Apology for Murder (1945)

Reporter Kenny Blake (Hugh Beaumont) falls in love with scheming Toni Kirkland ('Ann Savage' ) not knowing that she is married to Harvey Kirkland (Russell Hicks), a man years older than she... See full summary »

Director:

Sam Newfield

Writers:

Fred Myton (screenplay), Fred Myton (original story)

Stars:

Ann Savage, Hugh Beaumont, Russell Hicks

Cast

Cast overview:
Ann Savage	...	Toni Kirkland
Hugh Beaumont	...	Kenny Blake
Russell Hicks	...	Harvey Kirkland
Charles D. Brown	...	Ward McKee
Pierre Watkin	...	Craig Jordan
Sarah Padden	...	Maggie, the Janitress
Norman Willis	...	Allen Webb
Eva Novak	...	Maid
Budd Buster	...	Jed, the Caretaker
George Sherwood	...	Police Lt. Edwards
Wheaton Chambers	...	Minister
Arch Hall Sr.	...	Paul (as Archie Hall)
Elizabeth Valentine	...	Mrs. Harper, Rancher's Wife
Henry Hall	...	Prison Warden

Storyline

Reporter Kenny Blake (Hugh Beaumont) falls in love with scheming Toni Kirkland ('Ann Savage' ) not knowing that she is married to Harvey Kirkland (Russell Hicks), a man years older than she. By the time he finds out, he is so under her spell that he murders her husband which is what Toni had planned all along. City editor Ward McKee (Charles D. Brown, Kenny's boss and best friend, begins to pursue the tangled threads of the crime relentlessly and gradually closes the net on Kenny. The latter is mortally wounded by Toni, who has deserted him for another man.

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Plot Keywords:

murder | newspaper story | rancher | ranch | set up | 

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Taglines:

"I brushed you off because I couldn't be bothered with you any more...you didn't have what it takes to go through with something...you won't involve me in any murder rap...you've said all that you'll ever say!" (original poster)

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Genres:

Crime | Drama | Film-Noir

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Certificate:

Approved

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

27 September 1945 (USA)

Filming Locations:

Griffith Park - 4730 Crystal Springs Drive, Los Angeles, California, USA

Company Credits

Production Co:

Sigmund Neufeld Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

67 min

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Recording)

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

According to director Edgar G. Ulmer, who was working at PRC at the time this film was made, it was originally to be called "Single Indemnity" (it was a virtual copy of the Fred MacMurray/Barbara Stanwyck film Double Indemnity of a short time earlier). The producers of "Double Indemnity" got wind of it and threatened legal action. PRC then changed the title to "Apology for Murder".

User Reviews

brisk rip-off of DOUBLE INDEMNITY

Fun, fast-paced imitation of DOUBLE INDEMNITY, with Hugh Beaumont in the Fred MacMurray role and Ann Savage in the Barbara Stanwyck part. Savage does as good a job at being nasty as she did in DETOUR and Beaumont is fine, too. Prolific PRC director Sam Newfield keeps it moving and keeps it very entertaining. This is very hard to see, but highly worthwhile. Supposedly Paramount sued PRC to keep this out of theaters because it was far too similar to DOUBLE INDEMNITY. Too bad because it's good in its own right.