Thu 24 Jan 2008
DANGEROUS LADY. PRC, 1941. Neil Hamilton, June Storey, Douglas Fowley, Evelyn Brent, Jimmy Aubrey. Directed by Bernard B. Ray. Based on a story by Leslie T. White.
With bargain basement movies like this one, you get what you pay for, which is – unless you’re not particularly careful with your wallet – almost nothing. Most of the online reviews for this movie, out on DVD, include the line “Neil Hamilton and June Storey play the married sleuths with a bemused and breezy ease in this clever Thin Man-style mystery thriller.”
Bemused, maybe, wondering why on earth they’re in this film. Breezy, yes, with a plot having holes in it wider than the cheesiest Swiss you’ve ever seen. Thriller, not at all. In the first ten minutes what passes for witty repartee between husband (private eye Duke Martindel, played by Neil Hamilton) and wife Phyllis (a hot shot lawyer lady played by June Storey) as they prepare for bed (and quite noticeably, separate beds) will get you to sleep even more quickly than they do.
It is difficult to say who should bear the brunt of the blame. All of the players have long careers in the movies, but they’re as a group awfully wooden in this one. Neil Hamilton lasted long enough to become Commissioner Gordon in the Batman TV series; by that time his gray hair made him look distinguished.
June Storey was in maybe ten of Gene Autry’s western movies – but this photo of her below with William Henry was probably taken from a 1941 musical drama starring Carole Landis entitled Dance Hall – and Jimmy Aubrey’s comedic efforts were on display in over 400 films.
Leslie T. White wrote a long list of tales for the pulp magazines, but they must have run out of both film and shooting time to fill the gaps in what passes for a story line in this one. Nor was this director Bernard B. Ray’s only chance at directing a film. Also known as Raymond K. Johnson, he did over 60 of them.
The music in the background was stolen from an early 1930s comedy, though of course in Dangerous Lady, some of the action was intended for laughs, as most mystery and detective movies were obliged to do before noir came along, not that they called it noir back then. Looking back at the first paragraph of this review, I suppose this was what was meant as “breezy.”
You will have noticed that I have said nothing about the story itself. You’re right. I haven’t.
January 25th, 2008 at 4:19 pm
Steve, I hope you can keep reviewing movies. The B movies from the 1930’s, 40’s and 1950’s are of interest and worth a look especially the film noirs.
January 26th, 2008 at 2:58 pm
Walker,
Right now I have access to 1000s of movies on DVD, much more than even Turner Classic Movies shows, and I’ll post comments on them whenever I can. It’s staggering to realize how many movies are available, and of course they’re not all B-movies from the 1940s.
They’re also not all crime, detective, western or adventure films, but a line has to be drawn somewhere. Not in terms of not watching musicals or comedies, for I do. You just won’t see me talk about them here.
Unfortunately it’s sad to realize how many movies are permanently lost, and no one will ever see them.
–Steve
January 26th, 2008 at 6:42 pm
Steve–
One thing about dvds, they have produced a revolution in the home video field. Somehow, over the last few years, I have managed to build up a large library of my favorite movies and tv shows, just like I built up a library of pulps, magazines, and books. I’ve hit the 5,000 mark with the dvds especially when you count the bootleg dvds of tv shows that have not been officially released like M Squad, Mike Hammer with Darren Mcgavin, Thriller, Highway Patrol, Mannix, Cannon, Adventures of the Falcon, Richard Diamond, Private Eye. I could go on and on. Of course I’ll never live long enough to see all these, just like I’ll never live long enough to read all my books and pulps. But it’s great to be able to build up your own personal library. The internet has been a great help to me in locating wants that have eluded me for decades. It’s a great time for film lovers to be alive; now if only I can figure out how to stop getting old.
January 27th, 2008 at 5:54 pm
Walker-
You’re right. I didn’t include TV shows in my previous comments. I don’t have as many DVDs as you do — 5000!?! — but counting the same kind TV series that you mention, I do have a lot of them.
I don’t intend to review them, either, except to say that so far I’ve been disappointed with The Thin Man series — the one with Peter Lawford and Phyllis Kirk — but M Squad is one that’s lived up to my memories. Lee Marvin was lean and lanky in his younger days, and his swagger has to be seen to be believed.
–Steve
January 28th, 2008 at 12:25 am
Steve,
Good thing Walker is leaving that collection to me when he kicks…I just hope he’ll go soon!
your pal,
Walter (not smarter…just taller) Neff
in sunny Florida
January 28th, 2008 at 12:35 am
Dear Walter
Introduce me to that dame you know sometime, Phyllis? That’s her name, right?
— Steve