Dick Tracy's Dilemma

RALPH BYRD takes over the Dick Tracy role with good results, looking more like the square-jawed comic book hero than Morgan Conway. He's on the trail of "The Claw" (played very effectively by JACK LAMBERT) and the film is chock full of many noir-like scenes involving "The Claw" and his pursuit of victims, who seems to enjoy using his hook to kill a few unlucky men.

IAN KEITH is back as Vitamin Flintheart, once again upstaging everyone with his theatrical flair for speeches and having a little more to do with the plot and KAY CHRISTOPHER fills in for Anne Jeffreys as Tess Trueheart.

But, in truth, Byrd is given little opportunity to show how well he was cast in the part since most of the crime drama involves the intriguing villain with the hook for a hand who drags his foot and walks the shadowy streets on his hunt for the kill.

Summing up: Good little crime drama about fur thieves proves that low-budget thrillers like this from RKO could be rewarding enough for noir fans.

Energetic little programmer in the Tracy series from RKO. Of course, the comic strip appeal came largely from the variety of human grotesques who challenged the square-jawed detective week after week. Here, Tracy battles "The Claw", Jack Lambert in excellent Neanderthal makeup with a claw where his hand ought to be. Something should be said in passing for director John Rawlins who had an obscure career, but still came up with the riveting and offbeat Rogue River (1950) as well as the superior B-Western Fort Defiance (1951). Note the fast-pacing and clever touches in this programmer, such as filming from behind the unplugged fan whose blades run down as Sightless (Jimmy Conlin) expires from The Claw.

There are a number of noir touches in the lighting and suspense, not surprising since the year is 1947. Also, catch the painting behind the bar. It's not in obvious focus, but there it is-- an almost totally nude woman up to something not quite clear. Now a saloon centerfold may be appropriate for a saloon, but in a kid's picture, it must have been someone's idea of a private joke. Be that as it may, Rawlins was an A-picture talent trapped in a B-movie career.

Byrd is excellent as Tracy. In fact the level of performances is better than expected for such a low budget. Speaking of budgets, note how much of the film appears shot from outside studio buildings with their rows of little windows (probably where the writers labored). Note too, how the final chase moves past a mock-up airplane and through what appears to be a prop storage area. Certainly, the cast didn't have to go on location for this one. All in all, it's a good, fast little 60 minutes of the Tracy series. And, oh yes, I don't know who played Tess Trueheart, but if I were the cop, I'd spend less time gum-shoeing and more time around the house.

Rather like the comic strip upon which this series of films were based, the villains are usually the most interesting. Crippled when a robbery went horribly wrong, the Claw is now as twisted in body as he is in mind. "You're a killer, Claw!" screams one of his fellow henchmen at him and he's got it spot on.

When the Claw isn't on screen, the film drops a notch as the good guys aren't that interesting and Tracy is just dull. Still, he gets the job done and the case is solved and the evil Claw meets a fitting end after a thrilling chase through a scrap yard.

Low budget and in black & white these films may be but with their short running time, they never outstay their welcome and are fast and entertaining. Something today's overblown two hour plus films could learn a thing or two from. Less is often more at certain times.

In case anyone is wondering, the above Summary quote is from the song, 'The Power of Love,' by Frankie Goes to Hollywood.

... from RKO and director John Rawlins. Dick Tracy (Ralph Byrd) is on the case when a fur heist turns bad and a security guard is killed. Tracy and his cohorts work together to track down the criminal gang responsible, including the murderous Claw (Jack Lambert).

The third of four low-budget Dick Tracy features, these followed four previous serials which had starred Ralph Byrd. Morgan Conway had played Tracy in the first two movies, but Byrd was brought back for this, and one final film. While several of the characters have comic-strip names, the film itself is comparable to many of the B mysteries and crime pictures being turned out at the time. This one also has some gruesome implications, thanks to the method of murder used by the Claw, namely his prosthetic claw. Lambert is very good as the deformed Claw, and he reminded me a bit of future slasher horror icons Jason Voorhees and Michael Myers in his implacability. Ian Keith, as Vitamin, gets to ham it up with his exaggerated John Barrymore characterization, and I liked seeing character actor Jimmy Conlin in a larger role, as phony blind man Sightless.

Ralph Byrd returns as Dick Tracy in "Dick Tracy's Dilemma," a 1947 B movie with some noirish aspects. It's fast and well-directed.

Here Tracy is after a killer called The Claw, who has a hook for a hand. The plot involves stolen furs, murder, and insurance fraud.

If you thought Tess had nothing to do in the Morgan Conway movies, here Tess is practically an extra. The actress, Kay Christopher, was quite different from Anne Jeffreys. Christopher's Tess is sweet, where Jeffreys had more of a worldliness - it's the ingenue versus the leading lady. I never read the comics, so I don't know which one was more like Tess.

Kudos to Ian Keith, an actor I love, for his portrayal of Vitamin. He was a wonderful actor.

Directed with a brisk pace by John Rawlins, who adds several nice noir touches to this one, including one brilliant shot almost at the end of the film. I won't tell you what it is. You'll know it when you see it.