Two O'Clock Courage (1945)

After nearly running over him with her cab, Patty Mitchell picks up a fare who claims to have amnesia. As he fumbles to remember the basic facts of his identity, Patty becomes interested in... See full summary »

Director:

Anthony Mann

Writers:

Robert E. Kent (screen play by), Gordon Kahn (additional dialogue by)

Stars:

Tom Conway, Ann Rutherford, Richard Lane

Cast

Cast overview:
Tom Conway	...	Ted 'Step' Allison
Ann Rutherford	...	Patty Mitchell
Richard Lane	...	Al Haley
Lester Matthews	...	Mark Evans
Roland Drew	...	Steve Maitland
Emory Parnell	...	Insp. Bill Brenner
Jane Greer	...	Helen Carter (as Bettejane Greer)
Jean Brooks	...	Barbara Borden

Storyline

After nearly running over him with her cab, Patty Mitchell picks up a fare who claims to have amnesia. As he fumbles to remember the basic facts of his identity, Patty becomes interested in the stranger and decides to help him in his search. But as the pieces of the puzzle begin to fall into place, and Patty's interest becomes more personal, the stranger finds that he is the prime suspect in a murder case.

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Plot Keywords:

suspect | search | identity | murder | amnesia | 

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Genres:

Crime | Drama | Film-Noir | Mystery

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Certificate:

Not Rated

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

15 February 1946 (Mexico)

Also Known As:

Dos en la oscuridad

Filming Locations:

RKO Studios - 780 N. Gower Street, Hollywood, Los Angeles, California, USA

Company Credits

Production Co:

RKO Radio Pictures

Technical Specs

Runtime:

68 min 66 min (TCM print)

Sound Mix:

Mono (RCA Sound System)

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

One of two wartime murder/mysteries starring Tom Conway in which he is aided by a female taxicab driver (due to the "man"-power shortage of WWII). Coincidentally, Emory Parnell and Jean Brooks also appear in both films. The other is "The Falcon In Hollywood" (1944).

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Goofs

Near the end, when the police attempt to enter room 212, three bullets are shot through the door from inside the room. After the police gain access and the door swings open, the holes are absent. when it then swings back to reveal Barbara Borden, the holes once again appear.

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Connections

References Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (1937)

User Reviews

Very Well Done Transitional Movie

This came before Anthony Mann's famous, unique and quirky noir. By the time it was made, there had already been many authentic films noir. However, this updates what had been a formula throughout the thirties: the romantic/comic/mystery. There is romance. There is some comedy. But instead of mystery: We have here a true film noir. (The difference between this and other entries in the genre makes the importance of a good director very clear.) It begins with Tom Conway, in an excellent performance, looking at a sign noting an intersection of two streets. He doesn't know where there are, where he is. Or, even, who he is. Amnesia, yes indeed.

Now the comedy: Ann Rutherford, a female cab driver, happens by and helps him out. She calls her taxi Harry and, later, people get confused and think Harry might be the name of a suspect.

Though this has its light moments, it is a dark little movie. (And little it is, at just a bit longer than an hour.) We have a comic newspaperman and a semi-comic police officer. But we have some genuine bad guys too, and some women who are right out of the noir canon as well.

Among these is Jane Greer in a very early appearance. Though her role is small, she grabs out attention. The camera loves her, almost in the way it was to love a very different sort of performer: Marilyn Monroe. Though Greer doesn't have a lot to do or a whole lot of screen time, when she's around, we can't take our eyes off her. Now, there was real (and sadly underused) star!