Persons in Hiding

Well, not exactly the very very same scheme but nearly. At least as much interesting as the Joseph Lewis's masterpiece. And beware, director Louis King gives us here, one of his best picture, when he worked for Paramount Pictures, as Robert Florey too; productions very close to the Warner Bros ones of this period. Short, sharp, tense. And as bonus some touching scenes, such as this one where the evil couple visit the old ma and pa of the male fugitive. So, enjoy this Louis King's film; there are some of them too also from this director. Enjoy, because later in his career, Louis King has lost all his ambition.

... is the name of the perfume that plays a central role in the development of this film and in its denouement. Patricia Morison (Dot) wants the good things in life and sets off in pursuit of fur coats and perfume when she encounters petty thief J Carrol Naish (Freddie) and becomes the brains behind a Bonnie & Clyde-style crime spree across the US.

The film zips by and is ok to watch, the main reason being Morison who plays her role well. She is a lead female character that you can identify with and hope she gets away with things as she plays a strong woman and not a cry-baby sentimental soft-hearted namby-pamby type. She is a strong character which is something I like to see. This is in contrast to Lynne Overman (Pete) who plays the main detective on her tail. He plays it like a clown providing some unwanted and unnecessary humour and always ready with a smart-Alec comment. I can't stand these types of characters. Even when he is in mortal danger, he still has time to crack a quip. What nonsense. This is ok for James Bond films where the audience is essentially laughing along with Bond knowing that no harm can really come to him and allows his litany of wisecracks to have a comedy value. This guy Overman is no James Bond.

I remember a terrible song from 1983 called "Tantalize" by Jimmy the Hoover (unsurprisingly never to be heard of again) which could be the music to accompany a modern-day advertising campaign for the featured perfume in this film. It's a good link to make and demonstrates my good knowledge of music but I bet it won't be made.

Patricia Morison is working when two-bit stick-up man J. Carrol Naish comes in to grab $30. Miss Morison thinks she can make something of him, so they go off together, get married, and begin a string of bank robberies. Soon, thanks to her calling up the papers and making sure people spell his name right, he's got a reputation. But the crooks know she's the brains behind the operation, so Dennis Morgan offers her half the take if she will take charge of a kidnapping he has in mind. She does, which brings in the FBI in the person of Lynne Overman.

It's based on a book by the same title by J. Edgar Hoover. I suppose that's why the crooks are dull, slovenly, and are pushed around easily by Miss Morison, who hardly seems to be trying. Unfortunately, the movie is likewise dull and inert for its length; Overman nods off in a car while tracking the bad guys. Fortunately, the FBI has lots of energetic, smart men and a big machine that can sort through a very large number of fingerprints, so what chance does a gang of half a dozen dullards have? Other performers wasted here are William Frawley, Helen Twelvetrees, and William Collier Sr.

"Persons In Hiding" is a middling attempt to bring J. Edgar Hoover's book to the screen. Apparently there was a series of films based on the same book. This one is a pretty standard story of two crooks on the run from the police in the 'Bonnie and Clyde' tradition. They commit robberies throughout the Southwest and then try to hide out to avoid capture. Patricia Morison is quite good as the 'Bonnie' character who enlists her cohort so as to steal and live the good life. She is the main focus of this picture and carries it well.

But I was not prepared for J. Carrol Naish in the role of Clyde. He is, in effect, the co-star and her love interest. It is tough to envision Naish as a romantic leading man, and I could not believe my eyes as they embrace and he gives her an impassioned BFS (big fat smooch). This from Geppetto the shoemaker, or a film noir stool-pigeon? I wondered if they handed out air sickness bags in theaters in preparation for this scene. It is only for those with strong constitutions. I felt the total lack of chemistry between the two had a direct effect on the storyline.

In sum, she was good but he was miscast. The rest of the cast consists of Hollywood backbenchers, including Lynn Overman as the FBI Agent and William Frawley, who always livens up any scene he is in. Also in bit parts are Richard Denning and Dennis Morgan, the latter under his real name. This was clearly a 'B' from Paramount, and as with many B's it might have been better with a more attractive cast - especially the male lead.