Best movie of this year hands down!

Just perfect...

A Disappointing Continuation

If you like to be scared, if you like to laugh, and if you like to learn a thing or two at the movies, this absolutely cannot be missed.

When the film begins, the rich playboy Larry (John Darrow) finds himself engaged to two women--one who is a gold-digger and another, Mary (Mary Brian), who is kind of sweet. Larry manages to shake loose the gold-digger but just when it looks as if the marriage will go off without a hitch, Larry is in the wrong place at the wrong time and the police think he killed someone! He's sentenced to 10 years in prison--a wonderful way to spend his wedding night! However, there is a LOT more to the story than this. There is a clue that the real killer is a guy who is obsessed with playing a bizarre little system for roulette--and when Larry manages to escape from the train taking him to prison, he begins to investigate on his own! And this is only the beginning....see the film and you'll see what I mean.The plot to this film is wildly improbable and the actors are mostly unknowns. Additionally, the film is obviously a cheap B-movie with very modest pretenses. BUT, despite all this, it IS entertaining and well made. If you don't spend too much time thinking through the plot, it is quite fun and worth seeing. A better than average B-mystery, that's for sure.

This is a surprisingly attractive "B" drama from one of poverty row's longest running studios, one which seems almost like something Paramount might have expanded on. (Even the opening title looks like one of Paramount's title cards). It's all about a young playboy framed for murder and struggling to find the actual killer after he escapes from the prison train. A bunch of obvious stock footage mixes in nicely with the newly filmed material, and the acting (particularly John Darrow as the accused playboy, Mary Brian as the socialite who loves him and Yola D'Avril and Astrid Allyn as sordid femme fatals) is right on target. Usually associated with Z-grade westerns, crime dramas and poorly filmed horror movies, Monogram on occasion threw in something a bit above the usual grade, and this is one of them.

Larry and Mary, young stars of high society, eye each other from their respective boxes at the race track. Mary's aunt warns her that Larry is "notorious"; Mary coolly replies that he's awfully good looking. Larry rides his own horse in the steeplechase—and is thrown off. Faking injury, he catches a ride to the hospital with his head on Mary's shoulder…and the two are quickly engaged. From there the plot takes a while to develop, but eventually….Larry is (mistakenly) convicted of killing a gambling hall owner, escapes from the train on the way to prison, and somehow makes his way to….Monte Carlo! where he suspects the real killer has fled. In Monte Carlo, he befriends a young French woman who becomes devoted to him, and pursues his only clue: the killer always plays numbers 7, 14, 28 and 29 on the roulette table.John Darrow and Mary Brian do well as Larry and Mary; both develop interesting and distinctive characters that viewers can root for. To the newspapers, Mary is "Little Mary of the Vernon Millions," but she quickly establishes an independent streak that worries her protective aunt. Larry has "a reputation" but he's charming and dashing and—it turns out—tough and resourceful.George Hayes plays the other major character, a police detective named Gunby—yes, a detective in a coat and tie. He watches with narrowed eyes, asks questions and adds up details, concludes that Larry is indeed innocent…and also sets out for Monte Carlo to hunt for the real killer.Astrid Allwyn is excellent as a dangerous blonde who tries to pull a fast one on Larry and Gunby. An actress named Yola d'Avril is sad but loyal as Larry's Monte Carlo assistant. There's no shortage of plot in this 62-minute adventure. And it keeps the viewer guessing—the suspense is not exactly unbearable, but it does build nicely to a well done climactic scene. Fans of Monogram's 1930s westerns will enjoy not only George Hayes but a quick glimpse of the great Yakima Canutt phoning the police—in a tuxedo!

This movie is not that bad, a decent time waster if you don't mind watching old black and white movies. I think most of the negative comments are coming from people who just don't like old black and white movies or they are expecting them all to be as good as Hitchcock, to that reviewer I say you are right it's not as good as any Hitchcock film but it is still a decent enough way to spend a couple hours.It's a mystery film noir type movie where the main character is accused of murder but escapes and strives to hunt down the real killer on his own to get revenge but also obviously to prove that he is innocent of the crime he has been accused of. The actor playing the main character gives a good performance and so does the actress in the main female role.