''You Can't Buy Luck'' is a 1937

murder mystery Crime fiction, detective story, murder mystery, mystery novel, and police novel are terms used to describe narratives that centre on criminal acts and especially on the investigation, either by an amateur or a professional detective, of a crime, ...

film directed by

Lew Landers Lew Landers (born Louis Friedlander, January 2, 1901 – December 16, 1962) was an American independent film and television director. Biography Born as Louis Friedlander in New York City, Lew Landers began his movie career as an actor. In 1914, ...

and starring

Onslow Stevens Onslow Stevens (born Onslow Ford Stevenson; March 29, 1902 – January 5, 1977) was an American stage, television and film actor. Early years Born in Los Angeles, California, Stevens was the son of British-born character actor Houseley Ste ...

and

Helen Mack Helen Mack (born Helen McDougall; November 13, 1913 – August 13, 1986) was an American actress. She started her career as a child actress in silent films, moving to Broadway plays and touring one of the vaudeville circuits. Her greater succ ...

Plot

Superstitious

New York New York most commonly refers to: * New York City, the most populous city in the United States, located in the state of New York * New York (state), a state in the northeastern United States New York may also refer to: Film and television * '' ...

gambler Joe Baldwin (

), owner of the

thoroughbred The Thoroughbred is a horse breed best known for its use in horse racing. Although the word ''thoroughbred'' is sometimes used to refer to any breed of purebred horse, it technically refers only to the Thoroughbred breed. Thoroughbreds are c ...

racing horse Sarcasm, believes that luck can be bought with charitable deeds. Before the

Kentucky Derby The Kentucky Derby is a horse race held annually in Louisville, Kentucky, United States, almost always on the first Saturday in May, capping the two-week-long Kentucky Derby Festival. The competition is a Grade I stakes race for three-year ...

, to "buy luck," he finances an expensive trip to Europe for gold-digger Jean Jason, his "good luck charm," not knowing she is taking her lover with her, gigolo and sometime artist Paul Vinette (

Vinton Hayworth Vinton Hayworth (June 4, 1906 – May 21, 1970), also known as Jack Arnold and Vincent Haworth,Although some sources cite Vinton Hayworth's real surname as Haworthwhich clearly shows the surname as Hayworth. The genealogy site indicates that his ...

). He also gives his old friend Frank Brent cash to save his cab business and visits an orphanage in

Louisville Louisville ( , , ) is the largest city in the Commonwealth of Kentucky and the 28th most-populous city in the United States. Louisville is the historical seat and, since 2003, the nominal seat of Jefferson County, on the Indiana border. ...

with his sister, where he meets Betty McKay (

), a pretty teacher who scoffs at his philosophy. She scolds him for wishing for rain on the day of the Derby to aid his horse, who runs best on a muddy track, because the orphans plan an outdoor party. Although it rains as wished, Sarcasm loses the Derby, and Joe is convinced that it was because the orphans were pulling against him. In an attempt to repair the damage before the

Preakness Preakness may refer to: * The Preakness or Preakness Stakes, an American flat thoroughbred horse race held in Baltimore, Maryland * Preakness (horse), an American thoroughbred racehorse from Preakness Stables * Preakness, New Jersey, a section of W ...

, Joe throws the orphans a lavish party, hiring clowns and other entertainment. To Betty's surprise, Joe is as excited as the children, and they fall in love. After Sarcasm wins the Preakness, Joe returns to New York, where Jean is back from Europe. Joe tells her that he will not be seeing her any more because he is going to marry Betty, and she cajoles $50,000 from him as a final "luck insurance" payment. Before Joe shows up with the check, however, Paul arrives at Jean's apartment. They argue when he sees that she plans to run out on him with the money. Jean threatens him with a gun, and during a scuffle, kills her. Joe arrives at Jean's building, where Paul is waiting outside. He lights the unsuspecting Joe's cigarette and gives him the matchbook, then telephones the police and, posing as Joe, "confesses" that he just murdered Jean. Joe is tried for Jean's murder and convicted on

circumstantial evidence Circumstantial evidence is evidence that relies on an inference to connect it to a conclusion of fact—such as a fingerprint at the scene of a crime. By contrast, direct evidence supports the truth of an assertion directly—i.e., without need ...

, but escapes before his final lockup. Using Frank's cab to get around, and with the help of Betty to question the many possible suspects, Joe tracks down Paul using the passenger lists of Jean's voyage. Paul discovers the ploy and has Joe apprehended. Joe convinces the police to question Paul. By matching partial

fingerprint A fingerprint is an impression left by the friction ridges of a human finger. The recovery of partial fingerprints from a crime scene is an important method of forensic science. Moisture and grease on a finger result in fingerprints on surfac ...

s from the crime scene to those left by Paul at the police station, Paul is implicated in the murder and confesses. Sure now that luck cannot be bought, Joe embraces Betty.

Cast

as Joe Baldwin *

as Betty McKay *

as Paul Vinette *

Paul Guilfoyle Paul Vincent Guilfoyle () (born April 28, 1949) is an American television and film actor. He was a regular cast member of the CBS crime drama ''CSI: Crime Scene Investigation'', on which he played Captain Jim Brass from 2000 to 2014. He retu ...

as Frank Bent *

Frank M. Thomas Frank Marion Thomas (July 13, 1889 – November 25, 1989) was an American character actor of stage, screen and television. He and his wife, actress Mona Bruns, both lived to 100 years old. He died the day before her 90th birthday; she died 11 y ...

as Police Lt. Bond * Richard Lane as Detective Mac McGrath *

Murray Alper Murray Alper (January 11, 1904 – November 16, 1984) was an American actor. He appeared in numerous television series, films, and Broadway productions. Biography Born in New York City in 1904, Alper worked on Broadway from 1927 to 1940 in a nu ...

as Chauffeur Spike Connors *

Hedda Hopper Hedda Hopper (born Elda Furry; May 2, 1885February 1, 1966) was an American gossip columnist and actress. At the height of her influence in the 1940s, her readership was 35 million. A strong supporter of the House Un-American Activities Committ ...

as Mrs. Agnes White *

Willie Best William Best (May 27, 1913 – February 27, 1962), known professionally as Willie Best or Sleep n' Eat, was an American television and film actor. Best was one of the first African American film actors and comedians to become well kn ...

as Baggage handler

Reception

According to RKO records the film made a profit of $24,000.

References

External links

* * * * {{Lew Landers 1937 films 1930s comedy mystery films American black-and-white films American comedy mystery films Films directed by Lew Landers Films set in Kentucky American horse racing films Louisville, Kentucky in fiction 1937 comedy films 1930s English-language films 1930s American films