Mary Ryan, Detective (1949)
A female police detective (Marsha Hunt) enters jail to gain the confidence of a shoplifter and learn the identity of the leader of a stolen goods racket.
Watch Trailer
Cast
Similar titles
Reviews
It's an amazing and heartbreaking story.
The film's masterful storytelling did its job. The message was clear. No need to overdo.
A terrific literary drama and character piece that shows how the process of creating art can be seen differently by those doing it and those looking at it from the outside.
The film may be flawed, but its message is not.
Well written, if familiar in certain aspects, this seems like a last ditch attempt at a film detective series as most of them were going by the way of radio serials. Marsha Hunt gives her all to this enjoyable B thriller where she pretends to be a professional shoplifter to infiltrate a gang of organized shoplifters, so crass that they use a child to swipe merchandise out of a jewelry store. Hunt's Mary Ryan, easily infiltrates the gang, but the threat of being recognized by one of the women she previously questioned (June Vincent) threatens to expose her.Hunt, a forgotten leading lady that managed to last longer than most in the business as an aging supporting actor, is simply fine, and the script is excellent as well. Unlike other films in this genre, the film doesn't resort to clichéd dialog or supporting characters, with the gang created as very clever and certainly a dangerous foe to be concerned about. Every detail is planned out and plotted perfectly, showing once again that sometimes the best films were the second features, given A's as ratings while on a B budget. Just be careful that when you unstuff your turkey, you check the dressing for diamonds!