Jigsaw (1949)

New York Assistant District Attorney Howard Malloy investigates a series of murders and uncovers an extremist group.

Director:

Fletcher Markle

Writers:

Fletcher Markle (screenplay), Vincent McConnor (screenplay),

Stars:

Franchot Tone, Jean Wallace, Myron McCormick

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Franchot Tone	...	Howard Malloy
Jean Wallace	...	Barbara Whitfield
Myron McCormick	...	Charles Riggs
Marc Lawrence	...	Angelo Agostini
Winifred Lenihan	...	Mrs. Hartley
Doe Avedon	...	Caroline Riggs (as Betty Harper)
Hedley Rainnie	...	Sigmund Kosterich
Walter Vaughan	...	District Attorney Walker (as Walter Vaughn)
George Breen	...	Knuckles
Robert Gist	...	Tommy Quigley
Hester Sondergaard	...	Mrs. Borg
Luella Gear	...	Pet Shop Owner
Alexander Campbell	...	Pemberton
Robert Noe	...	Waldron
Alexander Lockwood	...	Nichols

Storyline

When the owner of a printing shop is found dead, the District Attorney assumes that it was a suicide. But the Assistant D.A., Howard Malloy, suspects that there is a connection with an extremist political group called the 'Crusaders'. When a journalist whose articles had attacked the Crusaders is also killed, Malloy is convinced. With help from the widow of a prominent judge, he conducts an investigation. As he does so, he meets a peculiar political boss and also an attractive night club singer, each of whom could become either a source of help or a source of danger.

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Plot Keywords:

printing shop | interior monologue | nightclub | reference to shakespeare's hamlet | racism | 

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Taglines:

CAUGHT in the JIGSAW PUZZLE OF A MURDEROUS RACKET.... TORN between two kinds of LOVE!

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Genres:

Crime | Drama | Film-Noir

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Certificate:

Approved

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

11 March 1949 (USA)

Also Known As:

Gun Moll

Filming Locations:

Manhattan, New York City, New York, USA

Company Credits

Production Co:

Tower Pictures Inc.

Technical Specs

Runtime:

70 min

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Sound System)

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Henry Fonda: 

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Quotes

Charles Riggs: You know, I was born in this city, Howard. In our block, we had guys from practically every race and religion you ever hear of... and a couple you didn't. But we got along pretty well.
Howard Malloy: Well, that's the way it ought to be.
Charles Riggs: In our block, nobody cared what country your parents came from or where they went to church. Nobody called you a nasty name... until you were taught there were nasty names and some people were supposed to be called by them -Micks, Polacks, Wops, Limies, Spics, Hunties.
Howard Malloy: That's ...
[...]

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Connections

References The Blue Angel (1930)

User Reviews

Communist Rebellion?

This 1949 film is interesting on several accounts. First off the movie appears to have been shot primarily on location in New York in the late 1940s. It appears to be the Brooklyn Museum where the finale of the movie takes place.

Franchot Tone plays the lead detective, and Jean Wallace plays a nightclub performer. Tone and Wallace were married at the time of this film, and would make other films together. This is still a few years away from the 1951 love triangle between Franchot Tone, Barbara Payton and Tom Neal, in which Tone was beaten to a pulp by Neal. In the aftermath of that event, Jean Wallace stabbed herself in an unsuccessful suicide attempt. Her and Tone had two children and the public humiliation of Tone and Paytons affair pushed her over the edge. Wallace herself was arrested numerous times in the 50s for drunken behavior.

This film appears to be a social commentary on communism. Though communists are never mentioned, the secret organization bears all the marks of a communist party. Several actors in the film, as well as some who simply had walk ons appear in the film, perhaps as a way of showing how they feel about communism. John Garfield, Marsha Hunt, Marc Lawrence all who were publicly involved in the witch hunts that occured in the late 40s and early 50s appear in this film. Other stars who have minor roles include Burgess Meredith, Marlene Dietrich and Henry Fonda. In the nightclub scene, look in the background for debutante Brenda Frazier, a kind of Paris Hilton of her day.