Footsteps in the Dark (1941)

A respected investment advisor has a double life as a mystery writer and becomes involved in the real murder of a shady client.

Director:

Lloyd Bacon

Writers:

Ladislas Fodor (play), Bernard Merivale (play),

Stars:

Errol Flynn, Brenda Marshall, Ralph Bellamy

Cast

Complete credited cast:
Errol Flynn	...	Francis Monroe Warren II
Brenda Marshall	...	Rita Warren
Ralph Bellamy	...	Dr. R.L. Davis
Alan Hale	...	Police Insp. Charles M. Mason
Lee Patrick	...	Blondie White
Allen Jenkins	...	Mr. Wilfred
Lucile Watson	...	Mrs. Agatha Archer
William Frawley	...	Det. 'Hoppy' Hopkins
Roscoe Karns	...	Monahan
Grant Mitchell	...	Wellington Carruthers
Maris Wrixon	...	June Brewster
Noel Madison	...	Leopold Fissue
Jack La Rue	...	Ace Vernon (as Jack LaRue)
Turhan Bey	...	Ahmed
Rest of cast listed alphabetically:
George Campeau	...	Burlesque Patron (scenes deleted)

Storyline

A high-society gent has a secret life - he writes murder mysteries and hangs out with the police attempting to solve crimes. This causes him no end of problems when his wife wants to know about his little disappearances and exceptionally late nights out.

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Plot Keywords:

murder | mystery writer | double life | police | yacht | 

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Genres:

Comedy | Mystery | Crime

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Certificate:

Approved

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

8 March 1941 (USA)

Also Known As:

Pasos en la oscuridad

Filming Locations:

Warner Brothers Burbank Studios - 4000 Warner Boulevard, Burbank, California, USA

Company Credits

Production Co:

Warner Bros

Technical Specs

Runtime:

96 min

Sound Mix:

Mono (RCA Sound System)

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

"The Maltese Falcon" statuette from the 1931 version of the Dashiell Hammett mystery can be seen in Alan Hale's office. Both the statue and co-star Lee Patrick would soon appear in the classic second remake later than year.

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Goofs

When Francis is talking to Blondie White, she says she'll meet him at the bus station in an hour. "That's four O'Clock." she says. When Francis is with his secretary, looking for her later the same day, Francis suggests she might be at rehearsal, and the secretary says they don't start until 2'O clock. That means it's earlier now than when he left home, after breakfast, to go to Blondie's Apartment.

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Quotes

Mr. Wilfred: I know my rights. I'm a taxpayer, wee!
Det. 'Hoppy' Hopkins: Yeah, well, we're you're goin', you won't have to pay no taxes, see!

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Connections

References The Maltese Falcon (1931)

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Soundtracks

"Up the Chimney Go My Dreams"
(uncredited)
Music by Ray Henderson

User Reviews

When You're Cover Is Blown

Footsteps in the Dark is the title of a mystery novel that investment banker Errol Flynn wrote under a pseudonym that has become a best seller. Unfortunately he used as characters some of his wife Brenda Marshall and mother-in-law Lucille Watson's society friends and they'd like to sue the author if they can find him.

Errol while trying to see they don't find out what his double life is gets himself involved in another murder of Noel Madison who wanted Flynn to essentially launder the money from some stolen jewels in his banker self.

Flynn spends over 90 minutes struggling to keep his identities secret from those who know him in one guise or the other and solve the mystery at the same time. The only two who know about his masquerade are his chauffeur Allen Jenkins and his lawyer Grant Mitchell.

Flynn had a very good gift for comedy, he had already done The Perfect Specimen and Four's A Crowd and had gotten good reviews. Footsteps in the Dark was an effort by Warner Brothers to cash in on the popularity and success MGM was enjoying with The Thin Man series. Flynn and Marshall were good together though there was no further sequels.

Best in the film by far is William Frawley as one truly dumb detective that even his superior Alan Hale is frustrated with. Flynn bounces some great lines off Frawley.

It's a different Errol Flynn than normal and not a bad one.