''A Man Betrayed'' is a 1936 American comedy crime drama film directed by

John H. Auer John H. Auer (August 3, 1906 in Budapest, Hungary – March 15, 1975 in North Hollywood, Los Angeles) was a Hungarian-born child actor who, on coming to the Americas in 1928, became a movie director and producer, initially in Mexico but, from th ...

Plot summary

Frank Powell (

Edward J. Nugent Edward James Nugent (February 7, 1904 – January 3, 1995) was an American film and stage actor. Biography Born in 1904 in New York City, Nugent appeared in more than 80 films between 1928 and 1937. He subsequently had a second acting career o ...

) works selling stock for an oil well. When a client comes to him with a letter from her nephew saying the well is a scam Powell becomes concerned and confronts his 3 bosses Carlton, Richards, and Burns. Feeling he is not getting straight answers he decides to fly immediately to Miami to investigate the wells. Worried Powell might find out the truth that Carlton, Richards and Burns used the investors money to play the stock market, Carlton commits suicide by shooting himself after recording a confession on his Dictaphone. Wanting the $100,000 life insurance Richards and Burns hire Tony Maroc and his gang to set up Carlton's body in Powell's apartment to make it look as if he's been murdered. Powell gets arrested as soon as his plane lands and is tried and found guilty of murder. While being moved to the penitentiary to await execution Powell escapes when the kleptomaniac Gabby, a member of Sparks gang, whom he is handcuffed to breaks out. Powell goes to Burns apartment and threatens him and Richards with a gun. Powell's brother Reverend Curtis ( Lloyd Hughes) shows up and together they flee the police and head to Sparks headquarters; a boxing gym. The Police show up and to avoid suspicion Curtis poses as a boxer and knocks out the champion, Roundhouse. His jaw now broken Roundhouse can no longer participate in the upcoming boxing match which Sparks ( John Wray) has bet Tony $4000 on. Sparks tells Curtis he is to take Roundhouses place. If he loses Sparks turns Frank over to the police. However, if he wins Sparks will pay Curtis $500. Hiding out at the boxing gym Curtis goes into training. Tony becomes worried Curtis will easily win the fight and gets his girlfriend to chase after Curtis hoping to distract him from his training. When that doesn't work Tony finds out Curtis, who is now wanted for aiding a criminal, is Franks brother and has him arrested. Sparks decides to prove Franks innocents so Curtis will be set free. Sparks, his gang, and Frank go to Franks old apartment to investigate. Sparks proves Carlton couldn't have been shot in the apartment after he shoots of his gun and the neighbors come running. The group then heads to Carlton's old office. While looking around investigators from the insurance company show up saying they're investigating Franks innocents. They allow the gang to continue searching the office after being told they are "crime experts'. On the desk they find marks from where a knife has repeatedly been tossed into the top which leads them to Smokey, a member of Tony's gang who compulsively tosses a knife into wood surfaces. Sparks and 2 of his men interrogate Smokey until he confesses. Richard and Burns begin to move Carlton's things out of his office when they find the Dictaphone roll in which he confesses his guilt and suicide. Richards breaks it to pieces right before 2 policemen show up to arrest the men for Carlton's murder. Richards says Carlton committed suicide to which the police tell him to prove it.

Cast

as Frank Powell *

Kay Hughes Kay Hughes (born Catherine Mary Hughes; January 16, 1914 – April 4, 1998) was an American actress in the 1930s and 1940s who appeared mainly in Western films and serials. Biography Hughes was born in Los Angeles, California. When she was a ...

as Marjorie Norton * Lloyd Hughes as Curtis Powell * John Wray as Sparks * Edwin Maxwell as Richards *

Theodore von Eltz Theodore von Eltz (November 5, 1893 – October 6, 1964) was an American film actor, appearing in more than 200 films between 1915 and 1957. He was the father of actress Lori March. Von Eltz was a Yale University professor's son. After 12 ...

as Burns *

Thomas E. Jackson Thomas E. Jackson (July 4, 1886 – September 7, 1967) was an American stage and screen actor. His 67-year career spanned eight decades and two centuries, during which time he appeared in over a dozen Broadway plays, produced two others, acted i ...

as Detective Ryan * William Newell as Gabby *

Smiley Burnette Lester Alvin Burnett (March 18, 1911 – February 16, 1967), better known as Smiley Burnette, was an American country music performer and a comedic actor in Western films and on radio and TV, playing sidekick to Gene Autry, Roy Rogers, and ...

as Hillbilly *

Christine Maple Christine Maple (born Christine Raphael; November 16, 1912 – January 13, 1947) was an American actress in the 1930s who appeared in Western films and serials. Biography Maple was born in Belle Plaine, Kansas. Her parents divorced and she liv ...

as Helen Vincent * John Hamilton as Mr. Carlton *

Ralf Harolde Ralf Harolde (born Ralph Harold Wigger, May 17, 1899 – November 11, 1974) was an American character actor who often played gangsters. Between 1920 and 1963, he appeared in 99 films, including '' Smart Money'' with Edward G. Robinson and ...

as Tony Maroc *Grace Durkin as Gertrude *

Carleton Young Captain Carleton Scott Young (October 21, 1905 – November 7, 1994) was an American character actor who was known for his deep voice. Early years Born in Fulton, Oswego, New York, Young was the second and only surviving child of St ...

as Henchman Smokey *Mary Bovard as Apartment House Tenant

External links

* * {{DEFAULTSORT:Man Betrayed 1936 films 1930s English-language films American black-and-white films 1936 comedy-drama films Republic Pictures films Films directed by John H. Auer Films produced by Nat Levine American comedy-drama films 1930s American films