A respected investment advisor has a double life as a mystery writer and becomes involved in the real murder of a shady client.
Take a look at the winners, presenters, and top moments from this year's Golden Globes.
Check out our gallery of the 2021 Golden Globe nominees in the leading and supporting acting categories, as the characters they so brilliantly played and in real life
User Lists
Related lists from IMDb users
Share this Rating
Title: Footsteps in the Dark (1941)
Want to share IMDb's rating on your own site? Use the HTML below.
Edit
Cast
| Complete credited cast: | |||
| Errol Flynn | ... | Francis Warren aka F.X. Pettijohn | |
| Brenda Marshall | ... | Rita Warren | |
| Ralph Bellamy | ... | R.L. Davis D.D.S. | |
| Alan Hale | ... | Police Inspector C.W. Mason | |
| Lee Patrick | ... | Blondie White | |
| Allen Jenkins | ... | Wilfred | |
| Lucile Watson | ... | Mrs. Archer | |
| William Frawley | ... | Hopkins | |
| Roscoe Karns | ... | Monahan | |
| Grant Mitchell | ... | Carruthers | |
| Maris Wrixon | ... | June Brewster | |
| Noel Madison | ... | Fissue | |
| Jack La Rue | ... | Ace Vernon (as Jack LaRue) | |
| Turhan Bey | ... | Ahmed | |
| Rest of cast listed alphabetically: | |||
 |
George Campeau | ... | Burlesque Patron (scenes deleted) |
Edit
Plot Summary
|
Add Synopsis
See All (23) »
Storyline
A high-society gent has a secret life - he writes murder mysteries and hangs out with the police attempting to solve crimes. This causes him no end of problems when his wife wants to know about his little disappearances and exceptionally late nights out. Written by John Vogel <jlvogel@comcast.net>
Plot Keywords:
murder mystery | mystery writer | double life | mother in law | chorus girl |Parents Guide:
Add content advisory for parents »
Edit
Det. 'Hoppy' Hopkins: Right.
[almost head-butts the door]
See more »
Did You Know?
Trivia
This film's earliest documented telecast took place in Tucson Wednesday 19 September 1956 on KDWI (Channel 9); it first aired in Indianapolis Saturday 29 September 1956 on WFBM (Channel 6), in Los Angeles Saturday 4 November 1956 on KTLA (Channel 5), in San Francisco Monday 12 November 1956 on KRON (Channel 4), in Phoenix Tuesday 20 November 1956 on KVAR (Channel 12), in Spokane Friday 7 December 1956 on KREM (Channel 2), and in Boston Sunday 16 December 1956 on WBZ (Channel 4). See more »Goofs
Shadow of boom mike visible when Francis and his wife are in front of their closet when he tries to get her to leave before the police arrive. See more »Quotes
Francis Monroe Warren II: [as Det. 'Hoppy' Hopkins tries unsuccessfully to break open a door] Try using your head.Det. 'Hoppy' Hopkins: Right.
[almost head-butts the door]
See more »
Frequently Asked Questions
This FAQ is empty. Add the first question.
Edit
See full technical specs »
Details
Country:
USARelease Date:
8 March 1941 (USA) See more »Also Known As:
Footsteps in the Dark See more »Filming Locations:
Warner Brothers Burbank Studios - 4000 Warner Boulevard, Burbank, California, USACompany Credits
Show more on
IMDbPro »
Enjoyable comedy mystery with Errol Flynn as a man who, unknown to his wife and mother-in-law, leads a double life as an amateur sleuth and writer of murder mysteries. I like this one a lot, which appears to place me in the minority here, judging by a quick glance at some of the reviews. Errol Flynn shows how well he can do with comedy in a nice change of pace for him that still plays to his strengths as a charming ladies man. Unlike some other reviewers, I don't see any reason for comparisons (positive or negative) to William Powell's Nick Charles from the Thin Man series, beyond the most superficial similarities. The great supporting cast includes Allen Jenkins, Ralph Bellamy, Lee Patrick, William Frawley, Roscoe Karns, Grant Mitchell, Lucille Watson, and Alan Hale. Nice seeing Hale in a slightly different role than usual as the police inspector frustrated by Flynn but relying on his help. It's what I would call the James Gleason role because he played those kinds of parts perfectly. Lovely Brenda Marshall plays Flynn's wife and, like Flynn, proves she can handle comedy quite well. It's a fun picture. It doesn't bring to the table anything particularly innovative for either the comedy or mystery genres but it gets the job done as lightweight entertainment. Flynn had a great run from about 1935 to 1945 where he made most of his classics. I've seen all of his films from this period and, in my opinion, there wasn't a stinker among them.