THOSE B MOVIE SERIES FROM BOSTON BLACKIE TO THE WHISTLER

Chester Morris as Boston Blackie

This week GREAT OLD MOVIES looks at those venerable B movie series from the golden age of Hollywood (and elsewhere). I define a "B" movie as one that generally has a running time of between fifty to eighty minutes, and a B movie series as a group of films featuring the same character. Most of these films played on the bottom half of a double-bill, or two were lumped together for an afternoon at the movies. There have been a lot of movie series from different studios -- MGM, 20th Century-Fox and Columbia down to the "poverty row" studios like Monogram and PRC. Among the more famous series were *Andy Hardy, Henry Aldrich, The Jones Family, and on the thriller side of the spectrum, Charlie Chan, Sherlock Holmes, The Falcon, Mr. Wong, Inner Sanctum, Michael Shayne (with Lloyd Nolan and then Hugh Beaumont), and others. (All of the classic Chan and Holmes movies -- the very best of the mystery movie series -- have been reviewed on this blog and you can find them by using the search bar on the top left corner.)

Among the series we're looking at this week are Boston Blackie; the similar Lone Wolf series; Jungle Jim/Johnny Weissmuller; Philo Vance; Mr. Moto; and the Whistler, not to mention Dr. Mabuse from Germany. Philo Vance started out as a top-drawer series starring William Powell, but degenerated into a cheaper series for PRC. The Whistler movies all starred Richard Dix in a variety of roles and were based on the old radio program. Boston Blackie and the Lone Wolf starred, respectively, Chester Morris and Warren William, but later entries, not really a part of the main series, starred other actors. Dr. Mabuse began life in a series of films by Fritz Lang, dating back to the silent period, but these, too, degenerated into ersatz spy movies by the sixties. Johnny Weissmuller played Jungle Jim in a slew of features (and later a TV series) until the studio temporarily lost the rights to the character and he simply played himself in the last four films in the series.

Many of these movies employed the same elements: gun-toting femme fatales; hoods with grudges; and most ubiquitous, police detectives who were always at odds with the (anti) heroes, thinking they were really crooks underneath no matter how many genuine bad guys they helped put away. As well, the cops were always much dumber than the heroes. A lot of directors who became famous later on, such as William Castle, cut their teeth on these "B" movies. Sometimes the choice of sidekick was key in making an entertaining series. For instance, for my money Eric Blore as the Lone Wolf's "Jamison" is far superior to George E. Stone's "Runt" in the Boston Blackie series.

* Of course the Andy Hardy movies were "A" movies aside from the very last.

THE LONE WOLF MEETS A LADY

Warren William as Michael Lanyard, the Lone Wolf

THE LONE WOLF MEETS A LADY (1940). Director: Sidney Salkow.

"Jamison! Open the window -- and air the room!"

Joan Bradley (Jean Muir) is all set to marry wealthy Bob Penyon (Warren Hull), when her future mother-in-law (Georgia Caine) lends her an expensive diamond necklace. At her apartment Joan is confronted by an old acquaintance who demands the necklace before being promptly shot by an unseen figure; the necklace disappears. Before long Michael Lanyard, aka the Lone Wolf (Warren William), is involved in the case even as Inspector Crane (Thurston Hall), who loves rare plants, is on the trail of both Lanyard and Joan. The Lone Wolf Meets a Lady is distinguished primarily by the acting, with William, as usual, doing splendidly as the title character. Jean Muir [And One Was Beautiful] is on the money as Joan; Hall makes a terrific inspector; Fred Kelsey is funny as the bumbling cop, Dickens; Victor Jory [Manfish] scores as a sleazy "associate" of Lanyard's; and Eric Blore [Swiss Miss] nearly steals the picture as Jamison, Lanyard's butler and aide. The screenplay isn't terrible, with good dialogue, but The Lone Wolf Meets a Lady is no great shakes as a mystery. Not to be confused with The Lone Wolf and His Lady.

Verdict: Modestly entertaining with some very good performances. **1/2.

THE LONE WOLF AND HIS LADY

Ron Randell as the Lone Wolf

THE LONE WOLF AND HIS LADY (1949). Director: John Hoffman.

"Stealing a diamond is the farthest thing from my mind." -- Lanyard.

"Yes, about as far as I can throw St. Paul's Cathedral. -- Jamison.

John Murdock (Douglas Dumbrille), the new publisher of the Daily Tribune, is so stupid that he doesn't know what a newspaper morgue is, but he wants the paper to sensationalize the news in order to increase circulation. Fisher (Arthur Space) is made the new editor and Grace (June Vincent), who worked on obituaries, is promoted to reporter. She importunes Michael Lanyard, the infamous "Lone Wolf" (Ron Randell) to sell his memoirs to the papers and also go to work for the Tribune, covering the exhibition of a fabulous diamond called the "Tahara." Naturally, Lanyard is the chief suspect when the diamond disappears. Randell makes an acceptable Lone Wolf, but he isn't as good as other actors who've played the part. As the leading lady, June Vincent gets a larger role than usual and is excellent. For added support we've got William Frawley [East Side, West Side] as the cop investigating the case; Alan Mowbray [Dante] as Lanyard's valet, Jamison; and Steven Geray as diamond expert Van Groot. Still, this is not an especially memorable Lone Wolf move. Randell and Vincent also appeared together in Counterspy Meets Scotland Yard. Not to be confused with The Lone Wolf Meets a Lady. From Columbia studios.

Verdict: The Lone Wolf's "lady" helps this quite a bit but not quite enough. **.

THE LONE WOLF SPY HUNT

Ida Lupino and Warren William

THE LONE WOLF SPY HUNT (1939). Director: Peter Godfrey.

Michael Lanyard (Warren William), who is known as the "Lone Wolf," is a retired thief who is embroiled in a plot by an enemy to steal secret plans and frame him. This man, Spiro (Ralph Morgan), wants revenge, but just why is never explained. Spiro and his associates, including the beautiful Karen (Rita Hayworth), force Lanyard to crack a safe, but he manages to put one over on the gang, for a time at least. Meanwhile Inspector Thomas (Don Beddoe of Mandrake the Magician) and Sergeant Devan (Tom Dugan of The Galloping Ghost) are hoping they can finally arrest the infamous Lone Wolf. I believe this character had been around quite awhile before William starred in this film series, in which he is a retired widower with a young daughter, Patricia (Virginia Weilder), and a marriage-minded gal pal named Val (Ida Lupino of Private Hell 36). The movie is well-acted and pleasant enough, but it never rises above the level of a not-terribly-eventful programmer. The child Patricia is a somewhat irritating character and doesn't really fit in with the rest of the movie. There were several sequels and a TV series with Louis Hayward in the fifties.

Verdict: Has possibilities, but not one of the classics of 1939. **.