Nine Lives Are Not Enough

Ronald Reagan is the newspaper's best combination man -- reporter and cameraman -- but his melodramatic stories have caused one too many libel suits. When Joan Perry's wealthy father is found dead in a boarding house, everyone thinks it's suicide. Except Miss Perry, Reagan, and his two cop buddies, James Gleason and Eddie Brophy.

I didn't expect to enjoy this mystery-comedy; in this period, a lot of Warners comedies were frantic rather than funny. I was surprised at the script by Fred Niblo Jr., ably mixing action, romance, and laughs, at the return to motormouth form of the stock company (not so much Reagan, who started as a radio sports commentator, but Howard Da Silva as Reagan's managing editor) ad moments of real emotion under Eddie Sutherland. It never exceeds programmer status, but it offers a snappy 63 minutes.

Nine Lives Are Not Enough is a great example of the studio system at work. This is so obviously a property that was meant for the Cagney- O'Brien duo who made so many good films at Warners. Instead of Ronald Reagan as the fast talking reporter, picture Jimmy Cagney in the part and instead of Howard DaSilva as the hardboiled editor, this is Pat O'Brien to a T. See what I mean.

Pat O'Brien was ending his Warner Brothers contract stint and the studio was trying to give Cagney better parts. So we substitute Reagan and DaSilva who as a team wouldn't set the world on fire. Jack Warner was quoted once as saying the reason he supported Ronald Reagan for Governor of California was that while at Warners, Reagan was a very obliging man, who took whatever was given him without complaint. That kind of loyalty needs to be rewarded.

Despite this film being a Cagney-O'Brien hand-me-down, it's fast paced and amusing enough on it's own terms. A good cast of colorful character actors help it along. Make special note of the performances of James Gleason and Edward Brophy as the two cops reporter Reagan is assigned with in their patrol car.

Mr. President aka Ronald Reagan plays reporter Matt Sawyer, who needs to get a big story, and get it right after bungling up the last story. Viewers will recognize James Gleason as Sergeant Daniels, the thin, blustery, over-confident cop who means well, and usually lucks into the right solution. He was in all "The Falcon" movies, and Arsenic and Old Lace. Sawyer and a reporter for the competition play tricks on each other to get the stories in first. When a famous businessman turns up face down, its Sawyer's job to find out what really happened, even when he's thrown off the paper. Story moves along pretty quickly, except that at one point, Reagan looks into the camera and seems to talk to the viewer. Joan Perry plays the dead man's wife, and that was the last role she did, after marrying Harry Cohn in 1941. Ed Brophy is Officer Slattery, sidekick to Sgt. Daniels. Sounding like one of the Three Stooges, he had ALSO been in the "Falcon" series of films. With gangsters, mistresses, and the mentally challenged, this comedy/whodunnit has a little of everything. Listen closely when J.B. the editor speaks - that's Howard DaSilva, who played Louie Mayer in Mommie Dearest. Has a very distinctive voice. One of Reagan's more fun films, this is from the novel by Jerome Odlum, who had written several novels turned into movies.

When I saw this the first time, years ago, I was struck by the performances of Howard Da Silva and Peter Whitney, whose work I knew from their later films.

And I was struck. Howard Da Silva is one of those actors I think can do no wrong. What a talent.

Peter Whitney is called "fearsome" in his mini-bio here at IMDb, but in "Nine Lives Are Not Enough" he is anything but. This is a difficult, very non-PC role, and it's hard to believe Whitney was just beginning his acting career.

Ronald Reagan's forte was not slapstick, and he seems a bit awkward in some of the knockabout scenes, but other times, as the slightly bashful guy, he is very good.

Again, since this is a Warner Brothers product, the cast is just great, again with so many superb talents who don't get credit, such as John Hamilton, who must have made 500 movies with no credit.

Hamilton's most famous role was as Perry White, editor at the Metropolis Daily Planet, and his most famous line was probably "Don't call me 'chief'!" Reagan's reporter, Matt Sawyer, continually calls Howard Da Silva's editor "chiefie," which is even funnier in the context of Hamilton's presence.

"Nine Lives" might not be great cinema, but it is great fun.

This is a delightful mystery with a great performance from Ronald Reagan. At a very quickly paced 63 minutes, the action rarely lets up, and the plot has enough turns to keep you guessing. I was suprised at Reagan's excellent timing and charm - in so many films he comes off as stuffy, but not here. Great supporting cast kept everything lively and great fun to watch - highly recommended!