The Lone Wolf Spy Hunt *** (1939, Warren William, Ida Lupino, Rita Hayworth) – Classic Movie Review 6844

Warren William takes over as Michael Lanyard in the first and finest of his nine stabs at the Lone Wolf character, with a screen play by Jonathan Latimer, based on a story by Louis Joseph Vance).

The Lone Wolf is abducted by a group of foreign agents, who are after Washington World War Two wartime secrets, the plans for an anti-aircraft gun, in director Peter Godfrey’s tense and amusing 1939 comedy thriller.

As well as the excellent Warren William, who makes the role his own, the lovely cast of Ida Lupino as Lanyard’s rich girlfriend Val Carson, Rita Hayworth as spy Karen, Virginia Weidler as Lanyard’s young daughter Patricia, Ralph Morgan as Spiro, and Leonard Carey as Lanyard’s manservant Jameson, the witty screenplay by Jonathan Latimer and the breakneck pace make this a highly enjoyable adventure.

Also in the cast are Don Beddoe as Inspector Thomas, Tom Dugan as Sergeant Devan, Leonard Carey as Jameson, Ben Welden as Jenks, Brandon Tynan as Senator Carson, Helen Lynd as Marie Templeton and Irving Bacon.

The Lone Wolf Spy Hunt (aka The Lone Wolf’s Daughter) is directed by Peter Godfrey, runs 71 minutes, was released by Columbia Pictures on 27 January 1939, is written by Jonathan Latimer, based on a story by Louis Joseph Vance, is shot in black and white by Allen G Siegler, is produced by Joseph Sistrom, and is scored by Joseph Nussbaum and Morris W Stoloff.

Warren William took over as The Lone Wolf in The Lone Wolf Spy Hunt (1939), making the role his own in a run of nine movies that ended with Passport to Suez (1943).

© Derek Winnert 2018 Classic Movie Review 6844

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