Wife Wanted (1946)

Career-slipping movie star Carole Raymond (Kay Francis) buys in as a real estate partner of Jeff Caldwell (Paul Cavanagh). Actually, through his secretary, Nola Reed (Veda Ann Borg), ... See full summary »

Director:

Phil Karlson

Writers:

Caryl Coleman (screenplay), Sidney Sutherland (screenplay),

Stars:

Kay Francis, Paul Cavanagh, Robert Shayne

Cast

Cast overview:
Kay Francis	...	Carole Raymond
Paul Cavanagh	...	Jeffrey Caldwell
Robert Shayne	...	Bill Tyler
Veda Ann Borg	...	Nola Reed
Teala Loring	...	Mildred Kayes
John Gallaudet	...	Lee Kirby
Jonathan Hale	...	Philip Conway
Tim Ryan	...	Bartender
Barton Yarborough	...	Walter Desmond

Storyline

Career-slipping movie star Carole Raymond (Kay Francis) buys in as a real estate partner of Jeff Caldwell (Paul Cavanagh). Actually, through his secretary, Nola Reed (Veda Ann Borg), Caldwell runs a matrimonial bureau and, with the aid of his associate, Lee Kirby (John Gallaudet), they defraud and blackmail a large group of lonely people. Carole, unknowingly, is used as bait for one of their victims, Walter Desmond (Barton Yarborough), who "commits suicide." Reporter William Tyler (Robert Shayne) thinks otherwise and, posing as a rich rancher, contacts Miss Raymond. The latter, now being blackmailed by Caldwell, is forced to persuade Tyler to invest in a fraudulent oil deal. In her own attempt to break the racket, Carole uncovers Mildred Hayes (Teala Loring), another innocent victim of the Desmond case. Despite leading each other on for their own purposes, Carole and Tyler fall in love and combine their efforts.

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Plot Keywords:

based on novel

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Taglines:

Here's The Whole Shocking Story Of So-Called "Friendship Clubs" That Sell Marriage, Companionship and Romance, But Deliver Shame and Extortion!

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Genres:

Crime | Drama

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Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

2 November 1946 (USA)

Also Known As:

Shadow of Blackmail

Company Credits

Production Co:

Monogram Pictures

Technical Specs

Runtime:

73 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Kay Francis's last film.

User Reviews

News not ewes

Kay Francis (Carole) is an actress who is getting no parts and is persuaded to invest in real estate by Paul Cavanagh (Caldwell) so that he can use her wealthy connections. However, she is soon drawn into his other side-racket which involves blackmailing wealthy clients as they join a dating agency. Francis has no option as Cavanagh has set her up as the guilty party in the murder of Barton Yarborough (Walter Desmond) and he holds this over her. Journalist Robert Shayne (Bill Tyler) is suspicious and joins the agency to solve the mystery of the dead man and meets with Francis.

The film is rushed in parts, for example, the ending just happens all of a sudden. That's that. The film is also, sadly, a bit boring. It starts well but then just gets a bit confusing and dull. The best of the cast is evil Veda Ann Borg (Nola) who plays Cavanagh's partner and heads the dating agency racket. We needed far more from her and far less from Teala Loring (Mildred), a victim of the agency scam, who is appalling. This woman can not act. And it's great when she falls down the stairs. The story has an interesting premise that could have been so much better.