The Lone Wolf Takes a Chance *** (1941, Warren William, June Storey, Henry Wilcoxon) Classic Movie Review 13,036

‘Pursuit in a Pullman… Drama in a deserted house… Action in an airplane!’ The 1941 American black and white crime mystery thriller film The Lone Wolf Takes a Chance stars Warren William as Michael Lanyard, The Lone Wolf.

‘Mad ADVENTURE! Gay INTRIGUE!’ ‘The Lone Wolf can take it…if it isn’t nailed down!’

Director Sidney Salkow’s 1941 American black and white crime mystery thriller film The Lone Wolf Takes a Chance stars Warren William as Michael Lanyard, The Lone Wolf.

Also in the cast are Eric Blore as Jamison, June Storey as Gloria Foster, Henry Wilcoxon as Frank Jordan, Thurston Hall as Inspector Crane, Evalyn Knapp as Evelyn Jordan, Don Beddoe as Sheriff Haggerty, Fred A Kelsey, Regis Toomey, William Forrest, Walter Kingsford, Ben Taggart, Ernie Adams and Lloyd Bridges.

The Lone Wolf (Warren William) gets in trouble with the law when he follows a counterfeit case, which is ironic because he has promised Inspector Crane’s that he will keep out of trouble for 24 hours. The contemporary newspaper ad takes up the story and tells it all: ‘Pursuit in a Pullman… Drama in a deserted house… Action in an airplane!’

The Lone Wolf Takes a Chance is a slightly above par-for-the-course entry in the Columbia Pictures Lone Wolf series of B-movie adventures that ran from the mid-30s through to 1949. Regular star William is all debonair, practised elegance as the Robin Hood-style rogue, suspected of murder, embroiled with forgers and battling the villains in a bullish, speeding train finale.

It is a satisfying, fast-moving episode with good dialogue and fine character actor playing.

Salkow also wrote the screenplay with Earl Felton.

The film was released on March 6, 1941.

It is Columbia Pictures’ sixth Lone Wolf film and William’s fourth appearance of nine as the Lone Wolf.

It is followed by Secrets of the Lone Wolf (1941).

The cast are Warren William as Michael Lanyard (The Lone Wolf), June Storey as Gloria Foster, Henry Wilcoxon as Frank Jordan, Eric Blore as Jamison, Thurston Hall as Inspector Crane, Don Beddoe as Sheriff Haggerty, Evalyn Knapp as Evelyn Jordan, Fred Kelsey as Dickens, William Forrest as Vic Hilton, Walter Kingsford as Dr Hooper Tupman, Lloyd Bridges as Johnny Baker, Ben Taggart as Conductor, Richard Fiske as Brakeman, and Regis Toomey as Wallace.

It is the first credited film role for Lloyd Bridges.

Release date: March 6, 1941 (US).

Running time: 73 minutes.

The Lone Wolf sound films:

The Lone Wolf’s Daughter (1929)Last of the Lone Wolf (1930)Cheaters at Play (1932)The Lone Wolf Returns (1935)The Lone Wolf in Paris (1938)The Lone Wolf Spy Hunt (1939), The Lone Wolf Strikes (1940), The Lone Wolf Meets a Lady (1940), The Lone Wolf Keeps a Date (1941), The Lone Wolf Takes a Chance (1941), Secrets of the Lone Wolf (1941), Counter-Espionage (1942)One Dangerous Night (1943)Passport to Suez (1943)The Notorious Lone Wolf (1946)The Lone Wolf in Mexico (1947)The Lone Wolf in London (1947)The Lone Wolf and His Lady (1949).

© Derek Winnert 2024 – Classic Movie Review 13,036

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