At first rather annoying in its heavy emphasis on reenactments, this movie ultimately proves fascinating, simply because the complicated, highly dramatic tale it tells still almost defies belief.

The movie's neither hopeful in contrived ways, nor hopeless in different contrived ways. Somehow it manages to be wonderful

This is a gorgeous movie made by a gorgeous spirit.

A clunky actioner with a handful of cool moments.

Joyce MacKenzie (Laura Mansfield), Stanley Clements (Jackie Wales), Hurd Hatfield (Stretch Norton), Albert Dekker (Armitage), Myrna Dell (Alice Wentworth), James Flavin (Lieutenant Brewster), John Dehner (Niles), Richard Amory (Mulcahy), Norma Vance (patron in powder room), Suzette Harbin (powder room attendant), Buddy Swan (Arthur, a messenger boy), Ben Wenland (Dave, a messenger boy), Franklyn Farnum (Mansfield), Steve Gibson (himself, leader of Redcap Singing Group), Ralph Brooks, Jeffrey Sayre, Harold Miller, Suzanne Ridgeway (nightclub patrons), Steven Ritch (waiter), Fred Graham (fight double for Hurd Hatfield). Steve Gibson's Redcaps (themselves).Director: EDWARD L. CAHN. Screenplay: Don Martin. Photography: Jackson Rose. Film editor: Philip Cahn. Art director: Boris Leven. Set decorator: Jacque Mapes. Wardrobe supervisors: Maria P. Donovan (women) and Jerry Bos (men). Make-up: Henry Vilardo. Hair styles: Lillian Shore. Music: Irving Gertz. Song (Gibson) by Steve Gibson and James Springs. Sound recording engineer: Garry A. Harris. Producers: Maurie M. Suess, Edward L. Cahn. Prominent Pictures (i.e. Edward L. Cahn Productions).Copyright 15 June 1950 by RKO Radio Pictures, Inc. U.S. release through RKO: 8 June 1950. No recorded New York opening. U.K. release: 13 May 1951. Australian release: 9 February 1951. 6,721 feet. 74 minutes.SYNOPSIS: After witnessing the murder of her father by a messenger boy, Laura Mansfield decides to track down the killer.COMMENT: Don Martin has certainly come up with more than a few novel twists in the plot of this minor film noirish "B". Mind you, it stretches belief and some of the dialogue is pretty silly (especially that given to James Flavin who makes a most unconvincing detective), but it certainly has its moments, thanks chiefly to Hurd Hatfield and Albert Dekker. One of the surprises is that the chief character is killed (off- camera, of course) when the movie still has twenty minutes to run. Fortunately, we didn't take to the player concerned anyway and his unexpected demise gives an opportunity for our favorite actor to take charge. This plot twist seems a little ridiculous but we're prepared to let it pass. After all, as said above, the film is worth seeing mostly for Hatfield and Dekker. As for the actual star (as per the billing), it must be admitted that, although saddled with an unlikely self-assignment, Miss MacKenzie does her best to instill a smidgin of realism into her performance. She receives solid support from femme fatale Myrna Dell and (in a small role) glib gangster John Dehner. The direction by Edward L. Cahn rates a notch or two above his usual super-humble standard. Production values score a generally adequate to low, but occasionally impress.

Low-budget but you really don't need a big budget for this type of contemporary 1950 murder-mystery. It does have sort of early Perry Mason black-and white television production values, but check out the cool 1950 cars.Hurd Hatfield's "presence" dominates this film and keeps it believable. The best way to describe this guy's acting is polished and smooth. In contrast, the lead actress is nowhere near Hatfield's acting league. However, she is attractive and OK for this B-movie role.The casting of the supporting roles is perfect and the director utilizes them to good effect. Watch for solid James Flavin (King Kong '33), and for very early silent star Franklyn Farnum in a brief part at the beginning. "Destination Murder" overcomes its cheapness. Hatfield was a bargain for the cheap salary they probably paid him. This film will hold your attention all the way through until the ending, mainly due to the good plot twists throughout.

Is it possible that Hurd Hatfield's career took this much of a nosedive in 5 years? Evidently. "Destination Murder" is a B movie for sure that stars Hatfield, Joyce MacKenzie, Albert Dekker, and John Dehner. A young woman (MacKenzie) investigates the murder of her father by a uniformed messenger hired by someone else. She has no trouble picking out the messenger in a lineup, and he leads her to a club run by Armitage (Dekker) whose manager is Hatfield. That's the way it seems anyway. People start turning up dead. The villain hatches an ingenious plot to beat the rap.MacKenzie is very attractive with a beautiful figure, but she is not much of an actress. Albert Dekker plays a monster well. Hatfield, with those imposing looks, sports a New York accent beautifully. A New York accent is one of the hardest, most of the time sounding put on and phony. Hatfield's sounds natural. Perhaps it was - I only heard him speak in Dorian Gray (British) and I can't remember what he sounded like on Murder, She Wrote. At any rate, he's smooth in this role. But every time I looked at him, I thought of Dorian Gray. Perhaps his link to that character is why his film career crashed."Destination Murder" is a nothing special B with some noir features, interesting for the cast.

If you find yourself up all some stormy Tuesday night with a bad cold, this movie may be just the thing to go with your hot toddy. It's a grade C or maybe D movie with a couple of good lines, plot twists and not-too-bad performances. A young(ish) lady home from college witnesses her father's murder by a delivery boy; when the police don't move fast enough for her, she turns sleuth herself. Most remarkable is Hurd Hatfield (the charmless star of The Picture of Dorian Gray five years earlier and virtually the only recognizable name in the cast), now come to this poverty-row sump of the movie industry. Destination Murder qualifies as film noir, but just barely; Noir can be cheap, but it's usually a little better than this.