Dressed to Kill (1941)

Detective Michael Shayne and his girlfriend Joanne leave a marriage bureau when shots fired in a nearby theatre draw his attention to a string of theatrical murders.

Director:

Eugene Forde

Writers:

Stanley Rauh (screen play), Manning O'Connor (screen play),

Stars:

Lloyd Nolan, Mary Beth Hughes, Sheila Ryan

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Lloyd Nolan	...	Michael Shayne
Mary Beth Hughes	...	Joanne La Marr
Sheila Ryan	...	Connie Earle
William Demarest	...	Inspector Pierson
Ben Carter	...	Sam
Virginia Brissac	...	Lynne Evans, alias Emily the Maid
Erwin Kalser	...	Carlo Ralph, alias Otto Kuhn
Henry Daniell	...	Julian Davis
Dick Rich	...	Al, a detective
Milton Parsons	...	Max Allaron
Charles Arnt	...	Hal Brennon
Charles Trowbridge	...	David Earle
Hamilton MacFadden	...	Reporter
May Beatty	...	Phyllis Lathrop
Charles C. Wilson	...	Editor (as Charles Wilson)

Storyline

Detective Michael Shayne and his girlfriend Joanne leave a marriage bureau when shots fired in a nearby theatre draw his attention to a string of theatrical murders.

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Plot Keywords:

murder | michael shayne | theatre | siren | newsboy | 

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Genres:

Crime | Mystery

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Certificate:

Approved

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

8 August 1941 (USA)

Also Known As:

The Dead Take No Bows

Filming Locations:

20th Century Fox Studios - 10201 Pico Blvd., Century City, Los Angeles, California, USA

Company Credits

Production Co:

Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation

Technical Specs

Runtime:

74 min

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Mirrophonic Recording)

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Did You Know?

Goofs

Mike talks to Otto by telephone without difficulty, though it is shown both before and later that Otto is nearly deaf and relies on lip-reading.

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Quotes

[Mike is a customer at a men's clothing store]
Smiley Joe Bishop: It fits you like a glove!
Michael Shayne: It should fit me like a suit.

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Crazy Credits

Mantan Moreland plays Rusty but is credited as playing Sam. Ben Carter plays Sam but is credited with playing Rusty.

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Connections

Followed by Three on a Ticket (1947)

User Reviews

entertaining crime/comedy

Lloyd Nolan brightens up the screen as investigator Michael Shayne in "Dressed to Kill" from 1941. While picking up his fiancé (Mary Beth Hughes) from her residential hotel so that they can finally get married, Shayne hears a scream from upstairs. Racing up there, he finds two people sitting at a dining table in costume and quite dead.

Eventually Shayne is led to a play done years earlier by the victims and begins looking at the other performers. Meanwhile, he's constantly tripping over both his angry fiancé and Police Inspector Pierson (William Demarest).

There's lots of comedy in this B movie, mostly provided by Demarest, who is one-upped every time by Shayne. The acting is terrific, with some really neat character actors: Virginia Brissac, Erwin Kaiser, Henry Daniel, and Mantan Moreland. Though in a stereotyped role, Moreland shows his talent as he does in the Charlie Chan films, this time even going into a dance.

Recommended.