''Alias Boston Blackie'' (1942) is the third in a series of fourteen

Columbia Pictures Columbia Pictures Industries, Inc. is an American film production studio that is a member of the Sony Pictures Motion Picture Group, a division of Sony Pictures Entertainment, which is one of the Big Five studios and a subsidiary of the mu ...

"B" movies starring

Chester Morris John Chester Brooks Morris (February 16, 1901 – September 11, 1970) was an American stage, film, television, and radio actor. He had some prestigious film roles early in his career, and received an Academy Award nomination for ''Alibi'' ( ...

Boston Blackie 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 ...

. It was preceded by ''

Meet Boston Blackie ''Meet Boston Blackie'' is a 1941 crime film starring Chester Morris as 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 po ...

'', ''

Confessions of Boston Blackie ''Confessions of Boston Blackie'' is a 1941 American crime film directed by Edward Dmytryk and starring Chester Morris and Harriet Hilliard. A woman consigns a family heirloom to a pair of unscrupulous art dealers in order to raise money to hel ...

'' and followed by ''

Boston Blackie Goes Hollywood ''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. Plot summary Boston Blackie (Chester Morris ...

''. Once again, Blackie is suspected of committing a crime, in this instance of helping a prisoner escape.

Plot

In the Christmas spirit, Boston Blackie (

) decides to entertain the inmates at his old "alma mater" by bringing a variety show headed by clown Roggi McKay ( George McKay). Roggi drops one of his showgirls, Eve Sanders (

Adele Mara Adele Mara (born Adelaida Delgado; April 28, 1923 – May 7, 2010) was an American actress, singer, and dancer, who appeared in films during the 1940s and 1950s and on television in the 1950s and 1960s. Early years Mara was born in Highland P ...

), as she has already visited her prisoner brother, Joe Trilby (

Larry Parks Samuel Lawrence Klausman Parks (December 13, 1914 – April 13, 1975) was an American stage and film actor. His career arced from bit player and supporting roles to top billing, before it was virtually ended when he admitted to having once been ...

), the maximum allowed number of times that month. However, Blackie kindheartedly lets her tag along. Inspector Farraday ( Richard Lane) and Detective Joe Mathews (

Walter Sande Walter Sande (July 9, 1906 – November 22, 1971) was an American character actor, known for numerous supporting film and television roles. Films Born in Denver, Colorado, he was one of those stern, heavyset character actors in Hollywood no p ...

) unexpectedly join the group on the bus, just to keep an eye on Blackie. When Joe manages to escape from the prison, by tying Roggi up and putting on his costume and makeup, Farraday suspects Blackie helped him. Blackie heads to Eve's apartment. Sure enough, Joe shows up soon afterward. Joe claims he is innocent and that Duke Banton and someone named Steve got him to drive them to the crime scene without telling him why. When the robbery was foiled, they fled, leaving him behind. Now he wants to kill the pair, regardless of the consequences. Joe takes Blackie's suit and ties him up. Eve eventually arrives and frees him. Blackie and his sidekick "the Runt" (

George E. Stone George E. Stone (born Gerschon Lichtenstein; May 18, 1903 – May 26, 1967) was a Polish-born American character actor in films, radio, and television. Life and career Stone was born Gerschon Lichtenstein in Łódź, Congress Poland, into ...

) head to Duke Banton's place, but arrive too late and find only a dead body. Then Joe enters. He claims he did not kill Banton. When the police surround the building, Blackie has Joe switch places with Banton after Farraday has examined the corpse. The "body" is taken away in an ambulance. Blackie is taken into custody, but manages to victimize Detective Mathews, putting on his uniform to get away. From information provided by Jumbo Madigan (

Cy Kendall Cyrus Willard Kendall (March 10, 1898 – July 22, 1953) was an American film actor. He appeared in more than 140 films between 1935 and 1950. Kendall's heavy-set, square-jawed appearance and deep voice were perfect for wiseguy roles such ...

), Blackie figures out that the other robber was taxi driver Steve Caveroni (

Paul Fix Peter Paul Fix (March 13, 1901 – October 14, 1983) was an American film and television character actor who was best known for his work in Westerns. Fix appeared in more than 100 movies and dozens of television shows over a 56-year career be ...

). He has Eve pose as a fare to lure Caveroni to Banton's hotel room. Caveroni feels he is in control of the situation as he has a gun, so Blackie has little trouble getting him to confess he killed his partner (Banton was trying to flee, leaving Caveroni to take the blame) and that Joe is innocent. Farraday and his policemen eavesdrop through the door. Once he realizes he is trapped, Caveroni makes a break for it, but is shot dead.

Cast

Lloyd Bridges Lloyd Vernet Bridges Jr. (January 15, 1913 – March 10, 1998) was an American film, stage and television actor who starred in a number of television series and appeared in more than 150 feature films. He was the father of four children, includi ...

plays the uncredited bus driver.

References

External links

* * * * {{Lew Landers 1942 films 1940s Christmas films 1940s crime films American black-and-white films Columbia Pictures films American Christmas films Films directed by Lew Landers American crime films Boston Blackie films 1940s American films