Keith Larsen came out of the Second World War a sergeant. He got married to Helene Stanley, knocked around for a few years, and was in the local VA facility for psychiatric observation. The evening of the day divorce papers are served on him, he hops the wall and goes looking for some answers. The case goes to LA County police lieutenant Bill Elliott.
Elliott was a 30-year veteran of Hollywood when this was made. He entered as an extra in 1925, but it took him 10 years until he gained enough traction in 1935 -- when he appeared in more than 30 movies -- before he began to get screen credit. A Columbia serial gave him the lead, and he spent he 1940s as a cowboy star, usually credited as "Wild Bill Elliott", culminating in the lead in the Red Ryder series. He would appear in four more of these detective movies over the next couple of years, then mostly retired. He died in 1965, aged 61.
This movie was written and directed by Daniel Ullman, and it's a cheap little affair, with an interesting script -- Miss Stanley is pregnant by another man, which is why she wants to divorce Larsen and marry the other guy. There are lots of interesting location shots around Los Angeles, but despite its short, 64-minute running time, there's little in the way of action until the final five minutes. Elliott spends almost all his time at his desk, supervising other officers. Clearly Ullman was operating under the influence of DRAGNET, but Jack Webb's radio and TV show called for a lot of dialogue spat out at machine-gun pace. Elliott still looks like a close-mouthed cowboy, his Stetson swapped out for a wide-brimmed felt hat.
Elliott was a 30-year veteran of Hollywood when this was made. He entered as an extra in 1925, but it took him 10 years until he gained enough traction in 1935 -- when he appeared in more than 30 movies -- before he began to get screen credit. A Columbia serial gave him the lead, and he spent he 1940s as a cowboy star, usually credited as "Wild Bill Elliott", culminating in the lead in the Red Ryder series. He would appear in four more of these detective movies over the next couple of years, then mostly retired. He died in 1965, aged 61.
This movie was written and directed by Daniel Ullman, and it's a cheap little affair, with an interesting script -- Miss Stanley is pregnant by another man, which is why she wants to divorce Larsen and marry the other guy. There are lots of interesting location shots around Los Angeles, but despite its short, 64-minute running time, there's little in the way of action until the final five minutes. Elliott spends almost all his time at his desk, supervising other officers. Clearly Ullman was operating under the influence of DRAGNET, but Jack Webb's radio and TV show called for a lot of dialogue spat out at machine-gun pace. Elliott still looks like a close-mouthed cowboy, his Stetson swapped out for a wide-brimmed felt hat.