Grand Central Murder (1942)

Director:

S. Sylvan Simon

Writers:

Sue MacVeigh (novel)
Peter Ruric (screenplay)

Release Date:

May 1942 (USA)

Genre:

Crime | Drama | Film-Noir | Mystery

Plot:

A convict being escorted in for retrial escapes at Grand Central and threatens his old girlfriend on the phone...

Plot Keywords:

Train | Flashback | Escape | Railway | Jealousy

Cast

Van Heflin	...	'Rocky' Custer
Patricia Dane	...	Mida King, Stage Name of Beulah Toohey
Cecilia Parker	...	Constance 'Connie' Furness
Virginia Grey	...	Sue 'Butch' Custer
Samuel S. Hinds	...	Roger Furness
Sam Levene	...	Inspector Gunther
Connie Gilchrist	...	Pearl Delroy
Mark Daniels	...	David V. Henderson
Stephen McNally	...	'Turk' (as Horace McNally)
Tom Conway	...	Frankie Ciro
Betty Wells	...	'Baby' Delroy
George Lynn	...	Paul Rinehart
Roman Bohnen	...	Ramon
Millard Mitchell	...	Detective Arthur Doolin

Runtime:

73 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Sound System)

Certification:

Finland:K-16 | Sweden:15 | USA:Approved (PCA #8273) | USA:Passed (National Board of Review) | USA:TV-G (TV rating)

Company:

Loew's

Trivia:

Donna Reed, Reginald Owen, Gertrude Short, 'Dick Rich' and Gayne Whitman were originally cast, but none of these actors appeared in the film.

Quotes:

Mida King, Stage Name of Beulah Toohey: Where were you raised? Didn't anyone ever tell you its bad luck to whistle in a dressing room?
Whistling Messenger: I'm sorry miss, I... I was raised in a cattle boat, where folks whistle when they feel like it, including the cows!

Soundtrack:

How About You?

No wasted time

Excellent 1940's era comedy/who-done-it played out as a series of flashbacks in response to the detective's questions. Good dialog is complemented by unusual use of lights and interesting shots of characters in and amongst trains. Everyone had a motive, most everyone the opportunity, but only the private detective knows how murder was committed. The killer is trapped into revealing him/herself.

Unusual casting. Van Heflin and Virginia Grey appear to be playing Nick and Nora Charles – she only gets one good set of lines and he is nowhere as dapper as William Powell. Connie Gilchrist is excellent as the maid. Tom Conway is miscast but casting of police is excellent. No wasted time in this tight mystery. Highly recommended.