So, how many of you were waiting for The Great Rudolph (Franchot Tone) to put on his 'specialty act' for detained Hollywood screen writer Cliff Allen (Roger Perry)? I have to admit, I was wondering what that was going to be, given how the subject came up about a half dozen times. The story takes a lengthy detour from the way it began, with Allen being pulled over for a variety of moving violations, and more significantly, a seeming abduction of an underage teen named Rosie (Sharon Farrell), who lies to the Clark County Sheriff (Kelly Thordsen) about her presence in Cliff's vehicle. What follows is a somewhat bizarre experience when local diner owner Rudolph (Franchot Tone) begins to regale Allen with tales of his glory days in vaudeville and how he's grooming Rosie to be the next partner in his routine, as well as his wife when she turns eighteen in a week! It's at that point you realize the guy is more than bordering on creepy. What didn't make sense to me was why Allen and Rosie planned to meet at eight, right at her cabin at Rudolph's. Wouldn't a secret rendezvous location have been a better idea? Be that as it may, along with Cliff Allen, we become witness to The Great Rudolph's all-time great premier act as the 'World's Greatest Ventriloquist'. I had to wonder whether Rudolph's first wife met the same fate as her replacement.
Review of Final Performance
