El regenerado

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. 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.

Hotel bellhop Buzzy O'Brien plays detective with the various guests of the hotel, much to the unhappiness of police detective Lanahan and hotel detective Fluger. Buzzy's latest case involves Thaddeus Porter, a banker, who was found murdered in his hotel room. Suspicion falls on Kitty Monahan, whose brother is escaping the law for stealing $10,000 in bonds. Buzzy and Jefferson (hotel janitor) deduce that someone in the hotel must be a go between for the hot bond racket, and have to catch the criminal before they themselves become the next victim. If there was a B-movie that can be stereotyped as generic programmer, this would be it. The killer is very easy to figure out, even by the audience members who are half paying attention. The cast and the characterizations are really bland, primarily since we've seen these types of people in hundreds of movies before. The scene at Buzzy's house with his mother helping Kitty only because she's Irish, just seems so corny that its hilarious. Rating, 3.

"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

It is interesting to read comments by people reviewing a flik from 70yrs ago but bringing 21st Cent eyes. I liked the movie for its good combination of plot, set and dialog. I have seen many Frankie Darro shorts and some are better some are worse but all are just short movies to fill in with the feature and he is the oldest or longest lasting youth going other than the East Siders maybe. The classic use of stage Irish and realizing that the Irish were just making it off the bottom of the social ladder prior to WWll gives an insight most people have forgotten since all changed after the war. No more Irish need not apply for jobs or housing. Some of the unintended consequences of these old slices of life from the small studios like PRC are what i find so enjoyable about this type of film. I have seen a few of the other 6 movies in the series and the plot line is familiar though I think the mystery part in this one is best, for what it is. The rest is straight formula but good performances by the whole cast of journeyman actors many of whom are in multiple movies together. Great cohesion good entertainment, short as it is.