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William Gargan is police lieutenant Sam Carson. He admits he would like to be chief but he's not about to compromise his principles. He makes that fact pretty clear to tabloid magnate Max Calvert (Roy Roberts), who is looking to stir up the approaching election by pushing a murder story possibly involving a politician's daughter.

Carole Landis is dignified and tight-lipped as Janet Bradley, that daughter. Yes, she visited the victim, a sleazy private detective, earlier that evening. No, she does not care to explain her business with him.

Besides these main characters, a shady police doctor (Don Beddoe) sneaks information to reporters and generally delights in scandal. Mabel Paige has a key role as a flower lady who just wants her six bits. John Ireland is quite convincing in a too small role as a police detective. A roomful of news reporters crack wise and rush to their phones, a la The Front Page.

A couple of nice plot twists, especially one involving an escapee from his jail cell, keep the viewing interesting. Gargan and Landis are strong as the leads—a couple of realists holding out for a breakthrough that may or may not come.

Well done—a very entertaining if modest production.

This noir B thriller from 20th Century Fox shows the temptations that the police are under. William Gargan stars and plays a doggedly honest cop who has a homicide literally dropped on his doorstep at the precinct headquarters. It's almost like someone was taunting the cops to solve this one.

The victim in Behind Green Lights was a seedy private detective who had a nice sideline in blackmail and no one really is going to mourn his passing. But the case is loaded with political implications because Carole Landis, daughter of the reform candidate for mayor was seen leaving the victim's apartment.

The largest newspaper in town is supporting the current administration and Roy Roberts says that the easiest thing in the world for Gargan to do to advance his career is pick up Landis and book her. At least until the election is over which will be in a few days. Something about Roberts sticks in Gargan's craw. He could easily justify holding Landis and helping his career, but he won't do it.

There's a nice array of suspects and by definition performances. There are two keys here, a very sleazy medical examiner played by Don Beddoe and a bag lady played by Mabel Paige. Between the two of them the real story comes out.

Behind Green Lights bears no small resemblance to Detective Story in structure. Most of the action takes place in the police station. This film is nicely paced with a few good comic touches. I can't mention them because they are within the plot structure and not just added on. This noir film is a good one to check out.

A dead body is dumped outside a police station one night. This leads to a mystery involving a femme fatale and corruption.

This was an entertaining mystery in my book. While it was set almost totally in two locations - the police station and the flat where the murder took place - it has a fairly polished feel and holds the interest throughout. The mystery is involving enough and there are some moments of noirish atmosphere and style towards the end. There were some elements of humour introduced which, while not being strictly necessary, weren't too distracting either. Behind Green Lights isn't a poverty row effort, it was made by one of the big studios so that may account for it's relatively impressive overall presentation. It's hardly a film that breaks the mould but it's a fairly effective little mystery that is worth watching if you like these kinds of flicks.

A police-procedural mystery that's about halfway to film noir but comes up short, Behind Green Lights takes place entirely during a single night in a midwestern city (stockyards are mentioned; Kansas City? Chicago?). A car rolls up to the green globes of a police station, holding the murdered body of a private investigator who dabbled in blackmail. Asked in for questioning is Carole Landis, daughter of a mayoral candidate, who had been in the extortionist's apartment earlier that evening. Though other suspects emerge, the ink-stained wretches on the police beat smell a scoop: If Landis is convicted in the press, it will swing the election that's just a few days off.

Its view of the press as partisan, corrupt and unprincipled is the most unusual aspect of Behind Green Lights. It assumes (in this case rightly) that the newspapers have mercenary minions stowed throughout the city government. The medical officer (Don Beddoe) clearly takes his orders not from night-shift boss William Gargan but from a sleazy tabloid's editor-in-chief (Roy Roberts). On his instructions, he substitutes victim's body for a John Doe's after he discovers that the murder weapon was poisoned Bourbon, not the gunshot that would implicate Landis. (This switching around of corpses introduces an antic element of slapstick from which the movie never quite recovers.)

But the pervasive corruption of big-town politics remains oddly matter-of-fact, never developed into an indictment or accepted as a grim given of mid-twentieth-century American life; it's just a plot point. (The movie also has to work around the central presence of the charisma-free Gargan, while John Ireland is wasted as his assistant.) It wraps up neatly, leaving little atmosphere behind (Mabel Paige as a flower vendor stays the most memorable character). Still, it has a brisk pace and professional look - both indoor and outdoor scenes have a dark, noirish shine, thanks to director of photography Joe MacDonald, who would go on to light many worthy noirs - and leaves one wishing that it had been just a little bit longer and a little bit better.

Other than guessing the murderer the minute I saw him, I thought "Behind Green Lights" from 1946 was pretty good.

The first thing we see is a young woman (Carole Landis) entering an apartment and telling the man inside that she hasn't raised enough money. Then she pulls a gun on him.

Later, a body is dumped in front of a police precinct. It turns out to be that of a detective turned blackmailer, and we learn that none other than a mayoral candidate's daughter had visited him before he died. She is brought in for questioning.

The editor of a newspaper doesn't want that candidate to win and pressures Lt. Carson (Gargan) to formally arrest the mayor's daughter, at least until after the election. Not happening.

At first it appears that the blackmailer was shot to death; he was shot, but the cause of death was poisoning. The coroner is actually taking orders from the editor, and he's told to get the body out of the police station before anyone realizes that the man was poisoned.

Some nice bits concerning the body, an escaped prisoner, and a closet.

Okay film, with nice performances by Gargan, Richard Crane, John Ireland, Mary Anderson, and Charles Russell. This is down a few notches for the beautiful Landis, whose career sadly declined after Darryl Zanuck dumped her. She committed suicide two years later at the age of 29. A very sad life.

I think it's worth seeing even if it is an uneven mix of noir and comedy - I liked some of the characters.

Plot—a shady character turns up dead in front of a police station. Looks like the cops have their man, oops, woman, but then the corpse disappears and fingers begin to point in different directions.

Okay time-passer from TCF. The format suggests a transition period between the comedic who-dun-its of the 1930's and the noirish police procedures of the late 40's. The two blend awkwardly here with an obstreperous group of crime reporters and antic characters providing the humor, and a no-nonsense police Lt. (Gargan) the procedure. Unfortunately, the moods contrast rather than complement, a tricky combo, at best. As other reviewers point out, the movie's standout aspect is influence peddling among city officials and police that suggests deals can be made without much regard for guilt or innocence. Perhaps the humorous side was intended to soften this harder message.

Rather disturbing to see promising actress Landis just two years before her tragic suicide, one of Hollywood's more lamentable. Too bad her sparkling personality remains subdued in a rather dour role. Still, she remains a distinctive presence and not just for us guys. Unfortunately, tough guy Ireland is wasted in a supporting role. But with his distinctive looks, he's clearly on his way up.

Anyway, the mystery's surprise solution is told in multiple flashbacks, so be prepared for the cut-aways. All in all, the movie's a journeyman piece of work, perhaps reflecting a coming change in post-war mood.

(In passing—Like reviewer arfdawg, I was puzzled by the clumsily edited opening scene of Janet {Landis} holding a gun on Bard, which doesn't appear to fit with what follows. However, the scene is picked up later in flashback. My guess is the idea was meant to be a teaser. Unfortunately, it looks like dull scissors were used to cut it.)

The version i watched on "Moonlight Movies" channel was a TERRIBLE editing job... all chopped to hell. Directed by Otto Brower, who only directed one more after this, and that one was uncredited! A private eye is murdered, and dumped on the steps of the police station. and of course, the mayor's daughter (or something) is involved. Carole Landis is "Janet", who admits to being at the scene, but says she didn't kill him. William Gargan is the police lieutenant, as usual. All kinds of shenanigans, and corruption, since there is an upcoming election. Both sides are trying to influence the election results by altering the facts, and they keep saying it's bad news for "the administration"... without naming anyone specific. It's very okay. a 64 minute short from 20th Century Fox. John Ireland is in here as "Oppenheimer"... this was almost the first role he had in hollywood. he went on to be a real bigshot. Mabel Paige (Flossie the Flowergirl) has a part.. she was in silents from 1912 -- 1918, disappeared for twenty years, then came back and acted in talkies for another 15 years ! That story would be more interesting than this film. (and what are the green lights in the title ?? this is a black and white film)

It's the graveyard shift, with night commander William Gargan holding down the fort. A car rolls up right in front of the station. Someone opens the car and a corpse falls out. It's Bernard Nedell with a bullet hole in him. He was a P.I. and blackmailer by trade, and one of the suspects is Carole Landis, whose father is up for election, so there's pressure to put her behind bars. Soon the case becomes ever more tangled....

It's an okay little flick, directed for speed by Otto Brower. Brower bounced between directing B pictures -- his westerns are lively affairs -- and being an assistant director on some pretty classy As, one of the highly competent craftsmen who never got the breaks, but was obviously known in the industry for his good work. Writer Scott Darling ekes out the short running time with eccentric characters: the guy who breaks out of jail so he can wrestle at an Elks smoker, the reporter who wears his grandfather's buffalo-skin coat, a kid whose head is trapped in a goldfish bowl (his mother wants it removed without breaking it), Mabel Paige as the flower seller who wants her $1.75 from the corpse, and iold-timer Tom Moore and J. Farrell MacDonald.

It's more a procedural that film noir, barring some eccentrically lit shots on an apartment stairs, and there are no early clues; everything breaks at once, with the motive revealed after the audience can figure out whodunnit. However, it's an example of the lively B movie that Fox could still turn out on a short budget, given the superfluity of talent available.

This was a nice little mystery of a man being found dead in front of a police station right before an election. The man was a private investigator and the police station and newspaper men are desperate to solve the case. Politics and an estranged wife are thrown into the mix.

(Flash Review)

This is a cute and short hour long detective-based Noir. It is sprinkled with dashes of humor, quality dialog and a dead body that literally rolls up at a police headquarters' front steps. Mix in a dashingly classic lady with political connections, some amusing side characters and you have an enjoyable hour on your hands.

This is a wonderful mystery film with a film noir-like edge. Oddly, the film has mostly been forgotten today and it's slipped into the public domain--which often means that a film is terrible--which this film certainly is NOT! The film begins with a wild setup--a car with a dead body in it rolls to a stop right in front of the police station! Inside the car is a shady detective--but who killed him and why? The film did a great job of keeping you guessing--as it's NOT readily apparent who did it. Into the mix are some nice plot elements--such as the introduction of an inexperienced news reporter into the tale as well as the prime suspect being the daughter of a man who is running for election in only days! As for the acting, that and the script are what I really liked. Despite being mostly unknown and supporting actors, the film was dandy entertainment. In particular, I liked William Gargan as the investigating lieutenant--he was very believable and far from flashy--but this made his role so wonderful. A big-name star might have tried too hard to dominate the scenes or take too commanding a presence--instead, he just seemed like a smart and decent "everyman". Also, while his role was very small, I was happy to see a young John Ireland--before he rose to fame in the world of Noir.

Overall, for mystery and film noir fans, this is a great little film. It's intelligently written and doesn't assume the audience is stupid! Great job.

The body of a private investigator, who also dabbled in a bit of blackmail, is literally dumped on the police department's doorstep. The case becomes politically charged when the prime suspect is determined to be one of the mayoral candidate's daughter. And to complicate things further, one of the city's newspapers may also be involved. Lt Sam Carson (William Gargan) has to get to the bottom of things. Problem is, he's fallen for his #1 suspect.

I really enjoyed this little movie much more than I could have imagined. Behind Green Lights will never be confused with a noir heavyweight like Double Indemnity, but it's not unentertaining in its own modest way. The story is compelling enough and director Otto Brower keeps things moving throughout the film's (too) brief 64 minute runtime. Budgetary restrictions can be seen in the limited number of sets (there are really only two or three that matter), yet the film never feels confined or stagey as I've seen before with similar films. Again, a tribute to Director Brower. The film has the benefit of a nice cast. Gargan might not be the most engaging lead, but he's solid and gives a real workmanlike performance. His character falling for the main female character, Janet Bradley (Carole Landis), is certainly believable. Speaking of Landis, she also gives a nice performance. I'm not overly familiar with Ms Landis, but what a tragic figure. Supporting players, including Richard Crane of Rocky Jones "fame", Mary Anderson, and a very young John Ireland, are all strong. My only real complaint is with the doctor character. I'm not sure how this man, who could so easily be tempted to basically break the law, kept his job as a police medical examiner. It's just doesn't make sense.

So, to summarize my thoughts, Behind Green Lights is an engaging little film that's aided tremendously by a nice cast.

(1946) Behind Green Lights CRIME DRAMA/ MYSTERY

It has rookie reporter, Johnny Williams (Richard Crane) of the Herald newspaper introduced by Ames to Lt. Sam Carson (William Gargan) and Det. Oppenheimer (John Ireland). And the police station sharing the building with a bunch of other newspaper reporters nearby, until a car conveniently crashes on front of the police station lot and a dead lifeless body, recognized immediately is private investigator Walter Bard (Bernard Nedell) falling out as soon as Lt Carson opens the door with Herald reporter, Johnny nearby. Leading to them to detain their first suspect, Janet Bradley (Carole Landis) who happens to be the daughter running for mayor. And as it turns out she was being blackmailed by Walter Bard, who was demanding $20,000 from her, she can only come up with $10,000. Making Janet's situation much more complicated is the fact that her fingerprints were on the handgun, presumed to be the weapon that killed him, according to the examiner, Doc Yegar (Don Beddoe). And after they manage to get a hold of the murdered suspect's wife, Nora Bard (Mary Anderson) she arrives with her love interest who is also her attorney, Arthur Templeton (Charles Russell). There is also a tabloid newspaper "The Express" owned by a sleaze bag, Max Calvert (Roy Roberts) who wanted to keep the way the victim kept a secret for the intention of selling more copies even though it was revealed he likely by the poison than he did by gunshot.

From a running time of a little more than a hour, this movie is not bad as their was so many things happening and new revelations. Viewers had no idea that private investigators can also be sleazeballs until they see this short movie.

Very decent flick set mostly in a police station focussed on the work of Lt. Sam Carson (William Gargan) who has to figure out which of two dames might have killed a local private detective - Gargan does a great job playing the copper with a conscience who has to resist political and media pressure. The plot gets a bit twisty, but also kinda goofy on a couple of occasions. As a bonus, Carole Landis is the perfect statuesque blonde in the spotlight, adding some panache, class and even a spot of romance into proceedings. With its flashbacks and voiceovers, some shadowy shots and its morally conflicted central character, it does enough to earn its noir credentials - worth your time.

An unscrupulous private investigator with a penchant for blackmail is found dead in a car and the leading suspect is Janet Bradley, the daughter of a mayoral candidate. With the election just weeks away, shady and ruthless individuals muscle the medical officer into switching the corpse with another body. Lieutenant Sam Carson, one of the few good apples in the bunch must find a way to get to the bottom of it all.

Behind the Green lights is briskly-paced police procedural that stars Carole Landis and William Gargan, who plays a police lieutenant who sifts through a byzantine web of conflicting clues as well as resisting an obvious bribe from a politically motivated newspaper editor to book Landis' character as the murderer of the private eye. Gargan, who is excellent as the sympathetic policeman, keeps Landis in a back room at the police precinct in order to shield her from the sensation-hungry news reporters. It's quite a gripping yarn with not much glamour or humour - it seems more of a sincere film about corruption and politics creeping into police station.

Sam Carson (William Gargan) has a murder to solve when a dead body turns up outside his police station. We are introduced to various characters throughout the course of the night before the crime is solved.

Unfortunately, there is no passion in this film. Whilst the story isn't bad, the film has a rushed feel to it which encourages a lack of emotional involvement in what is happening. There is also the terrible mistake of introducing a comedy character in Flossie (Mabel Paige) and having a slapstick sequence that involves the switching and hiding of the body of the victim. The film doesn't recover from these low points. You won't guess the murderer but you will get annoyed with the name of John Doe.

A solid, unsung noir murder mystery that unfolds over the course of one long night. After the bullet-ridden body of a detective rolls up to the steps of a police precinct in a car, the cops inside scramble to unravel the mystery of their stiff colleague. It's not long before local newsboys get a whiff of the action and buzz on down to the station frothing at the mouth for an exclusive on the story. A dead detective, a politician's daughter, and a savage media frenzy are the foundation of this quick-paced, engaging whodunnit.

Noir lovers won't be disappointed; it's got murder, betrayal, dames with questionable motives, and moody b&w photography that evokes late night atmosphere. There's no shortage of fast-talking characters, smoky rooms, shadowy night scenes, scheming reporters, and a few halfhearted attempts at humor.

Overall it's an entertaining little mystery, with lots of moving parts, that takes a critical look at the shady relationships between the law, politics, and the media. For being confined to a 64 minute run time, a few locations, and one night, it's a testament to the skill of the writers and director that the film gets its thematic points across so effectively. Writers Scott Darling and Charles Booth cleverly conceal the killer's identify until the dramatic reveal, and toss in some comedic plot points like a corpse stashed in a storage closet and a kooky old lady with a tray of baked goods who holds the key to the mystery. This lean, low budget slice of Golden Era noir clocks in at just over an hour and is efficiently directed by Otto Brower. This would be the director's final film; he died January 15, 1946, twenty days before this film's release.

This film begins with an attractive blonde woman going to a man's residence and after a conversation suddenly pulling a gun on him before the screen fades to black. In the next subsequent scene a car rolls in front of the local police station and upon looking inside the police find the dead body of a man who had just been shot. As it turns out the dead man was a notorious blackmailer named "Walter Bard" (Bernard Nedell) and because of evidence found at the scene the main suspect is a woman named "Carole Landis" (Janet Bradley) who just happens to be the daughter of a popular politician in that city. However, after she is brought to the police station the detective in charge of the investigation "Lt. Sam Carson" (William Gargan) has a gut feeling that she is innocent even though more evidence indicates otherwise. Now rather than reveal any more I will just say that this was a pretty good Mystery-Drama which manages to incorporate several nice twists and turns along the way. I especially liked the performance of the two actors just mentioned who seemed quite comfortable in their respective roles. That said, while this certainly wasn't a great film by any means, it passed the time fairly well and for that reason I have rated it accordingly. Slightly above average.

Police lieutenant Sam Carson investigates a political murder after the victim is dumped at the door of police headquarters.

I watched this movie on Cafe Noir and right in the beginning there was a splice and a piece of film missing. Didn't bode well since it seemed to be a critical scene that was chopped.

In fact, the running time on Cafe Noir is 60 minutes even. This means 4 minutes were chopped off the movie! I wonder if that's the only print available. The quality was good. Bu it was missing 4 minutes!

Anyway, I didn't especially like the movie. Thought it was slow and talkie.

The premise is a typical murder mystery with a political angle and some blackmail. Roy Roberts plays a great unethical crumb, John Ireland is cool in limited screen time, and the rest are petty routine. But the movie unintentionally jumps between mystery, dark comedy, police procedural, and farce, and in the end doesn't have much identity. And the main twist is just cheap. For me, it isn't worth a second viewing.

It all happens at a police station, when a dead body of a tycoon is dumped at its doorstep. There is a drama then building up with many people involved, including a bunch of ambitious journalists who will put anything on print that is just sensational enough. Two ladies are involved, who both visited the dead man the evening he was murdered, one pointing a gun at him, getting implicated as that's the gun he was shot with carrying her fingerprints, but the confusion increases as that was not what he died of: he was poisoned. Eventually the mess is sorted out by the intrepid investigating lieutenant William Gargan, who faces every kind of contributing complications, including an old bag lady selling flowers. It's a great script, it all holds together, and there is a nice steady flow of action all the way through making this a very intensive thriller with many positive surprises. It's brief but all the more valuable for its density.