Dick Tracy's Dilemma (1947)

Director:

John Rawlins

Writers:

Chester Gould (comic strip characters)
Robert Stephen Brode (screenplay)

Release Date:

20 May 1947 (USA)

Genre:

Action | Crime | Drama

Tagline:

Dick Tracy battles the fiendish "Claw" in one of his most difficult cases.

Plot:

Dick Tracy investigates the theft of a fortune of fur coats, a possible insurance swindle and several murders, all linked to a huge thug who wears a hook in place of his right hand. |

Plot Keywords:

Fur Coat | Dick Tracy | Murder | Apostrophe In Title | Third Part

Cast

Ralph Byrd	...	Dick Tracy
Lyle Latell	...	Pat Patton
Kay Christopher	...	Tess Trueheart
Jack Lambert	...	Steve 'The Claw' Michel
Ian Keith	...	Vitamin Flintheart
Bernadene Hayes	...	Longshot Lillie the Fence
Jimmy Conlin	...	Sightless the 'Blind' Begger
William B. Davidson	...	Peter Premium, V.P. Honesty Insurance
Tony Barrett	...	Sam, a henchman
Tom Keene	...	Fred - a henchman (as Richard Powers)

Also Known As:

Mark of the Claw (UK)

Runtime:

60 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (RCA Sound System)

Certification:

USA:Approved

Company:

RKO Radio Pictures

Goofs:

Audio/visual unsynchronized: As Tracy chases The Claw to a junk yard, the sound of a chain link fence being climbed can be heard as Tracy is climbing a wood fence.

Quotes:

Police dispatcher: Calling Car 15. Calling Car 15. Car 15!
Pat Patton: Car 15, Patton speaking.
Police dispatcher: Contact Dick Tracy at once. Have him go over to the Flawless Furs warehouse. Dillon reports some shenanigans - a busted fuse box at the garage.
Pat Patton: Then tell him to call-tell him to call an electrician, not Dick Tracy
Police dispatcher: Now come on, Pat! The night watchman has disappeared. It might be homicide.
Pat Patton: Oh, that's different. I'll tell Dick Tracy right away!

Movie Connections:

Spoofed in The Nude Bomb (1980)

Tracy Meets Noir

Energetic little programmer in the Tracy series from RKO. Of course, the comic strip appeal came largely from the variety of human grotesques who challenged the square-jawed detective week after week. Here, Tracy battles "The Claw", Jack Lambert in excellent Neanderthal makeup with a claw where his hand ought to be. Something should be said in passing for director John Rawlins who had an obscure career, but still came up with the riveting and offbeat Rogue River (1950) as well as the superior B-Western Fort Defiance (1951). Note the fast-pacing and clever touches in this programmer, such as filming from behind the unplugged fan whose blades run down as Sightless (Jimmy Conlin) expires from The Claw.

There are a number of noir touches in the lighting and suspense, not surprising since the year is 1947. Also, catch the painting behind the bar. It's not in obvious focus, but there it is-- an almost totally nude woman up to something not quite clear. Now a saloon centerfold may be appropriate for a saloon, but in a kid's picture, it must have been someone's idea of a private joke. Be that as it may, Rawlins was an A-picture talent trapped in a B-movie career.

Byrd is excellent as Tracy. In fact the level of performances is better than expected for such a low budget. Speaking of budgets, note how much of the film appears shot from outside studio buildings with their rows of little windows (probably where the writers labored). Note too, how the final chase moves past a mock-up airplane and through what appears to be a prop storage area. Certainly, the cast didn't have to go on location for this one. All in all, it's a good, fast little 60 minutes of the Tracy series. And, oh yes, I don't know who played Tess Trueheart, but if I were the cop, I'd spend less time gum-shoeing and more time around the house.