While Peter Faulk's Columbo is the exact opposite of Melvyn Douglas Homicide Detective, the difference is quite stark. Instead of being the plodding dog chasing clue bloodhound, Melvyn Douglas is the golden boy who comes in and puts everything together in a hurry. Here he comes, and boom, the case is solved.
Meanwhile, Joan Blondell is the attractive girlfriend who wants to marry him but can't seem to get him away from his job long enough to do it. She spends so much time trying that finally (spoiler) she decides that if you can't beat them, join them. As for support, the Chief of Police who is a veteran silent actor is excellent in his role.
The only thing to me that is strange is I almost feel like this was a role that Douglas has that would have been done better by William Powell. The only thing is though since this is an obvious B picture and Powell was an A picture man, Douglas got the role. I am not sure if Blondell ever worked with Powell, but the form she has in this makes me wish she had. I am going to have to check on that. If I could find such a cast, I bet they would be great together.
There is some pretty good support and writing here from the writing crew which includes the script writer of Gregory Pecks Twelve O'Clock High movie 10 years later. Once the humor starts flying in this one you get hooked. At first it plays like a straight police film. Blondell and Douglas and the chief raise it up a level. It's very much worth a look.
Meanwhile, Joan Blondell is the attractive girlfriend who wants to marry him but can't seem to get him away from his job long enough to do it. She spends so much time trying that finally (spoiler) she decides that if you can't beat them, join them. As for support, the Chief of Police who is a veteran silent actor is excellent in his role.
The only thing to me that is strange is I almost feel like this was a role that Douglas has that would have been done better by William Powell. The only thing is though since this is an obvious B picture and Powell was an A picture man, Douglas got the role. I am not sure if Blondell ever worked with Powell, but the form she has in this makes me wish she had. I am going to have to check on that. If I could find such a cast, I bet they would be great together.
There is some pretty good support and writing here from the writing crew which includes the script writer of Gregory Pecks Twelve O'Clock High movie 10 years later. Once the humor starts flying in this one you get hooked. At first it plays like a straight police film. Blondell and Douglas and the chief raise it up a level. It's very much worth a look.