Irish Luck

Irish Luck Dick Purcell and Frank Darro star in "Irish Luck", from Monogram Pitchas. They have a scheme to catch "the robbers", but of course it's more complicated than it should be. Buzzie the porter is doing his own investigation, and knows more than he lets on. Not a lot of big names in this one, a shortie film at 58 minutes. Actor Dick Purcell, died quite young at 38, of a heart attack. Directed by Howard Bretherton, who had started in the silents. never won an oscar, but managed to direct over one hundred film and shows.

Frankie Darro is a bellhop at a hotel where he hones his detective skills. After recovering some stolen bonds,much to the chagrin of the police, he finds himself mixed up in a murder, that may have been committed by a nervous young lady he has befriended. One of the first pairings of Mantan Moreland and Frankie Darro is one of the best. Here we have a real mystery story that keeps you interested from the very start. Its nice to have a programmer that seems to be more than just one set refurnished over and over again. There are some really clever bits, how Mantan flags down the police is priceless and some witty remarks, coming mostly from Mantan or cop Dick Purcell are amusing. If there is any real disappointment in this film its that Moreland and Darro aren't as chummy as they were in later entries. Indeed, where the pair spends most of their on screen time together here there are whole sections where Frankie is front and center with Moreland no where to be found or reduced to simply acting frightened or explaining things to the police, he's good but he's not what he would become in the later films. recommended to anyone looking for a a good mystery.

"Brainy bellhop Buzzy O'Brien (Frankie Darro) tries his hand at sleuthing out a killer when a hundred thousand dollars in bonds disappear and the corpse of Bank Vice President Thaddeus Porter is left in their place. When Kitty Monahan (Sheila D'Arcy), the object of Buzzy's affection, is named as the lead suspect by flat-footed Detective Lanahan (Dick Purcell), Buzzy spirits her away to his mother's apartment where the feisty old Irish battle-ax comically combines courting with crime solving," according to the Alpha Video synopsis, this is "a whimsical whodunit filled with romance, thrills and just a touch of blarney."

Just a touch?

"Irish Luck" was the first film featuring young Darro and vaudevillian Mantan Moreland (as Jefferson) as a team. Herein, they are typical as a hotel bellhop-cum-amateur detective and his servile, easily frightened sidekick. Coming from a common circus background, Darro and Moreland were complimentary and caring. Despite the latter's often stereotypical characterization, they are an engaging duo. What really made them endearing together is that Mr. Moreland "Jeff" overcomes his timidity to save Darro's life, which is followed by a mutual concern. You can see the bond has formed when they run off screen together.

***** Irish Luck (8/22/39) Howard Bretherton ~ Frankie Darro, Mantan Moreland, Dick Purcell, Lillian Elliott

Produced by actor Grant Withers, this is the initial entry of a Frankie Darro starring series for Monogram Pictures during which this foremost exponent of the Boyish Enthusiasm genre plays as a hotel bellhop and "Amateur Detective" (the movie's title in England), and it is also the first of six works for which Darro is cast along with comic actor Mantan Moreland as his foil who wishes to exercise no part of crime solving, a chronic habit and avocation of Darro's characters, "Buzzy O'Brien" in this archetypal instance. The short (51 min.) film begins in brisk fashion and continues on a smooth roll throughout with Buzzy, son of a former police detective, becoming entangled in shady goings-on at his place of employment, the Regal Hotel, including multiple murders and a theft of negotiable bonds, with the young bellboy being in the midst of it all, as the temptation to be a nonprofessional gumshoe ensures that his job, his good standing with old family friend Detective Lanahan (Dick Purcell), and his very life will be in hazard. Very popular upon its release, the film still generates approval from viewers due to excellent casting and delivery of rapid-fire and crisp dialogue by the players, with ill-starred Monogram mainstay Purcell earning the acting laurels for his effortless performance as a no-nonsense detective in charge of the many investigations at the hotel; the direction, editing and scoring are not equalled by the studio's 1944 recrafting of the story as THE ADVENTURES OF KITTY O'DAY, featuring Jean Parker.

Frankie Darro is a bellhop at a hotel. His bet friends are hotel porter Mantan Moreland, and police detective Dick Purcell. Purcell was a trainee of Darro's late father. Darro considers himself an amateur detective. When a hotel guest is found murdered, and another guest, pretty Sheila Darcy looks implicated, Darro tries to find out who did the murder, despite the risks to Moreland.

Darro is actually pretty good in this one, and has considerable chemistry with Moreland. Under the direction of Howard Bretherton, this one moves at a pretty good pace -- although I have never seen a hotel in reality with corridors that wide. This was a considerable success for Monogram. So much so they made seven more features with Darro and Moreland.