The Phantom Thief

Phantom Thief, The (1945)

** 1/2 (out of 4)

Boston Blackie (Chester Morris) once again finds himself involved in a murder case where ghosts and a weird fortune teller are suspects. This isn't the best in the series but it's not the worst either and in the end it makes for an entertaining 65-minutes. The mystery this time out is pretty predictable and easy to follow but there are some nice added touches including all the stuff involving the ghosts. The supporting cast is up to their usual nice quality with Richard Lane and George E. Stone back to their old tricks as Farraday and The Runt.

This entry in the Boston Blackie series has Blackie trying to help a young woman who is being blackmailed by a spiritualist, Dr. Nejino, played by familiar Columbia heavy Marvin Miller. When Blackie confronts Nejino, the doctor does something unusual for a spiritualist in these old movies - he admits the whole séance business is an act, but that it is an act that helps his patients deal with the losses of loved ones in their own way and in their own time. In the case of the young woman in question - wealthy Anne Duncan - her father's death has left her terribly lonely in spite of her recent marriage. So Nejino invites Blackie to watch one of his séances. The problem is, during the séance a member of the audience is knifed in the back. Of course, Blackie is suspect number one in the case.

This one has plenty of good old fashioned haunted house and ghostly fun, and if it seems that magic is a recurring theme in the Boston Blackie series, it is so for a reason. Chester Morris was a very good amateur magician, even entertaining the troops during World War II with his act. Recommended for anyone who specifically likes the Boston Blackie series or the old B detective movies of the 40's in general.

The Runt tries to help a friend accused of stealing stolen jewelry and that's how the plot of this Blackie entry starts. Naturally, the police are one step behind Blackie when the plot advances to include a Dr. Nejino who runs seances and has a lovely assistant, model DUSTY ANDERSON who towers over the rest of the cast. It seems the doctor badly wants to get his hands on the stolen necklace.

Dr. Nejino invites Blackie to attend one of his seances so he can witness the effect it has on one of his eccentric women patients (JEFF DONNELL). It turns out that she's had a relationship with Dr. Nejino and wants her stolen necklace back.

The script has Blackie and Inspector Farraday exchanging comic quips and sarcasm over the dead body of Blackie's friend who has been stabbed to death at the seance--one of the story's many unrealistic touches where clever lines rule the day no matter what the situation. The same thing happens with the next murder victim.

It's formula stuff again, with Blackie and The Runt being falsely accused of having something to do with two murders and having to prove their innocence.

GEORGE E. STONE is more annoying than usual as the wimpy Runt, especially during the scene at the seance. DUSTY ANDERSON gives a limp performance as Nejino's pretty assistant and the rest of the cast is strictly by the numbers.

The formula was wearing thin long before this entry was released, but I suppose these films had a certain appeal for audiences when they played the lower half of a double feature bill.

Post-War Blackie film, a little harder edged than before, but still with an over-abundance of verbal witticisms and slapstick. The Runt tries to help a pal accused of stealing a diamond necklace, Blackie gets involved but can't prevent the pal on the lam getting stabbed in the back while watching all of the suspects perform at a rather feeble séance. Huh? It makes sense while you're watching it anyhow, except maybe who the murderer turned out to be - it must have been Real Dark!

Chester Morris as Blackie seemed a bit more relaxed in here than previously, maybe the absence of a black-face routine helped?! Jeff Donnell as Anne was decorative, even if she did stretch credulity with her credulousness! Marvin Miller as Dr. Nejino was Deeply sinister - thanks mainly to his fruity and succinct baritone voice, Dusty Anderson's only problem as his cohort(?) was to be too tall for everybody else in the film. George E. Stone as Runt was starting to bug me in this one - his whining almost-effeminacy made me wish Blackie would bitch-slap him and stand him in a corner as a naughty little boy and spare us his company for the last 30 minutes or so. Inspector Farraday and Sgt. Matthews played the usual good double act, and even old Jumbo got an airing in a good scene.

All told, nice entry in the series.

The Runt has a friend in a jam—he's stolen some "papers" that turn out to be hot jewels. Boston Blackie is, of course, drawn into the situation; the friend, of course, is murdered; and Inspector Farraday, of course, is right there to practically catch Blackie in the act. It all opens up a case of blackmail, another murder or so, a spiritualist and a couple of séances—and a fair amount of good-natured tough talk and silly banter.

By now, Inspector Farraday knows that when he shows up at a murder scene, Boston Blackie is going to be less than cooperative: "All I needed to hear from the men on the beat was that you had a perfect alibi and I took this call myself," he tells Blackie. "Now I'd like to hear some of your best double talk."

Blackie and Farraday operate at full speed in this well-written series entry. Their sidekicks, the Runt and Detective Matthews, are faithful but dumb as usual. The Runt's childish squeals do grow somewhat annoying, but I have to admit it's pretty funny watching him and Matthews cower and yelp together at the séance.

Two female characters play important roles. Jeff Donnell is Anne, a young woman who suffers from nervous troubles—or is that diagnosis an invention of the sinister Dr. Nejino, the spiritualist? Less passive—more actively looking out for herself—and more interesting is Dusty Anderson as Sandra, the mystic's assistant, whose loyalties are frequently in question but are mainly to herself.

A pretty good plot and a handful of good gags keep this episode moving. (My favorite bit: Farraday barking into the phone that "We're getting closer to Boston Blackie every minute," unaware that Blackie is at that very moment—well, much closer than Farraday thinks.) A satisfying hour for Blackie admirers.