Dick Tracy Meets Gruesome

Dick Tracy and his exploits step into the world of science fiction Ralph Byrd as animation's favorite square jawed police detective gets involved with none other than Boris Karloff as Gruesome in Dick Tracy Meets Gruesome.

Usually Boris Karloff is the mad scientist concocting such things as a paralysis nerve gas which leaves folks paralyzed so that others think they could be dead. But here he's a ruthless career criminal who gets a dose of the stuff outside a waterfront dive and appear so dead that he's brought to the morgue by Lyle Latell as Tracy's sidekick Pat Patton. When he gets up and walks out of the morgue making Latell the victim of a horse laugh that's only the beginning.

Karloff realizes the possibilities as does the inventor of the paralysis gas for criminal enterprise and he uses it in several bank jobs. But it was his hard luck to have Tess Trueheart in the bank on the first job and in a telephone booth so that the paralysis wouldn't effect her. She recognizes the robbers and Karloff as Gruesome is not hard to miss. Hell Boris Karloff isn't hard to miss. Tess played by B movie queen Anne Gwynne.

Byrd is put in some real harm's way in the final confrontation with Karloff. Gruesome is pretty ruthless in eliminating witnesses and Byrd is almost caught in the trap he set for him.

Boris Karloff as Gruesome lifts Dick Tracy Meets Gruesome a notch over a lot of B films.

While none of the four Dick Tracy films made by RKO in the 1940's are particularly extraordinary they're fun, the actors are charming, and the atmosphere of the films is nice and seedy. Plus, they often mixed in a little sci-fi and some comic strip style humor (such as characters named Dr. A. Tomic and I. M. Learned) in with the bargain basement film noir that manages to set the films somewhat apart from other crime-themed B-films of the time.

The final film in the series, Dick Tracy Meets Gruesome, is probably the best of the four, mostly due to the absolutely wonderful cast. Boris Karloff is dependably creepy and charismatic as the main villain. Minor 1940's B-movie icon, Ann Gwynne is the sexiest Tess Trueheart of the early films. The incomparably menacing, ghostly Skelton Knaggs plays X-Ray and, like he always did, steals every scene he's in. Everyone is great.

The story, concerning Karloff using a gas that puts people into temporary suspended animation to rob a bank, moves at a gallop and is delivered with humor and style. There's not a dull moment in the film and it's more than worth the vintage B-movie enthusiast's time.

"Dick Tracy Meets Gruesome" was the last of the Dick Tracy films, but the series ends on a high note, with Boris Karloff as Gruesome, and he's true to his name. It's not clear why this series didn't continue.

The premise is a funny one - bank robbers use this freezing spray to stop people mid-sentence and mid-movement. Tess Truheart (Anne Gwynne) is in a phone booth when the robbers spray, so she's able to crawl to a telephone and call Dick. Gruesome is the head honcho, but he's not going to be easy to catch.

The characters in the film all have the grotesque look of the comic strip characters and the same crazy names, I. M. Learned, A. Tomic (physicist) etc.

Gwynne is more like Anne Jeffreys was - beautiful and street smart, more of a leading woman than the ingénue cast in another of the films.

I think that characterization of Tess as good-looking and sharp works better for the character than a sweet girl next door type.

This Dick Tracy was more expensive the others and stars the preferred Tracy, Ralph Byrd, who also did the Dick Tracy TV series.

Enjoyable.

I tuned into this movie expecting a very badly done work, but I was pleasantly surprised. The first half hour is a real kick with more laughs than suspense. The remainder of the movie is more akin to what I expected. Boris Karloff was wonderful as "Gruesome" and kept the second half moving. I have to say that some of those guys were incredible shots with a tire shot out with one shot at about 100 yards and police officer killed "instantly" with a quick shot from a getaway car. Like the movie, the marksmanship declined markedly as the movie progressed. All in all, I recommend you watch it if you enjoy the old "B" movies. I plan to look for more in this series and see how they stack up.

Ralph Byrd is well-suited to the role of Dick Tracy, and this is a solid B-feature overall. But it is Boris Karloff, in the role of "Gruesome", who lifts the movie above the norm for its genre. He makes his character come vividly to life, and makes him into a believable and formidable foe for Tracy.

The story is enjoyable, if a bit on the wacky side, with a gang of criminals taking advantage of a gas that is supposed to cause temporary paralysis in anyone who breathes it. Tess and Pat also get their moments as they help Tracy track down the gang.

Karloff was an impressive and unusual talent, using his appearance, voice, and mannerisms in all kinds of ways, generally relying on the little things and on understated actions to create his character. He was certainly in a number of movies of far greater stature than this one, but in this, as in almost all of his roles, he is very interesting to watch, and he adds a great deal to the movie.