A mystery writer and his sweetheart are held hostage by a fugitive gangster who hopes to get the writer's help in devising the "perfect crime."A mystery writer and his sweetheart are held hostage by a fugitive gangster who hopes to get the writer's help in devising the "perfect crime."A mystery writer and his sweetheart are held hostage by a fugitive gangster who hopes to get the writer's help in devising the "perfect crime."
Frederick Burton
- Mr. Van Buren
- (uncredited)
Jack Kennedy
- Detective
- (uncredited)
Sam McDaniel
- Porter
- (uncredited)
Tom McGuire
- Train Conductor
- (uncredited)
Greta Meyer
- Mrs. Barfuss
- (uncredited)
Walter Percival
- Sam
- (uncredited)
Jack Perry
- Bennie
- (uncredited)
Constantine Romanoff
- Cossack
- (uncredited)
- Directors
- Elliott Nugent
- Charles Reisner(uncredited)
- Writers
- All cast & crew
- Production, box office & more at IMDbPro
Storyline
Did you know
- TriviaThe play opened on Broadway in New York City, New York, USA on 19 January 1932 and closed in February 1933 after 265 performances. Ernest Truex and Edward Arnold originated their movie roles in the play. The opening night cast also included Claire Trevor in the role of Toby Van Buren.
- GoofsAfter Wally tells Slim about the $10,000 and Slim is walking into the adjoining room whistling, the mic shadow is clearly visible on the upper left hand side of the frame.
- Quotes
[Lombardo puts his foot up on a piece of furniture and bends over to tie his shoe. Slim enters from behind, and looks him up and down]
Slim Scanlon: Hello, Mr. Lombardo.
Ricco Lombardo: [Not turning around] Hello.
Slim Scanlon: [Examining his rump] We ain't met, but I recognized you from your description.
- ConnectionsRemade as Whistling in the Dark (1941)
Featured review
Nice look at Ernest Truex in a brains over brawn comedy mystery
At 5 feet, 2 inches tall, Ernest Truex was hardly the guy to play a macho male hero or leading man in any type of film. He was suited well to play the meek, mild-mannered, and brow-beaten characters that he often did. Yet, this actor who played mostly villains and hen-pecked husbands in silent films, could act in a variety of roles, and he transitioned well into sound pictures. He appeared in supporting roles in adventure, comedy, drama, musical and mystery films in the 1930s and 1940s; and then moved mostly into TV for his last two decades, with roles in a number of series.
Truex was most adept at comedy, and "Whistling in the Dark" is the only male lead he had, after a decade-long hiatus from the silver screen that covered the last years of silent and first years of sound pictures. It's as though this movie and plot were designed for him - the small, mild-mannered character. Indeed this role was tailored for a Donald Meek-type character - or, Ernest Truex.
This film has a good comedy and crime plot; and Truex is the hero by using his brains. His girlfriend, Toby Van Buren, is played by Una Merkel who's at least half a head taller than our hero. The couple are engaged but her father doesn't approve of Porter. When their car breaks down on a country drive, they fall into the hands of a gang of crooks. A very good supporting cast rounds out this picture with Edward Arnold, Nat Pendleton ad Henry Gordon at the top of that list.
Truex has some demure expressions at times, reflecting somewhat the hammy look of him and many others in silent films. Only here, It's adds some to the humor. Truex plays Wallace Porter, a renowned author of murder mysteries. When Jake Dillon's (Edward Arnold) gang holds him to force him to plot the perfect murder so they can bump off a brewer who won't pay for protection, Porter has to use his brains to outsmart the gang.
This is an entertaining film that modern audiences should still enjoy. My favorite line in the film is by Edward Arnold's Jake Dillon. He asks Wallace Porter, "Now what would you rather be at a funeral - a mourner or a corpse?"
Truex was most adept at comedy, and "Whistling in the Dark" is the only male lead he had, after a decade-long hiatus from the silver screen that covered the last years of silent and first years of sound pictures. It's as though this movie and plot were designed for him - the small, mild-mannered character. Indeed this role was tailored for a Donald Meek-type character - or, Ernest Truex.
This film has a good comedy and crime plot; and Truex is the hero by using his brains. His girlfriend, Toby Van Buren, is played by Una Merkel who's at least half a head taller than our hero. The couple are engaged but her father doesn't approve of Porter. When their car breaks down on a country drive, they fall into the hands of a gang of crooks. A very good supporting cast rounds out this picture with Edward Arnold, Nat Pendleton ad Henry Gordon at the top of that list.
Truex has some demure expressions at times, reflecting somewhat the hammy look of him and many others in silent films. Only here, It's adds some to the humor. Truex plays Wallace Porter, a renowned author of murder mysteries. When Jake Dillon's (Edward Arnold) gang holds him to force him to plot the perfect murder so they can bump off a brewer who won't pay for protection, Porter has to use his brains to outsmart the gang.
This is an entertaining film that modern audiences should still enjoy. My favorite line in the film is by Edward Arnold's Jake Dillon. He asks Wallace Porter, "Now what would you rather be at a funeral - a mourner or a corpse?"
helpful•00
- SimonJack
- Aug 31, 2023
Details
- Runtime1 hour 19 minutes
- Color
- Aspect ratio
- 1.37 : 1
Contribute to this page
Suggest an edit or add missing content
Top Gap
By what name was Whistling in the Dark (1933) officially released in Canada in English?
Answer