Sky Murder

When I heard "Nick Carter," I was expecting a dark, noir-ish hard boiled detective story, along the lines of Sam Spade or Philip Marlowe. "Sky Murder" is anything but.

I thought the first few scenes of the movie were so bad, I was going to give it a 3 and turn it off. (No movie can score higher than a 3 with me if I can't stand it till the end.)

For some reason, though, and it wasn't any sudden change in plot or acting, I kept with it. It was more than three quarters of the way through, more than 45 minutes into the film, that I suddenly realized this is a rollicking adventure story aimed at eight-year-old boys, with no pretensions of being anything but a good time. It is a comic book come to life, sort of like the old Superman TV show from the fifties.

Once I realized that, the movie became much more enjoyable.

I don't know if an eight-year-old would enjoy it today, though. It's not full of fast action, has no gunfire, and of course it has no CG.

So, without modern kid appeal, and, as other reviewers have shown, it doesn't hold much for adult viewers, I'm afraid this well-done and entertaining film is probably destined for obscurity.

This film is a real treat! People expect a major "film noir" edge and that was not the intent here! Whine all you want but this is for fun! One "critic" said it was fit for "eight year old boys". I disagree. It's witty, fast paced, well acted and directed! Perhaps some of these armchair Siskel and Eiberts should watch a similar film made a year later at Warner's, called "All Through the Night" with Bogie! A humorous spin on fifth columnists at work in the US. I find Donald Meek to be a real riot here. A goof who was remarkably resourceful. 1940 was a tumultuous time in the US, what with the war raging for a year in Europe. A film like this, while avoiding the usual flag waving makes it's point in a humorous light! Pidgeon has Bill Powell's easy going nature as he slowly gets to the bottom of the plot. A pity there weren't more in the series with Pidgeon at the forefront. A great cast of character actors makes this a stand out! Don't miss it!

"Sky Murder" turned out to be Nick Carter's final case, which is a shame. The series had a lot going for it, including handsome, commanding Walter Pidgeon as Carter in one of his best roles. "Sky Murder" is a fast-moving mystery involving subversives - Nazis no doubt. Ten years later and it would have been Communists. After a murder in a locked airplane compartment, a German refugee (Kaaren Verne) becomes a suspect, and Nick is sure she didn't do it. It's never easy for Nick to work on a case because of people who won't leave him alone, and this time is no different. Donald Meek as Bartholemew is still around with his bees, and he has a hilarious fight scene. There's also a pseudo-detective, Christine Cross (Joyce Compton) who is a complete airhead.

This series had a nice, chaotic and humorous feel to it, with the anchor ably provided by Pidgeon who puts up with Bartholemew and here, Compton, but never seems to get flustered. Really fun. It's a shame there were so few of the Nick Carter films.

Walter Pidgeon returns for a third appearance as suave-yet-rugged detective Nick Carter in this fast-paced spy picture.

Set very much on the eve of America's entrance into WWII, the plot involves American traitors distributing flyers about a new regime and Nick Carter's (initially reluctant) efforts to track down and put them out of business. Spies, patriotism, murder – it's a neat little movie featuring a solid cast and efficient script.

Donald Meek offers able assistance and mild comic relief as Bartholomew the Bee Man. Put in charge of escorting a group of ladies off of a plane, he gets a little overzealous: "The first one that makes a break dies like a dog!" he barks. (Of course, they trample him and give him a bump on the head.)

Other capable cast members include Tom Conway as a shady character; Kaaren Verne as an earnest immigrant pressured to betray her new country; and Joyce Compton as would-be detective Chris Cross.

Walter Pidgeon looks like he's enjoying himself as the dashing lead character who spouts like dialog like, "Well, this is swell. Seven beautiful girls and every one of them a murder suspect."

There's not much substance, really, but it's a pleasant mix of adventure, mystery and comedy.

Master detective Nick Carter as played by Walter Pidgeon tangles with fifth columnists in Sky Murder. During the course of the film a murder does take place in a millionaire's private plane and at the climax another is attempted, but foiled.

United States Senator George Lessey tips the famous private eye to this nest of traitors, but the leaders are an illusive group. His Senate investigating committee is looking into this and he'd like Carter to work for them.

Of course Walter Pidgeon does things in his own way with sidekick Donald Meek with his ever present bees. They key seems to be refugee girl Kaaren Verne who is being pressured and not quite leveling with Pidgeon or anyone else about her situation.

Once again Donald Meek whom I usually love as a character actor is downright annoying in this as he was in the other Nick Carter films as the bee man. Sometimes he's more of a danger to Pidgeon than the bad guys.

Take note of Dorothy Tree in this film, she plays a hardcore Bundist type and well. Tree who later had blacklist troubles saw the other side of the struggle as the underground leader in the famous camp classic, Hitler - Dead Or Alive.

There's a little more MGM type gloss to these Carter films which is also a bit out of place. But MGM didn't know how to do it any other way in the days of Louis B. Mayer.