''The Lone Wolf in Mexico'' is a 1947 American
black-and-white
Black-and-white (B&W or B/W) images combine black and white to produce a range of achromatic brightnesses of grey. It is also known as greyscale in technical settings.
Media
The history of various visual media began with black and white, ...
mystery
Mystery, The Mystery, Mysteries or The Mysteries may refer to:
Arts, entertainment, and media Fictional characters
*Mystery, a cat character in ''Emily the Strange''
*Mystery, a seahorse that SpongeBob SquarePants adopts in the episode " My Pre ...
-
adventure
An adventure is an exciting experience or undertaking that is typically bold, sometimes risky. Adventures may be activities with danger such as traveling, exploring, skydiving, mountain climbing, scuba diving, river rafting, or other extreme spo ...
film
A film, also known as a movie or motion picture, is a work of visual art that simulates experiences and otherwise communicates ideas, stories, perceptions, emotions, or atmosphere through the use of moving images that are generally, sinc ...
directed by
D. Ross Lederman for
Columbia Pictures
Columbia Pictures Industries, Inc., Trade name, doing business as Columbia Pictures, is an American film Production company, production and Film distributor, distribution company that is the flagship unit of the Sony Pictures Motion Picture Group ...
. It features
Gerald Mohr
Gerald Mohr (June 11, 1914 – November 9, 1968) 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.
Early years
Mohr wa ...
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
''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 Dei ...
'' in 1949.
Plot
Former jewel thief Michael Lanyard (The Lone Wolf) (
Gerald Mohr
Gerald Mohr (June 11, 1914 – November 9, 1968) 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.
Early years
Mohr wa ...
) along with his butler, Jamison (
Eric Blore
Eric Blore Sr. (23 December 1887 – 2 March 1959) was an English actor and writer. His early stage career, mostly in the West End of London, centred on revue and musical comedy, but also included straight plays. He wrote sketches for and appe ...
), go to Mexico on vacation. Lanyard, once a thief has been working as a private investigator. Liliane Dumont (
Jacqueline deWit
Jacqueline deWit (September 26, 1912 – January 7, 1998) was an American film and TV character actress from Los Angeles who appeared in over two dozen films, including '' Spellbound'' (1945), '' The Snake Pit'', '' The Damned Don't Cry!'', '' ...
), one of the Lone Wolf's old flames, and Mrs. Van Weir (
Winifred Harris
Winifred Vera Emily Harris (17 March 1880 – 18 April 1972) was a British actress with a substantial career in America. She appeared in New York plays beginning in 1914 and acted in numerous plays up to 1934. She left Broadway plays for films th ...
) invite Lanyard and Jamison to dinner at Henderson's (
John Gallaudet
John Beury Gallaudet (August 23, 1903 – November 5, 1983) was an American film and television actor.
Career
Gallaudet was born in Philadelphia and attended Williams College. He began his theatrical career on stage, appearing on Broadway in ...
) El Paseo nightclub . They meet Sharon Montgomery (
Sheila Ryan
Sheila Ryan (born Katherine Elizabeth McLaughlin, June 8, 1921 – November 4, 1975) was an American actress who appeared in more than 60 movies.
Career
Born in Topeka, Kansas, Ryan went to Hollywood in 1939 at the age of 18. Her acting career b ...
), a jeweller's spouse and gambling addict, who has lost a fortune at the casino.
Leon Dumont (
Bernard Nedell
Bernard Jay Nedell (October 14, 1898 – November 23, 1972) was an American film actor. He appeared in 50 films between 1916 and 1972. He was born in New York, New York and died in Hollywood, California. He was married to actress Olive Bla ...
), deWit's husband, tries to enlist Lanyard in a jewel theft. Jamison takes Montgomery home, but when he is not looking, she slips a valuable compact into his coat pocket. After the Lone Wolf steals a necklace, he discovers it is a fake and replaces it back in the nightclub safe.
When Dumont is murdered, Montgomery accuses Lanyard of the murder and Jamison of stealing her compact. Mrs. Van Weir is also heavily in debt with Henderson demanding her precious necklace to clear her gambling losses. Montgomery blackmails Henderson and tries to warn Lanyard but is also murdered, leaving him no alternative, he must track down the criminal mastermind behind the murders.
Mrs. Van Weir plots with Henderson but her worthless necklace is what gives her away and Lanyard calls in the police to bring Henderson and Van Weir, the real murderer to justice.
Cast
*
Gerald Mohr
Gerald Mohr (June 11, 1914 – November 9, 1968) 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.
Early years
Mohr wa ...
as Michael Lanyard
*
Sheila Ryan
Sheila Ryan (born Katherine Elizabeth McLaughlin, June 8, 1921 – November 4, 1975) was an American actress who appeared in more than 60 movies.
Career
Born in Topeka, Kansas, Ryan went to Hollywood in 1939 at the age of 18. Her acting career b ...
as Sharon Montgomery
*
Jacqueline deWit
Jacqueline deWit (September 26, 1912 – January 7, 1998) was an American film and TV character actress from Los Angeles who appeared in over two dozen films, including '' Spellbound'' (1945), '' The Snake Pit'', '' The Damned Don't Cry!'', '' ...
as Liliane Dumont
*
Eric Blore
Eric Blore Sr. (23 December 1887 – 2 March 1959) was an English actor and writer. His early stage career, mostly in the West End of London, centred on revue and musical comedy, but also included straight plays. He wrote sketches for and appe ...
as Jamison
*
Nestor Paiva
Nestor Caetano Paiva (June 30, 1905 – September 9, 1966) was an American stage, radio, film and television actor of Portuguese descent. He performed in over 400 motion pictures either as an extra, a bit player, or as a significant supporting ...
as Carlos Rodriguez
*
John Gallaudet
John Beury Gallaudet (August 23, 1903 – November 5, 1983) was an American film and television actor.
Career
Gallaudet was born in Philadelphia and attended Williams College. He began his theatrical career on stage, appearing on Broadway in ...
as Henderson
*
Bernard Nedell
Bernard Jay Nedell (October 14, 1898 – November 23, 1972) was an American film actor. He appeared in 50 films between 1916 and 1972. He was born in New York, New York and died in Hollywood, California. He was married to actress Olive Bla ...
as Leon Dumont
*
Winifred Harris
Winifred Vera Emily Harris (17 March 1880 – 18 April 1972) was a British actress with a substantial career in America. She appeared in New York plays beginning in 1914 and acted in numerous plays up to 1934. She left Broadway plays for films th ...
as Mrs. Van Weir
* Peter Brocco as Emil
* Alan Edwards as Charles Montgomery
* Fred Godoy as Captain Mendez
* Jose Portugal as Policeman
Production
''The Lone Wolf in Mexico'' was directed by D. Ross Lederman
and was written by Martin Goldsmith, Maurice Tombragel and Phil Magee.
After a sickly Warren Williams decided to discontinue playing the title detective Michael Landyard, also known as Lone Wolf, Gerald Mohr was roped in by Columbia Pictures, the producer and the distributor, to play the character in ''
The Notorious Lone Wolf'' (1946) and ''
The Lone Wolf in London'' (1947), as well as ''The Lone Wolf in Mexico''.
[Maye]
2012, p. 256.
/ref> ''The Lone Wolf in Mexico'' marked the penultimate Lone Wolf film in which Mohr starred as the title character.[Maltin et al]
2010, p. 385.
/ref> Principal photography with the working title of ''The Lone Wolf's Invitation to Murder'', commenced on September 4, 1946, and finished on September 18, 1946, taking place in Mexico
Mexico, officially the United Mexican States, is a country in North America. It is the northernmost country in Latin America, and borders the United States to the north, and Guatemala and Belize to the southeast; while having maritime boundar ...
.[Blottne]
2012, p. 248.
/ref>
Reception
''The Lone Wolf in Mexico'' was theatrically released in the United States on January 16, 1947. It was written to be a "hit" at the box office. The film was still screening in American cinemas up till at least July 21, 1947. It was followed up with ''The Lone Wolf in London'' (1947) and ''The Lone Wolf and His Lady'' (1949), after which Columbia decided to bring an end to the film series.
/ref>
References
Notes
Bibliography
* ''Blockbuster Entertainment Guide to Movies and Videos 1999''. Mercer Island, Washington:, Island Books, 1998. .
* Blottner, Gene. ''Columbia Pictures Movie Series, 1926-1955: The Harry Cohn Years''. Jefferson, North Carolina: McFarland & Company, 2012. .
* Dunkleberger, Amy, Patricia K. Hanson and Bill Ivey, eds. ''AFI Catalog of Motion Pictures Produced in the United States''. Oakland, California: University of California Press, 1999, first edition 1971. .
* Maltin, Leonard, Spencer Green and Rob Edelman. ''Leonard Maltin's Classic Movie Guide: From the Silent Era Through 1965''. New York: Plume, 2010. .
* Mayer, Geoff. ''Historical Dictionary of Crime Films''. Lanham, Maryland: Scarecrow Press, 2012. .
External links
*
*
''The Lone Wolf in Mexico''
at the British Film Institute
The British Film Institute (BFI) is a film and television charitable organisation which promotes and preserves filmmaking and television in the United Kingdom. The BFI uses funds provided by the National Lottery to encourage film production, ...
{{DEFAULTSORT:Lone Wolf in Mexico
1947 films
1947 mystery films
1947 crime drama films
American crime drama films
American mystery films
American black-and-white films
American detective films
Columbia Pictures films
Films directed by D. Ross Lederman
Films set in Mexico
The Lone Wolf films
1940s American films