Meet Boston Blackie ** (1941, Chester Morris, Rochelle Hudson, Richard Lane, Charles Wagenheim) – Classic Movie Review 11,215

‘SPIES STALK CONEY ISLAND!’

Director Robert Florey’s 1941 Columbia Pictures black and white crime film Meet Boston Blackie stars Chester Morris in the first of his 14 B-movies (1941–1949) as the notorious but honorable jewel thief Boston Blackie.

Charles Wagenheim co-stars as Blackie’s assistant The Runt, though George E Stone plays him in the subsequent 13 films. Richard Lane also co-stars as Blackie’s friendly nemesis, police Inspector Faraday, along with Rochelle Hudson as Cecelia Bradley.

Boston Blackie (Morris) is returning to New York City from Europe on an ocean liner, and discovers deposited in his suite the body of the man who had bothered fellow passenger Marilyn Howard (Constance Worth), and the trail leads to fair performer the Mechanical Man (Michael Rand), Coney Island and a spy ring.

Boston Blackie features in a number of silent films but this was his first talkie.

Jay Dratler’s story and screenplay are based on the character created by Jack Boyle. Blackie, a jewel thief and safecracker in Boyle’s stories, became a detective in adaptations for films, radio and TV. A Boston Blackie radio series – also starring Chester Morris – aired on NBC from June 23 to September 15 1944.

It runs a mere 60 minutes.

The cast are Chester Morris as Boston Blackie, Rochelle Hudson as Cecelia Bradley, Richard Lane as Inspector Faraday, Charles Wagenheim as Blackie’s assistant The Runt, Constance Worth as Marilyn Howard, Jack O’Malley as Monk, George Magrill as Georgie, Michael Rand as the Mechanical Man and American sideshow performer Schlitzie [Schlitze Surtees] as Princess Bibi.

Schlitzie (September 10, 1901 – September 24, 1971).

Schlitzie is best known for his role in the 1932 movie Freaks and as a major sideshow attraction with Barnum & Bailey and others.

The Columbia Pictures series films are Meet Boston Blackie (1941), Confessions of Boston Blackie (1941), Alias Boston Blackie (1942), Boston Blackie Goes Hollywood (1942), After Midnight with Boston Blackie (1943), The Chance of a Lifetime (1943), One Mysterious Night (1944), Boston Blackie Booked on Suspicion (1945), Boston Blackie’s Rendezvous (1945), A Close Call for Boston Blackie (1946), The Phantom Thief (1946), Boston Blackie and the Law (1946), Trapped by Boston Blackie (1948), and Boston Blackie’s Chinese Venture (1949).

© Derek Winnert 2021 Classic Movie Review 11,215

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