Meet Boston Blackie (1941)

Director:

Robert Florey

Writers:

Jack Boyle (character)
Jay Dratler (story)

Release Date:

20 February 1941 (USA)

Genre:

Crime | Drama

Tagline:

1941'S HEADLINE MENACE! (original print media ad - all caps)

Plot:

When a murder occurs on an ocean liner docked in New York, the trail leads to Coney Island and a spy ring. |

Plot Keywords:

Spy | New York | Murder | False Accusation | Espionage

Cast

  (Complete credited cast)

Chester Morris	...	Boston Blackie
Rochelle Hudson	...	Cecelia Bradley
Richard Lane	...	Inspector Faraday
Charles Wagenheim	...	The Runt
Constance Worth	...	Marilyn Howard
Jack O'Malley	...	Monk
George Magrill	...	Georgie
Michael Rand	...	Mechanical Man

Runtime:

60 min (copyright length) (TCM print)

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Mirrophonic Recording)

Certification:

USA:Approved (PCA #7045) | USA:TV-G (TV rating)

Filming Locations:

Coney Island, Brooklyn, New York City, New York, USA

Company:

Columbia Pictures Corporation

Trivia:

The character, "Boston Blackie," was first used in a story, "Boston Blackie's Mary," by Jack Boyle, in Red Book Magazine, published November 1917.

Goofs:

Continuity: Blackie uses a round-back chair to lock Cecelia in her wall bed. When the police arrive and free her, they remove a different square-back arm chair.

Quotes:

Insp. Farraday: I couldn't find your name on the passenger list.
Horatio 'Boston Blackie' Black: No, no, I'm using my maiden name.

Movie Connections:

Followed by A Close Call for Boston Blackie (1946)

Soundtrack:

Sobre las Olas (Over the Waves)

First of the Boston Blackie movies is a good start...

CHESTER MORRIS and ROCHELLE HUDSON star in the first of the Boston Blacie series from Columbia, MEET BOSTON BLACKIE.

Inspector Farraday (RICHARD LANE) is Blackie's old friend. They run into each other aboard a steamship where Blackie finds a murdered man in his stateroom. A mysterious blonde (an international spy) is what Blackie has to follow and there's an amusement park scene that involves The Tunnel of Horrors and a Mechanical Man before the woman is murdered and he meets up with Rochelle Hudson.

With Farraday on his trail, Blackie has to prove that he's not the murderer even though his fingerprints were at the scene of the blonde's murder. With the spy element established, it seems that the Morse Code abounds everywhere in the plot, readily interpreted by one and all.

Spies, murder and an amusement park background makes for a lively little Boston Blackie caper.