Dangerous Blondes

Crime writer Allyn Joslyn (Barry) and his wife Evelyn Keyes (Jane) set out to solve the murder of Mary Forbes (Isabel Fleming) at a photographer's studio. The police are also trying to figure things out led by Frank Craven (Inspector Clinton). It's a comedy detective film that also stars William Demarest (Detective Gatlin), so be warned.

Shame it's a comedy. The film's title lends itself to a film-noir storyline. Anyway, whilst there are some funny moments, this is offset by annoying comedy characters that fail to generate any laughs – Demarest being one, and housekeeper Minerva Urecal (Mrs Swanson) being another. The story is slightly complicated and it's all pretty meaningless but Evelyn Keyes stands out and is fun to watch. And the luminous paint is cool.

If you see William Demarest on a cast list, it's a dead cert that the film is one to avoid. He's his usual unfunny self here with exaggerated expressions, unrealistic reactions, obvious and badly executed pratfalls and way too much screen time. This film was doomed.

A lively cast and kinetic pacing keep this otherwise routine little mystery worth watching. It's one of those amateur sleuth films with bumbling cops that were popular at the time, and which the later TV cop series Dragnet (1951-1959) did so much to try to correct. Still, the comedic undertone of the movie is pretty effective, thanks mainly to Demarest, Joslyn, and especially the perky Keyes. The mystery itself is not very involving since the suspects get little screen time or character development. It's just sort of a hat rack to hang the various hijinks on.

The world's slowest elevator is a funny little touch along with its Spanish-American War operator. And for old movie buffs there's a brief appearance by cult figure Ann Savage (Erika), known mainly for her savage role in the cheapo classic Detour (1945). For wartime audiences, I'll bet the movie was a great bit of escape, and for digital era viewers, it still holds a measure of fun if you're not expecting too much.

During the 1940s, Columbia Pictures made mostly B movies--along with a few prestige pictures. Some, like "Dangerous Blondes" aren't exactly feature or B-films because their budgets are just a hair better than a B and because they are much longer than the usual B (which usually clock in at about 60 minutes). But, the film is clearly not a prestige picture, as it features mostly second-tier actors and no big-name actors at all. The closest to this are its stars Eveyln Keyes (who made a few big films) and Allyn Joslyn (a guy who always seemed to play excellent cranky supporting actors).

This movie is much like a Thin Man film, but instead of rich Nick and Nora Charles, you've got the Craigs. Barry Craig is a crime fiction writer and he and his wife Jane prefer solving crimes to writing about them. As for the time in this film, it's far less important than the banter between them. It's filled with humor and I noticed MANY times my wife was laughing along with the film. My usually very picky wife declared that the film was kinda fun--a glowing endorsement, believe me! The dialog is the star, though Keyes and Joslyn sure did their best to make the film a lot of fun...if murder can be fun! Worth seeing and a shame they didn't make more of these films.

By the way, during the radio show, Mr. Craig identified a 'revolver'. Well, I am not an expert on guns, but it clearly was a semi-automatic, not a revolver. Also, the radio show announcer was Don Wilson--who was more famous for his being a regular on "The Jack Benny Program".

Greatly enjoyed this mystery, comedy classic from 1943 starring Allyn Joslyn,(Barry Craig),"I Wake Up Screaming" and Evelyn Keyes,(Jane Craig),"Gone With the Wind". These two actors team up as a husband and wife detectives who try to solve a murder and seem to go around in complete circles through out the entire picture. This is really a comedy with plenty of 1943 jokes and laughter; there is an elevator operator who takes a year and a day to reach each floor and tells his complete life's history before you even reach the main lobby. Evelyn Keys was very young at the age of 27 and had not too long ago completed her appearance in "Gone With The Wind" 1939, where is gave an outstanding performance. Allyn Joslyn gave a great performance as a hen pecked detective who had a wife follow him every where he decided to go. Nice Classic Film and very entertaining.

In the era of double features, DANGEROUS BLONDES most probably served as a pleasant second banana with a B-film budget from Columbia Studios, and a cast that included EVELYN KEYES, ALLYN JOSLYN, JOHN HUBBARD, EDMUND LOWE, ANITA LOUISE with WILLIAM DEMAREST and FRANK CRAVEN as detectives.

It's a fast-paced comedy/mystery with the most unlikely turning out to be the killer but with very little character depth to make solving the puzzle a sensible thing to do. Instead, just sit back and enjoy the shenanigans of minor sleuths Keyes and Joslyn in a Nick and Nora mode as they plunge into discovering what's going on at a fashion studio where a murder takes place.

Naturally, it takes lots of effort on their part and plenty of dangerous situations before they straighten the whole thing out with the cooperation of detective Craven and his sidekick, William Demarest.

It's fun to watch pert EVELYN KEYES and ALLYN JOSLYN as her husband given some amusing situations in a tidy little mystery with the accent on comedy.