Minor little murder mystery involving the deaths of members of a theater company and how it revolves around a popular star of the stage, Cecil Moore(Alan Mowbray). A renowned New York City theater critic, Anthony Woolrich(Dave O'Brien)is asked by his newspaper's publisher to cover the story of the murder of Cecil Moore's brother, found hung with a note with written verse from a play. A second murder, an electrician who once worked for Cecil during an old theatrical troupe many years previous, is murdered as well(..a note with verse also left at his crime scene), and Tony has a hunch that it might concern a revenge of some sort tied to the Moores from their past. Looking through an old program that contained names of those involved with this troupe, Tony questions the leading actress, Janet(Edythe Elliot)and discovers, by her own admission, that she was in fact married to Cecil and is mother to his daughter, Claudia(Kay Aldridge). This might just be the link. Both Cecil and his brother were after Janet's hand, but she was in love with another..and actor who vanished, perhaps murdered by a jealous rival for her affections. Janet married and divorced from Cecil, and soon met another, a Buchanan, someone also involved with the stage who she confirmed died in an asylum..or did he? Tony believes someone currently working for Cecil might be the madman and that Claudia could be in danger as well. Even Tony himself was shot at. Along with his trusty taxi driver, Romeo(..the wisecracking Frank Jenks, whose cabbie never feels appreciated for all he does for our intrepid reporter), and Homicide detective, Lt Walsh(Jack Mulhall), Tony will attempt to lure the killer into a trap by staging a charity play of Julius Caesar, hoping that he will literally inhabit the role of Brutus, getting caught in the process.
Time hasn't been kind to this relic, and when you watch a film like THE PHANTOM OF 42ND STREET, you'll realize just why the role of film preservationists is so important. Lots of film jumps, lines and blotches that have effected key moments in the movie, and cuts into the dialogue due to the devastated quality really hamper the viewing experience..nothing's as important as getting all the details and when characters are interrupted by ravaged film and sound, you never completely get the whole story. The film is certainly of it's time as the talk and humor are relative to the people who existed in New York City of the 40's(..Jenks' cabbie is a true example of this). O'Brien is a handsome charmer and Aldridge quite a stunner. It's relatively quick at around an hour and harmless, but rather forgettable amongst others of it's type. Very talky..quite dialogue driven as clues are pursued with our hero's life always in danger, although he never breaks a sweat, quite determined and motivated to save the Moores from potential peril.
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