Confessions of Boston Blackie (1941) DVD-R

Starring Chester Morris, Harriet Hilliard, Richard Lane, George E. Stone,
Lloyd Corrigan
Directed by Edward Dmytryk

Print: black/white
Runtime: 65 min.
Genre: drama
Print Quality: B

Chester Morris makes his second screen appearance as
crook-turned-detective Boston Blackie in this superior series entry. This
time, Blackie gets into trouble when he attends an art auction with his
millionaire pal Arthur Manleder (Lloyd Corrigan). It so happens that the
auction gallery is run by thieves, which heroine Diane Parrish (Harriet
Hilliard) has just discovered. To keep her quiet, head crook Joe
Buchanan (Ralph Theodore) takes a shot at Diane, but though he only
wounds her he kills sculptor Allison (Walter Soderling).
Conclusion-jumping Inspector Farraday (Richard Lane) assumes that
Blackie fired the shot, forcing our hero to spend the rest of the film
eluding both the police and the criminals. Highlights include a hilarious fit
of rage perpetrated by secondary villainess Joan Woodbury, and an
amusing if slightly sadistic running gag involving hapless ice-cream
vendor Billy Benedict.