The Notorious Lone Wolf

Last updated
The Notorious Lone Wolf
The notorious lone wolf poster.jpg
Theatrical release poster
Directed by D. Ross Lederman
Screenplay by Martin Berkeley
Edward Dein
Story byWilliam J. Bowers
Based on Lone Wolf
by Louis Joseph Vance
Produced by Ted Richmond
Starring Gerald Mohr
Janis Carter
Eric Blore
Cinematography Burnett Guffey
Edited by Richard Fantl
Music by Mischa Bakaleinikoff
Production
company
Distributed byColumbia Pictures
Release date
  • February 1946 (1946-02)
Running time
64 minutes
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish

The Notorious Lone Wolf is a 1946 American mystery film directed by D. Ross Lederman and starring Gerald Mohr, Janis Carter and Eric Blore. It is the twelfth Lone Wolf film produced by Columbia Pictures. The picture features Mohr in his inaugural performance as the protagonist detective Lone Wolf alongside Janis Carter and Ian Wolfe as Adam Wainwright, the film's antagonist. The screenplay was written by Martin Berkeley, Edward Dein, and William J. Bowers.

Contents

The film centres on former jewel looter Michael Lanyard, also known by his alias "Lone Wolf", aiming to clear his name after he is accused of murdering a bar dancer. At the same time, he races to retrieve a stolen piece of jewellery. Filming took place in October and November 1945. The Notorious Lone Wolf was theatrically released in the United States in February 1946. It was followed by The Lone Wolf in Mexico , in 1947. [1]

Plot

Having left the Army, reformed jewel thief and current detective Michael Lanyard (Gerald Mohr), or the Lone Wolf, returns to New York from England to find his lover Carla Winter (Janis Carter). On the way, he is tipped off by Inspector Crane (William Davidson) of the looting of the Shalimar, a diamond co-owned by the Prince of Rapur (Olaf Hytten) and Lal Bara (John Abbott). It is revealed that the jewel thief is Stonely (Don Beddoe), owner of a bar.

Meanwhile, Winter's sister Rita (Adelle Roberts) requests Lanyard's help. Her husband, Dick Hale (Robert Scott), has been cheating on his wife and is having an intimate affair with Lilli (Virginia Hunter), a performer at Stonely's bar. The Lone Wolf and Hale go to the bar together, only to find Lilli murdered. Lanyard is pinpointed by the suspicious police as the perpetrator. He manages to escape and sets out to find the mastermind. Disguised as the Rapurian prince, Lanyard meets jeweller Adam Wainwright (Ian Wolfe), who promises to retrieve the stolen Shalimar in exchange for a promised reward.

Lanyard quickly receives news from Wainwright that he has found the looted piece of jewellery. However, it is swiped away by Stonely when Lanyard meets Wainwright at the latter's shop. The Lone Wolf alerts the police; both Stonely and Wainwright are caught, with the jeweller being found guilty of murdering Lilli. Lanyard returns home to Winter but their residence catches fire halfway into their love-making so as to end the intimacy in accordance with the prevailing censorship of the time.

Cast

Production

After a sickly Warren William decided to discontinue playing the title character Lone Wolf, Gerald Mohr was roped in by Columbia Pictures, the production company and the distributor, to replace William. [2] Mohr had previously acted as a minor figure in One Dangerous Night (1943), the ninth Lone Wolf film. [3] Eric Blore continued playing Lanyard's butler Jamison, [4] his ninth time doing so, [5] while Janis Carter acted as Lanyard's lover. [4] A kissing scene between Carter's character and Mohr's one was described as "daring" for the time period it was made in. [6]

While still a work-in-progress, the film was referred to as The Lone Wolf on Broadway. [6] D. Ross Lederman served as director of the film. Ted Richmond was in charge of production for Columbia Pictures, while Martin Berkeley and Edward Dein wrote the screenplay based on a story by William J. Bowers. Burnett Guffey signed on as cinematographer. The set decorator was Frank Kramer. Mischa Bakaleinikoff headed the musical direction, and Richard Fantl edited the film. Principal photography officially began on October 22, 1945, and ended on November 5, 1945. [4]

Release

The Notorious Lone Wolf opened in American cinemas in February 1946. [4] A reviewer for the magazine Variety lauded the "high-polished routine material" by the "able cast". [6] In evaluating the film in his 2012 book Columbia Pictures Movie Series, 1926—1955: The Harry Cohn Years, Gene Blottner expressed disappointment at most of the cast's acting skills. He wrote that the comedy in the film was "clumsy and forced" and it was only a "so-so effort in the renewal of the Lone Wolf series." [6]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Gerald Mohr</span> American actor (1914–1968)

Gerald Mohr was an American radio, film, and television character actor and frequent leading man, who appeared in more than 500 radio plays, 73 films, and over 100 television shows.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lone Wolf (character)</span>

The Lone Wolf is the nickname of the fictional character Michael Lanyard, a jewel thief turned private detective in a series of novels written by Louis Joseph Vance (1879–1933). Many films based on and inspired by the books have been made. The character also appeared briefly on radio and television.

<i>The Lone Wolf Spy Hunt</i> 1939 film by Peter Godfrey

The Lone Wolf Spy Hunt is a 1939 American adventure film directed by Peter Godfrey and written by Jonathan Latimer. The film stars Warren William and Ida Lupino. The film was released by Columbia Pictures on January 27, 1939.

<i>Secrets of the Lone Wolf</i> 1941 film

Secrets of the Lone Wolf is a 1941 American mystery crime film directed by Edward Dmytryk and starring Warren William, Ruth Ford and Roger Clark. It is part of the series of Lone Wolf films released by Columbia Pictures. His next film was Counter-Espionage, released in 1942.

Counter-Espionage is a 1942 American comedy film directed by Edward Dmytryk. Counter-Espionage was the ninth film in Columbia's Lone Wolf series, based on characters created by Louis Joseph Vance. It is also known as The Lone Wolf in Scotland Yard. The film was followed by One Dangerous Night, released in 1943.

<i>The Lone Wolf Meets a Lady</i> 1940 film by Sidney Salkow

The Lone Wolf Meets a Lady is a 1940 American drama directed by Sidney Salkow, starring Warren William, Eric Blore and Jean Muir.

<i>The Lone Wolf in Paris</i> 1938 film by Albert S. Rogell

The Lone Wolf in Paris is a 1938 American mystery film, one of Columbia's Lone Wolf film series.

<i>The Lone Wolf in London</i> 1947 film by Leslie Goodwins

The Lone Wolf in London is a 1947 American mystery crime film directed by Leslie Goodwins and starring Gerald Mohr, Nancy Saunders and Eric Blore. The picture features the fictional Scotland Yard detective the Lone Wolf who travels to London, and solves the mystery of some missing jewels. It was the penultimate Lone Wolf film, followed by The Lone Wolf and His Lady in 1949, and the last for Mohr in the lead role.

<i>Passport to Suez</i> 1943 film by André de Toth

Passport to Suez is the 20th film featuring the Lone Wolf character. It was the eleventh of fifteen in the Columbia Pictures series, and the last to star Warren William as the lead character, a jewel thief turned private detective. The Lone Wolf battles Nazi spies in Egypt in World War II. The character's next film was The Notorious Lone Wolf.

<i>The Lone Wolf in Mexico</i> 1947 film by D. Ross Lederman

The Lone Wolf in Mexico is a 1947 American black-and-white mystery-adventure film directed by D. Ross Lederman for Columbia Pictures. It features Gerald Mohr as the title character, detective Lone Wolf. Chronologically the third-to-last Lone Wolf film in Columbia's theatrical series, it was followed by The Lone Wolf in London later in 1947 and The Lone Wolf and His Lady in 1949.

<i>One Dangerous Night</i> 1943 film by Michael Gordon

One Dangerous Night (1943) is the tenth Lone Wolf film produced by Columbia Pictures. It features Warren William in his seventh and second-to-last performance as the protagonist jewel thief turned detective the Lone Wolf, and Warren Ashe as Sidney Shaw, the film's antagonist. The film was directed by Michael Gordon and written by Arnold Phillips, Max Nosseck, and Donald Davis.

<i>The Lone Wolf and His Lady</i> 1949 film by John Hoffman

The Lone Wolf and His Lady is a 1949 American mystery film directed by John Hoffman and starring Ron Randell, June Vincent and Alan Mowbray. It is the 15th and final Lone Wolf film produced by Columbia Pictures, and was written by Edward Dein and Michael Stuart Boylan.

<i>Devil Goddess</i> 1955 American film directed by Spencer Gordon Bennet

Devil Goddess (1955) is the sixteenth and final Jungle Jim film produced by Columbia Pictures. It features Johnny Weissmuller in his third and last performance as the protagonist adventurer Johnny Weissmuller, and his final film as well. It co-starred Ed Hinton and William Tannen as the film's antagonists, Leopold and Nels Comstock, respectively. Angela Stevens also stars. The film was directed by Spencer G. Bennet and written by Dwight Babcock and George H. Plympton.

<i>The Lone Wolf Keeps a Date</i> 1940 film by Sidney Salkow

The Lone Wolf Keeps a Date is a 1940 American mystery crime film directed by Sidney Salkow and starring Warren William, Frances Robinson, Bruce Bennett and Eric Blore. It is the sixth Lone Wolf film produced by Columbia Pictures. It features William in his fourth appearance as the title character and Edward Gargan, Lester Matthews and Don Beddoe as the film's antagonists. The screenplay was written by Salkow and Earl Felton.

<i>The Lone Wolf</i> (1917 film) 1917 film by Herbert Brenon

The Lone Wolf is a 1917 American silent drama film based on the 1914 novel The Lone Wolf by Louis Joseph Vance. Starring Bert Lytell and Hazel Dawn, it was adapted for the screen by George Edwardes-Hall and produced and directed by Herbert Brenon. No prints of the film are known to survive, so it is currently classified as lost.

Charles Clague (1890–1962) was a British-born art director who worked in Hollywood films. He was employed by Columbia Pictures, during the 1940s and early 1950s.

<i>Cheaters at Play</i> 1932 film

Cheaters at Play is a 1932 American pre-Code drama film directed by Hamilton MacFadden and written by Malcolm Stuart Boylan. The film stars Thomas Meighan, Charlotte Greenwood, William Bakewell, Ralph Morgan, Barbara Weeks and Linda Watkins. The film was released on January 27, 1932, by Fox Film Corporation. The film was based on the Lone Wolf character, who appeared in many films produced by Columbia Pictures.

<i>The Lone Wolf Returns</i> (1926 film) 1926 film by Ralph Ince

The Lone Wolf Returns is a 1926 American silent mystery film directed by Ralph Ince and starring Bert Lytell, Billie Dove, and Freeman Wood. It is the first of Columbia Pictures' long-running series of Lone Wolf films.

<i>The Lone Wolf Strikes</i> 1940 film directed by Sidney Salkow

The Lone Wolf Strikes is a 1940 crime drama film directed by Sidney Salkow starring Warren William, Joan Perry, and Eric Blore.

<i>The Lone Wolf Takes a Chance</i> 1941 film directed by Sidney Salkow

The Lone Wolf Takes a Chance is a 1941 American mystery film directed by Sidney Salkow and starring Warren William, June Storey and Henry Wilcoxon. Salkow also wrote the original screenplay, along with Earl Felton, and the film was released on March 6, 1941. It is the sixth Lone Wolf film produced by Columbia Pictures, and the fourth appearance of William as the title character Lone Wolf. His next film was Secrets of the Lone Wolf, released later that year.

References

  1. ↑ Blottner, Gene (2011). "The Lone Wolf". Columbia Pictures Movie Series, 1926–1955: The Harry Cohn Years. McFarland. ISBN   9780786486724.
  2. ↑ Mayer 2012, p. 256.
  3. ↑ Hardy 1997, p. 207.
  4. 1 2 3 4 Blottner 2012, p. 248.
  5. ↑ "The Notorious Lone Wolf". The Advertiser. March 13, 1947. pp. 13–.
  6. 1 2 3 4 Blottner 2012, p. 249.

Bibliography

This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.