Confessions of Boston Blackie

Last updated

Confessions of Boston Blackie
Confessions of Boston Blackie FilmPoster.jpeg
Film poster
Directed by Edward Dmytryk
Written byJack Boyle
Paul Yawitz
Jay Dratler
Produced by William Berke
Starring Chester Morris
Harriet Hilliard
Richard Lane
George E. Stone
Cinematography Philip Tannura
Edited byGene Milford
Music byM. W. Stoloff
Distributed by Columbia Pictures
Release date
  • December 8, 1941 (1941-12-08)
Running time
65 minutes
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish

Confessions of Boston Blackie is a 1941 American mystery crime film directed by Edward Dmytryk and starring Chester Morris, Harriet Hilliard and Richard Lane. [1] A woman consigns a family heirloom to a pair of unscrupulous art dealers in order to raise money to help her sick brother. This film is the second in the series of 14 Columbia Pictures Boston Blackie films, [2] all starring Morris as the reformed crook. It was preceded by Meet Boston Blackie (1941) and followed by Alias Boston Blackie (1942).

Contents

Plot

Diane Parrish is impatient for the sale of her statue of Augustus Caesar, as she needs the money to help her sick brother. Joe Buchanan, one of the art dealers handling the auction, asks her to stay away, claiming that an emotional attachment to the work might cause her to make a scene. She shows up anyway, and notices that the statue is not hers, but a fake. When Buchanan pulls out a gun to silence her, Boston Blackie spots him and fires his own pistol. Parrish is only grazed, but Buchanan accidentally kills his partner and the replica's sculptor, Eric Allison.

When Police Inspector Farraday arrives, he automatically assumes that Blackie is guilty and takes him into custody. Buchanan hides in the hollow fake statue. Then when the coast is clear, he puts Allison's body (and the incriminating bullet) inside and makes his escape. The replica is purchased by Blackie's wealthy friend, Arthur Manleder. Despite lacking a corpse, Farraday keeps Blackie in jail, but not for long. Blackie switches places with an ice cream man and escapes.

He goes to see Diane in the hospital to obtain information. To get in undetected, he once again appropriates the unlucky ice cream man's uniform and pretends to be Diane's doctor. When he learns why she needs the money so badly, he arranges for his assistant, the "Runt", to masquerade as an insurance adjuster to give her $6000 he borrowed from Manleder. The money had initially been intended to pay off a blackmailing Mona, who claims she is Blackie's wife. When Mona shows up and demands the money, Diane realizes that Blackie is her benefactor.

Buchanan arranges to buy the statue from an unsuspecting Manleder. Blackie learns about it, and sees a way to unravel the mystery. He follows the movers back to their lair. Sneaking inside, he overpowers Caulder, one of Buchanan's henchmen. However, Buchanan returns, with Diane as his prisoner, resulting a Mexican standoff. Meanwhile, both Manleder and the Runt are picked up by the police. Farraday has them released, hoping they will lead him to their friend. The Runt is too experienced to be taken in, but Manleder does return to the crooks' secret underground workshop, where they copy artworks. In the ensuing gunfight, Buchanan is killed, but the shots destroy the electrical circuits controlling the only way in, trapping them all in the soundproof chamber. Blackie comes up with the idea to start a fire in the ventilation shaft, and firemen arrive to let them out.

Cast

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Boston Blackie</span> Fictional character created by author Jack Boyle

Boston Blackie is a fictional character created by author Jack Boyle (1881–1928). Blackie, a jewel thief and safecracker in Boyle's stories, became a detective in adaptations for films, radio and television—an "enemy to those who make him an enemy, friend to those who have no friend."

<i>Follow the Fleet</i> 1936 film by Mark Sandrich

Follow the Fleet is a 1936 American RKO musical comedy film with a nautical theme starring Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers in their fifth collaboration as dance partners. It also features Randolph Scott, Harriet Hilliard, and Astrid Allwyn, with music and lyrics by Irving Berlin. Lucille Ball and Betty Grable also appear, in supporting roles. The film was directed by Mark Sandrich with script by Allan Scott and Dwight Taylor based on the 1922 play Shore Leave by Hubert Osborne.

<i>The Chance of a Lifetime</i> (1943 film) 1943 film by William Castle

The Chance of a Lifetime is a 1943 crime drama starring Chester Morris, Erik Rolf and Jeanne Bates. It is one of 14 films made by Columbia Pictures involving detective Boston Blackie, a criminal-turned-crime solver. This was the sixth in the series and one of three that did not have his name in the title. The film is also William Castle's directorial debut. As with many of the films of the period, this was a flag waver to support America's efforts during World War II.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Richard Lane (announcer)</span> American actor and television announcer (1899–1982)

Richard Lane, sometimes known as Dick Lane, was an American actor and television announcer/presenter. In movies, he played assured, fast-talking slickers: usually press agents, policemen and detectives, sometimes swindlers and frauds. He is perhaps best known to movie fans as "Inspector Farraday" in the Boston Blackie mystery-comedies. Lane also played Faraday in the first radio version of Boston Blackie, which ran on NBC from June 23, 1944 to September 15, 1944. Lane was an early arrival on television, first as a news reporter and then as a sports announcer, broadcasting wrestling and roller derby shows on KTLA-TV, mainly from the Olympic Auditorium in Los Angeles.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">George E. Stone</span> Polish-American actor (1903–1967)

George E. Stone was a Polish-born American character actor in films, radio, and television.

<i>Meet Boston Blackie</i> 1941 film by Robert Florey

Meet Boston Blackie is a 1941 American mystery crime film directed by Robert Florey starring Chester Morris, Rochelle Hudson, Richard Lane. Morris plays Boston Blackie, a notorious, but honorable jewel thief. Although the character had been the hero of a number of silent films, this was the first talking picture. It proved popular enough for Columbia Pictures to produce a total of fourteen B movies, all starring Morris. The next film in the sequence was Confessions of Boston Blackie.

<i>Kiss and Make-Up</i> 1934 film by Harlan Thompson

Kiss and Make-Up is a 1934 romantic comedy film starring Cary Grant as a doctor who specializes in making women beautiful. Genevieve Tobin and Helen Mack play his romantic entanglements. The film was based on the play Kozmetika by István Békeffy. All of the WAMPAS Baby Stars of 1934 were cast in roles in the film.

<i>The Desperadoes</i> 1943 film by Charles Vidor

The Desperadoes is a 1943 American Western film directed by Charles Vidor and starring Randolph Scott, Claire Trevor, Glenn Ford, Evelyn Keyes and Edgar Buchanan. Based on a story by Max Brand, the film is about a wanted outlaw who arrives in town to rob a bank that has already been held up. His past and his friendship with the sheriff land them both in trouble. The Desperadoes was the first Columbia Pictures production to be released in Technicolor.

Boston Blackie Goes Hollywood is a 1942 American crime film, fourth of the fourteen Boston Blackie films of the 1940s Columbia's series of B pictures based on Jack Boyle's pulp-fiction character.

<i>Alias Boston Blackie</i> 1942 film

Alias Boston Blackie (1942) is the third in a series of fourteen Columbia Pictures "B" movies starring Chester Morris as Boston Blackie. It was preceded by Meet Boston Blackie, Confessions of Boston Blackie and followed by Boston Blackie Goes Hollywood. Once again, Blackie is suspected of committing a crime, in this instance of helping a prisoner escape.

<i>After Midnight with Boston Blackie</i> 1943 film by Lew Landers

After Midnight with Boston Blackie is a 1943 crime film directed by Lew Landers. It is the fifth of a series of 14 Columbia Pictures films starring Chester Morris as Boston Blackie. When a recently paroled friend of Boston Blackie is killed, he finds himself once again the prime suspect of Police Inspector Farraday.

One Mysterious Night is a 1944 crime film, the seventh in a Columbia Pictures series of fourteen starring Chester Morris as reformed crook Boston Blackie. It was preceded by The Chance of a Lifetime and followed by Boston Blackie Booked on Suspicion. Blackie is called upon to recover a stolen diamond.

<i>Boston Blackie Booked on Suspicion</i> 1945 film by Arthur Dreifuss

Boston Blackie Booked on Suspicion is the eighth of 14 Columbia Pictures B movies starring Chester Morris as reformed thief Boston Blackie.

<i>Boston Blackie and the Law</i> 1946 film by D. Ross Lederman

Boston Blackie and the Law is the twelfth of fourteen Columbia Pictures films starring Chester Morris as reformed crook Boston Blackie.

<i>A Close Call for Boston Blackie</i> 1946 film by Lew Landers

A Close Call for Boston Blackie is a 1946 American crime film directed by Lew Landers. It is the 10th of 14 Columbia Pictures films starring Chester Morris as Boston Blackie.

<i>Take It Big</i> 1944 film by Frank McDonald

Take It Big is a 1944 American comedy film directed by Frank McDonald and written by Howard J. Green and Joe Bigelow. The film stars Jack Haley, Harriet Hilliard, Mary Beth Hughes, Richard Lane, Arline Judge and Fritz Feld. Also featured is Hilliard's husband in real life, bandleader Ozzie Nelson.

<i>Boston Blackies Chinese Venture</i> 1949 film directed by Seymour Friedman

Boston Blackie's Chinese Venture is a 1949 mystery film directed by Seymour Friedman, starring Chester Morris. This was the last of Columbia's 14 Boston Blackie pictures (1941–49).

<i>Boston Blackies Rendezvous</i> 1945 film directed by Arthur Dreifuss

Boston Blackie's Rendezvous is a 1945 American crime film directed by Arthur Dreifuss. The working title of this film was Surprise in the Night.

<i>Trapped by Boston Blackie</i> 1948 film directed by Seymour Friedman

Trapped by Boston Blackie is a 1948 American crime drama directed by Seymour Friedman. It is the thirteenth of fourteen Columbia Pictures films starring Chester Morris as reformed crook Boston Blackie, and the final film with George E. Stone as his sidekick, "The Runt".

<i>Boston Blackies Little Pal</i> 1918 film directed by E. Mason Hopper

Boston Blackie's Little Pal is a 1918 American silent drama film, directed by E. Mason Hopper. It stars Bert Lytell, Rhea Mitchell, and Rosemary Theby, and was released on August 26, 1918.

References

  1. Hal Erickson (2012). "Confessions of Boston Blackie". Movies & TV Dept. The New York Times . Baseline & All Movie Guide. Archived from the original on November 4, 2012. Retrieved May 2, 2011.
  2. "Confessions of Boston Blackie". TCM. Retrieved March 24, 2012.