Even though Harry Cohn felt that with a change of name he made Ann Sothern a star (her name had been Harriet Lake) nothing very much was done to promote her bubbling personality. It was left to MGM via the "Maisie" movies to make her "Queen of the Bs". In a couple of different interviews I have read she never seemed particularly enthusiastic about her Columbia films but I disagree with her - I think they are terrific little movies and she has "star quality" written all over her.
Once again she is teamed with Edmund Lowe and they have a lot of chemistry - I'm sorry but Onslow Stevens (who is the third angle in the romantic triangle) doesn't stand a chance with Ann. There is a firebug on the loose - targeting buildings insured by the Interoceanic Fire Insurance Company and the word is out to get Tom Fletcher (Lowe) a hot shot investigator who gets results. After a particularly nasty fire at the Acme Fur Company Tom deducts that the fires were started by remote control and to be on the look out for a telephone repair man who sets up the devices, usually on the day before. Meanwhile, John Grayson, his 2IC, who started out full of enthusiasm and behind Tom 100% is now looking pretty shifty - he is seen lighting a cigarette just before one of the warehouses burns down and now wears a perpetual frown instead of a boyish grin!! Also muddying the waters is a mysterious beauty, Adrienne Martin (Sothern) who meets Tom at one of the fires and just may have something to do with the arsonist, After the fire device is discovered she sends a wire to persons unknown - "Please don't use phone anymore"!! The next fire is started with a magnifying glass, which puts Tom on the track of a Mr. Maxwell, who just happens to own a glass factory and who just happens to have a hatred of Interoceanic due to a rejected claim he filed years before.
There is a lot more to this movie, including Adrienne, who is involved but not the way Tom thinks. Plus a wealth of funny characters that Tom employs to keep a watch on the different buildings - including a blind man - "How do you know it was a woman" "What do you think I am - blind"!!!
Also keep a look out for a very young Iris Adrian playing - what else?? - a sexy secretary!!!
Once again she is teamed with Edmund Lowe and they have a lot of chemistry - I'm sorry but Onslow Stevens (who is the third angle in the romantic triangle) doesn't stand a chance with Ann. There is a firebug on the loose - targeting buildings insured by the Interoceanic Fire Insurance Company and the word is out to get Tom Fletcher (Lowe) a hot shot investigator who gets results. After a particularly nasty fire at the Acme Fur Company Tom deducts that the fires were started by remote control and to be on the look out for a telephone repair man who sets up the devices, usually on the day before. Meanwhile, John Grayson, his 2IC, who started out full of enthusiasm and behind Tom 100% is now looking pretty shifty - he is seen lighting a cigarette just before one of the warehouses burns down and now wears a perpetual frown instead of a boyish grin!! Also muddying the waters is a mysterious beauty, Adrienne Martin (Sothern) who meets Tom at one of the fires and just may have something to do with the arsonist, After the fire device is discovered she sends a wire to persons unknown - "Please don't use phone anymore"!! The next fire is started with a magnifying glass, which puts Tom on the track of a Mr. Maxwell, who just happens to own a glass factory and who just happens to have a hatred of Interoceanic due to a rejected claim he filed years before.
There is a lot more to this movie, including Adrienne, who is involved but not the way Tom thinks. Plus a wealth of funny characters that Tom employs to keep a watch on the different buildings - including a blind man - "How do you know it was a woman" "What do you think I am - blind"!!!
Also keep a look out for a very young Iris Adrian playing - what else?? - a sexy secretary!!!