''I Take This Oath'' is a 1940 American

crime drama film In ordinary language, a crime is an unlawful act punishable by a state or other authority. The term ''crime'' does not, in modern criminal law, have any simple and universally accepted definition,Farmer, Lindsay: "Crime, definitions of", in Can ...

directed by

Sam Newfield Sam Newfield, born Samuel Neufeld, (December 6, 1899 - November 10, 1964), also known as Sherman Scott or Peter Stewart, was an American B-movie Film director, director, one of the most prolific in American film history—he is credited with d ...

under the pseudonym of Sherman Scott. Featuring Gordon Jones and

Joyce Compton Olivia Joyce Compton (January 27, 1907 – October 13, 1997) was an American actress. Biography Compton was born in Lexington, Kentucky, the daughter of Henry and Golden Compton. (Despite frequent reports to the contrary, her name was not ...

, it was the first release by

Producers Releasing Corporation Producers Releasing Corporation was the smallest and least prestigious of the Hollywood film studios of the 1940s. It was considered a prime example of what was called "Poverty Row": a low-rent stretch of Gower Street in Hollywood where shoest ...

. In 1952, Pictorial Films reissued it for television showings as ''Police Rookie''.

Plot

Police officer Mike Hanagan (Robert Homans) attempts to expose a fraudulent official who works with a gang of racketeers, but the official has Hanagan murdered. Hanagan's son Steve (Gordon Jones) decides to avenge his father, and at the suggestion of his girlfriend Betty Casey (Joyce Compton) he joins the police force. Under the instruction of Daniel Casey (Guy Usher), Betty's father, Steve begins learning how to be an officer. However, as he has become so dedicated to finding his father's murderer, he begins to fall behind on his law studies, and due to his poor grades he is dismissed from the force. Steve believes he has found the clue that points to his friend Joe Kelly's (Craig Reynolds) uncle Jim Kelly (Sam Flint) being the murderer. When Jim hears that Steve suspects him, he decides that Steve must be killed. A struggle ensues between Steve and Jim, and a bullet is fired at Steve but Joe is hit instead and Steve then shoots Jim. Impressed, Casey returns to allow Steve back onto the police force.

Cast

* Gordon Jones as Steve Hanagan *

as Betty Casey * Craig Reynolds as Joe Kelly *

J. Farrell MacDonald John Farrell MacDonald (June 6, 1875 – August 2, 1952) was an American character actor and director. He played supporting roles and occasional leads. He appeared in over 325 films over a four-decade career from 1911 to 1951, and directed fort ...

as Insp. Tim Ryan *

Veda Ann Borg Veda Ann Borg (January 11, 1915 – August 16, 1973) was an American film and television actress. Early years Born in Boston, Massachusetts, to Gottfried Borg, a Swedish immigrant, and Minna Noble, Borg became a model in 1936 before winni ...

as Flo * Mary Gordon as Mrs. Eileen Hanagan *

Robert Homans Robert Edward Homans (November 8, 1877 – July 28, 1947) was an American actor who entered films in 1923 after a lengthy stage career. Life and career Robert Homans was born November 8, 1877, in Malden, Massachusetts. Although he studied ...

as Mike Hanagan *

Sam Flint Sam Flint (born Samuel A. Ethridge; October 19, 1882 – October 17, 1980) was an American actor. Flint appeared in more than 230 films, often as a "judge, lawyer, military officer, senator, sheriff, chief of police, or doctor." Flint was ...

as Uncle Jim Kelly *

Guy Usher James Guy Usher (May 9, 1883 – June 16, 1944) was an American film actor. He appeared in more than 190 films between 1932 and 1943. Born in Mason City, Iowa, Usher acted on stage before venturing into films. Billed as James Guy Usher, h ...

as Capt. Casey *

Brooks Benedict Brooks Benedict (born Harold J. Mann, February 6, 1896 – January 1, 1968) was an American actor of the silent and sound film eras, when he played supporting and utility roles in over 300 films, mostly uncredited. Life He was born to Alice Jul ...

as Burly * Edward Peil, Sr. as Sgt. Riley *

Budd Buster Budd Leland Buster (June 14, 1891 – December 22, 1965), usually credited as Budd Buster (and sometimes Bud Buster), was an American actor known for B western films. He sometimes was credited as George Selk in his later work. Early life Bus ...

as Jones

External links

* * 1940 films American black-and-white films 1940 crime drama films Films directed by Sam Newfield Producers Releasing Corporation films American crime drama films 1940s English-language films 1940s American films {{1940s-crime-drama-film-stub