This was meant to be the first film in a new crime detection series to replace the run of Ellery Queen movies by Columbia. But my guess is that they may have scuppered this idea by suggesting that Jess Arno, the lead character, was about to join the army in this story. Arno has turned private detective when we meet him as he springs Dolly Adair from a San Franciscan jail. Arno's girlfriend is supposed to prepare a beachside house at Sandhaven for Dolly so that the rehabilitated jailbird can be secreted away from reporters. June, the girlfriend in question, is livid that Arno is prepared to protect the "blonde menace" at his secret seaside hideaway. She sets up a practical joke with a 'murdered' wax blonde dummy at the house and deliberately forgets to have the electricity switched on. But a real murdered body turns up on the premises and then it disappears. So it's a good setup for this witty wartime mystery starring William Gargan as Arno and Margaret Lindsay as June. It also has the versatile Jerome Cowan as the chief suspect whose rich lady friend has gone missing. He is a singer at an upmarket dining place where Cowan underlines his versatility by singing a song with the appropriate tile of 'A Cottage By The Sea.' This is a good entertaining 66 minutes of comic-sinister shenanigans accompanied by the type of mysterioso music I always enjoy in these old movies.
7 Reviews
Good B Mystery from Columbia
nova-6312 August 2012
Warning: Spoilers
The film starts with a scam. A truck load of new rubber tires is switched for a load of worthless used tires. The crooks plan is to deliver the worthless tires at night to the retailer and then set them on fire before they can be identified as junk. The viewer isn't sure who is behind the crime, but it is evident a number of people who work at the tire manufacturer are aware of the switch.
The scene shifts to private detective Jess Arno (William Gargan) who is driving to a beach house with a client (Phyllis Brooks) who is involved in a blockbuster murder case. Upon entering the beach house, Arno finds the corpse of a woman. Since there is no working phone at the beach house, Arno drives to a nearby club and phones the police. The police arrive and as they enter the beach house they find the corpse has vanished. The police doubt Arno's story but Arno had previously made an important discovery. He identified the designer of the dress on the corpse.
Of course the two subplots come together and soon Arno is tracking the killer. Production values are pretty good for a Columbia B. The cast is filled with veterans of such material and they do an excellent job as expected. Margaret Lindsay plays a real estate agent who is also Arno's fiancée. She is determined to make sure Arno's interest in his client stay professional. Also on hand are James Burke as the slightly dense local detective and Thomas Jackson playing his usual cynical Police Captain. Top suspects include a nosey reporter played by Dick Purcell; an oily crook, played by Jerome Cowan; and a nightclub owner, played by Edward Norris.
The scene shifts to private detective Jess Arno (William Gargan) who is driving to a beach house with a client (Phyllis Brooks) who is involved in a blockbuster murder case. Upon entering the beach house, Arno finds the corpse of a woman. Since there is no working phone at the beach house, Arno drives to a nearby club and phones the police. The police arrive and as they enter the beach house they find the corpse has vanished. The police doubt Arno's story but Arno had previously made an important discovery. He identified the designer of the dress on the corpse.
Of course the two subplots come together and soon Arno is tracking the killer. Production values are pretty good for a Columbia B. The cast is filled with veterans of such material and they do an excellent job as expected. Margaret Lindsay plays a real estate agent who is also Arno's fiancée. She is determined to make sure Arno's interest in his client stay professional. Also on hand are James Burke as the slightly dense local detective and Thomas Jackson playing his usual cynical Police Captain. Top suspects include a nosey reporter played by Dick Purcell; an oily crook, played by Jerome Cowan; and a nightclub owner, played by Edward Norris.
WWII Comedy-Mystery
boblipton19 May 2022
PI William Gargan and his fiancee, Margaret Lindsay, look at his newly acquired vacation property. It's perfect, except for the corpse they find. Fortunately it turns out to be a waxwork figure, but they soon are embroiled in a clearly WWII comedy-mystery which inolves nightclubs, air raid wardens, and rubber tires.
This is far more a knockabout farce than the Ellery Queen mysteries they were leading, so they're playing generic characters. It's a decently done B from director James Hogan, with Phyllis Brooks, James Purcell, Jerome Cowan and Thomas Jackson as a cop along for the ride.
This is far more a knockabout farce than the Ellery Queen mysteries they were leading, so they're playing generic characters. It's a decently done B from director James Hogan, with Phyllis Brooks, James Purcell, Jerome Cowan and Thomas Jackson as a cop along for the ride.
Murder. Comedy. Tires?
mark.waltz14 February 2019
Warning: Spoilers
Yep, tires, with a suspected killer hidden inside about a dozen tires, looking pretty much like the Michelin Man.
This is one of several dozen war-era comedy mysteries made at Columbia, and for me, it looks like it was intended as either a sequel or part of a series with certain aspects about some of the characters mentioned as if the audience was supposed to know about this from the characters past. Margaret Lindsay and William Gargan star and spar throughout as a real estate agent and detective who become involved in murder that seemingly does not appear to actually be murder with things that are revealed. This is one of those films that has far too many characters and seems to be purposely trying to throw the audience off in guessing the guilty party and motive until the very end. Phyllis Brooks appears as a nasty socialite with a past who keeps popping up to cause issues for Lindsay and Gargan at the most inopportune moments.
The plot line is actually several minor stories rolled together and this makes it perplexing if you are truly trying to keep all the characters fresh in your mind to guess who is who and who could have indeed be responsible for the murders that occur. Jerome Cowan, one of the better character actors of the 1930's and 40's, place the main suspect (or at least a key witness) who is questioned by Lindsay, Gargan and detective Dick Purcell while he's trying to play the piano in a glamorous nightclub. Later, he is confronted in a hotel room and all appears two about to be resolved when more twists occur, taking this further down a convoluted track. It's moderately enjoyable and sometimes funny, but as a mystery, this is not one I suggest the audience try to figure out on its own because the scriptwriters have made sure that only they have the clues that can solve it which they only release a little bit at a time.
This is one of several dozen war-era comedy mysteries made at Columbia, and for me, it looks like it was intended as either a sequel or part of a series with certain aspects about some of the characters mentioned as if the audience was supposed to know about this from the characters past. Margaret Lindsay and William Gargan star and spar throughout as a real estate agent and detective who become involved in murder that seemingly does not appear to actually be murder with things that are revealed. This is one of those films that has far too many characters and seems to be purposely trying to throw the audience off in guessing the guilty party and motive until the very end. Phyllis Brooks appears as a nasty socialite with a past who keeps popping up to cause issues for Lindsay and Gargan at the most inopportune moments.
The plot line is actually several minor stories rolled together and this makes it perplexing if you are truly trying to keep all the characters fresh in your mind to guess who is who and who could have indeed be responsible for the murders that occur. Jerome Cowan, one of the better character actors of the 1930's and 40's, place the main suspect (or at least a key witness) who is questioned by Lindsay, Gargan and detective Dick Purcell while he's trying to play the piano in a glamorous nightclub. Later, he is confronted in a hotel room and all appears two about to be resolved when more twists occur, taking this further down a convoluted track. It's moderately enjoyable and sometimes funny, but as a mystery, this is not one I suggest the audience try to figure out on its own because the scriptwriters have made sure that only they have the clues that can solve it which they only release a little bit at a time.
No place for a lady
coltras3514 November 2023
A private detective and a blonde acquaintance whom he has rescued from a misdirected murder charge, discover a body in his beachside cottage; only it has disappeared by the time the police arrive, leaving him to be charged with hoaxing the police. With his license in jeopardy, his would-be fiancee and an inquiring reporter set out to investigate.
Interesting idea of a prank gone wrong, and there's the usual fast-talking and witty dialogue, and lively performance from Margaret Lindsay, however the plot can be a bit muddled and confusing - overall, a watchable yet not too striking.the air raid siren scenes are quite poignant.
Interesting idea of a prank gone wrong, and there's the usual fast-talking and witty dialogue, and lively performance from Margaret Lindsay, however the plot can be a bit muddled and confusing - overall, a watchable yet not too striking.the air raid siren scenes are quite poignant.
10/10
debutoftheseason13 November 2021
The original title of the film was called Thirteen Steps to Heaven. Production took place from September 2, 1942 to September 16, 1942. Private detective Jess Arno and his realtor fiancée June attempt to solve the murder when the body of a tire magnate is found in a beach house.
10/10
debutoftheseason13 November 2021
At a warehouse in Los Angeles, trucks are loaded with piles of tires to be shipped to a San Francisco warehouse. On a country road in the shadows of darkness, tires are transferred to Joe Wembley (Frank M. Thomas), an underworld magnate and operator of a beach nightclub. With $50,000 raised from the transaction, Evelyn Harris (Doris Lloyd), who inherited the tire business from her late husband, plans to marry Eddie Moore (Jerome Cowan), a singer at a Wembley cafe. The two lovebirds head for New York City, but Moore insists on stopping at an empty cabin that he notices from the street.
In San Francisco, private detective Jess Arno (William Gargan) manages to acquit actress Dolly Adair (Phyllis Brooks) of murder and becomes a media sensation. After the trial is over, Jess rushes to call her boyfriend, June Terry (Margaret Lindsay), a real estate agent on the beach. June, jealous of Dolly, is angry when Jess informs her that she plans to protect Dolly from the reporters by hiding her in her beach hut.
In San Francisco, private detective Jess Arno (William Gargan) manages to acquit actress Dolly Adair (Phyllis Brooks) of murder and becomes a media sensation. After the trial is over, Jess rushes to call her boyfriend, June Terry (Margaret Lindsay), a real estate agent on the beach. June, jealous of Dolly, is angry when Jess informs her that she plans to protect Dolly from the reporters by hiding her in her beach hut.
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