Trapped by Boston Blackie (1948)

This movie is the proof that the world is becoming a sick and dumb place

the audience applauded

That was an excellent one.

Don't listen to the negative reviews

The disguises for Chester Morris and George E. Stone are getting a workout on this late entry, certainly past its prime. With film noir having caught on, the old form of detective story just didn't hold up as well, especially with the typical corny humor of Stone and dumb police sidekick Frank Sully. This one deals with the theft of pearls at a swell society party and Morris's determination to keep police lieutenant Richard Lane off his case. Morris and Stone strive for laughs in drag, and when Morris picks up a woman's hat and proclaims "Gay!", it means something else today than probably what the writer intended. June Vincent, Patricia Barry and Fay Baker give the feminine touch, and for me, it was the first chance to see future soap queen Barry in an early film role. The tiresome efforts, though, to keep the series alive are obvious, and a few traits of film noir are prevalent, if not obvious. Morris maintains the character's fun, wisecracking nature, but the series seems stagnant, and no crime doctor can cure that.

Much as I like Chester Morris and the Boston Blackie series, when you see these films in close proximity to one another, the formula becomes a little bit of a bore.Blackie (Morris) and The Runt (George E. Stone) are given the assignment of guarding a woman who is wearing her very expensive pearls at a party. Guess what. They're stolen and Inspector Farraday (Richard Lane) and company blame Blackie. So he has to clear himself by finding them.There were some cute scenes in this film, the best when Blackie with a mustache goes to a dance school to take lessons. He's hilarious, talking about from the time he was so high - no, this high, he's wanted to dance. "I'm a bird in a cage," he says. "Dancing will release me." June Vincent is a beautiful blonde who gives the film some real class - she really should have had a better career in films. She never moved up from the Bs. She moved into television in the '50s and did very well.I never understand how Farraday can't see right through all those disguises, but I guess you have to go along with the illusion of film.Morris gives the film a light, relaxed touch, and thank goodness because he keeps these movies going. This particular film is okay, worth seeing for Blackie trying to infiltrate his way into the dance studio and for seeing them pose as husband and wife - a riot.This was George E. Stone's last appearance as The Runt.

Seymour Friedman directs this the twelfth in Columbia Picutre's "Boston Blackie" series. Horatio "Boston Blackie" Black(Chester Morris)is assigned to protect a priceless pearl necklace that a socialite intends to show off at a swanky party. The private dick officially assigned to guard the necklace is found dead and the baubles are nowhere to be found. Now "Blackie" is on the spot; he must locate the real crook before he is arrested on suspicion. His reputation and life may be at stake. Atmospheric crime tale. Great photography. Also among the players: George E. Stone, Richard Lane, June Vincent, Frank Sully, Patricia Barry, and Sarah Shelby.

The plot for this film was extremely similar to another Columbia Pictures detective series film, THE LONE WOLF STRIKES. Considering how many Lone Wolf and Boston Blackie films the studio made, it's not particularly surprising that some of the story ideas got recycled and reworked. Both films involved an ex-jewel thief (the leads of both series) going to a society party where an expensive pearl necklace was stolen. And, since I'd seen both films only a few weeks apart, it sure felt like a case of Déjà Vu! Despite these similarities, this film is pretty good on its own and I especially liked it when Blackie and Runt dressed as husband and wife. Runt really looked convincing as a middle-aged woman. Considering that unlike the Lone Wolf, the Saint and the Falcon, Blackie never chased women in the films, this might explain a lot! Despite some very funny moments, the rest of the film is very formulaic--once again the idiot inspector and his super-moronic sidekick suspect Blackie--even though in all the other films dozen or so films they also suspected him but in the end he turned out to be working for law and order. Because of this, I really can't score the film any higher than a 7.