

The scene where Tracy uses the infrared light bulb to reveal the presence of the Ghost was accomplished simply by printing the film in negative form.

Quotes:

Lucifer: I begin to see your plan. By creating a reign of terror, you can force the city to accept any demands you make!

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Body Fever (1969)

Tracy vs. the Man He Can Not See

In the last, and in my opinion the best, Dick Tracy serial, the ace detective matches wits with the Ghost, a villain who can make himself invisible. In reality the Ghost is one of 8 members of a city crime council ( 3 members have already been killed when the serial begins ) who sent Rackets Regan to the death chamber ( its is revealed that the Ghost is in reality the brother of Regan, ergo the revenge motive ). Brilliant special effects and amazing chapter sequences make the serial a pure joy to watch and the final fight sequence between Tracy and the Ghost, I believe ranks as one of the greatest fight scenes in film history. In terms of serials, 10 out of 10.