The Panther's Claw

The war years saw a lot of "pretty good" movies, relatively innocuous stories, usually good entertainment, the sort one would rat 4-7, with a few poorly directed slow moving ones a little less.

And it's unfortunate that movie makers post 1965 sought to emulate the slow pace dull ones. It would take 30 years for film makers to learn their mistakes. Such was their incompetence. A man on the street could have done better than 98% of producers, directors, and writers from 1965-1995; it was truly the error of "rich kids and children with the silver spoon" at the reins.

But these war years were full of fairly safe vehicles. Some were smartly done, like this murder mystery.

We have a mystery here that begins with the comedy and affable personalities first, then goes into the plot, and that's what makes the atmosphere style murder mystery work.

This is expertly done, and could be used for a film class to show how to make a film. It is "Entertainment".

This is a cute blend of comedy and mystery as others have said. It is at least as good as a modern TV sitcom. I thought Byron Foulger did a great job as the suspicious character who just might be a bad guy. He is so addled being questioned by the police and so scared of his wife and 5 daughters it makes for a sympathetic and charming hero. The plot slowly bumps along with plenty of red herrings thrown around and more humour stirred in with the stereotyped black elevator operator doing the step and fetch it style humour good for a little chuckle. If hubby who really does not like B and W movies stayed interested, then that is enough to recommend it.

I was very happy to be able to buy this movie and watch it last weekend. I last saw this movie over 30 years ago. I remember it being good, and I was not disapponted. It has a fairly good mystery, but what makes this movie special is that it's very funny. It has several scenes which I think are classic. The line up scene is hilarious. Byron Foulger gives a great comedic performance.

In the beginning of the movie there is a page dedicating the movie to the New York Police: "This picture dedicated to the New York Police Department with its thousands of loyal and courageous men for meritorious service to its community."

A man named Digberry/Byron Foulge is seen climbing out on a cemetery wall by a policeman late at night. The policeman asked what he was doing in the cemetery. Digberry gives the policeman a story that is like suspicious and kind of funny that he is brought to the police station and questioned.

The story goes on from there that Digberry got a letter from a anonymous person to leave money on a grave. He claims he paid the money because he has a wife and 5 daughter on vacation who will be coming home and he does not want them frightened or anything bad happen to them. Other people that know each other got a similar letter with a paw print on it and days later Digberry got direction as to where and when he was to leave the money.

A woman is murdered and 3 men are considered suspect. One of the clues is a wig. Digberry is a wig maker and there is another man that made a wig for a man. The hair of the wig was found in the dead woman's hand.

There are lots of funny scenes. What I thought was interesting is the way the police investigated. They were very clever and alert as to what was said and what they saw and the way people responded. Good police work.

Good mystery, lots of humor and nice for a black and white picture made in 1942 you can watch for free on Youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9OY6ddm8zy0

No need to recap the well-reviewed plot beyond that grabber opening scene.

Is it possible that the meekest character actor in Hollywood, Byron Foulger, is actually a slick and clever murderer. Anyway, it looks that way in Claw, even as his Digberry (great name) fumbles around with the cops in scene after scene. From the way he looks and acts, could it be that he's guilty of anything more than an overdue parking ticket. But then, it turns out in the first part he really is the Black Panther or should I say the white kitty. It's a clever premise, using addled actor Foulger as chief suspect as events unfold. In fact, he gets more screen time than even top-billed Blackmer. There should be a special place in Hollywood heaven for unheralded talents like his.

Anyway, it's a generally entertaining little flick from budget-minded PRC. Blackmer turns in a faintly bemused turn as the police commissioner and I like the way he's nagged by the lynch-minded DA (Rawlinson) that sets up an unusual and well-handled conflict. On the downside are a number of plot holes (as others point out), along with an embarrassing turn by Edwards as a hammy Italian, and Mitchell as a stereotypically silly Black of that comedic period. Nevertheless, there's enough imagination and upper-billed acting to lift this little flick beyond the strictly ordinary.