You'd better learn a fast tap routine before you tell that to a jury! HaHa. Wonderful detective story--so constantly moving and fast-paced, with lots of humor. Really a joy to watch. Loved the bit with the candlelight making ghostlike flickers into the black stagehand's eyes!--verrry Rodchester. Talented actors, interesting plot, well-written script, good direction.

Overall a decent B movie mystery with a good modus operandi and some snappy dialog, featuring the best Mike Shane of them all, Lloyd Nolan. Interesting that it’s the harmless old stage door guy with the funny accent from the burlesque theater who dood it (see 1943’s “Lady of Burlesque.”) And you have to wonder, just how many “dumb cops” did William Demarest play, for gosh sakes? Mantan Moreland’s darky humor was a bit cringe worthy, but “it was a more innocent time.” It was kind of a hoot that all of the “The-a-tour Are-teasts” had accents, too.Good to see Henry Daniel in a sympathetic part for once (as prime suspect Julian Davis. He was one of the big three in B movie villainy, along with his fellow Brits Lionel Atwell and George Zucco; all three played Professor Moriarty in Sherlock Holmes films.) Also nice to see Nestor Paiva doing a part without an accent (as Jack, the theater manager,) Minerva Urecal (the landlady at the rooming house, often mistaken for Marjorie Main,) and William “Billy” Benedict (as the singing telegram boy, “Whitey” from the Bowery Boys.)

How come the detective isn't worried about leaving fingerprints?

A window into another time...