After Midnight with Boston Blackie

Now to be fair, this time, to "Insp. Farraday" (Richard Lane) he has marginally more to base his suspicions on when he apprehends "Blackie" (Chester Morris) red handed in possession of some gems! We know that he's just fetching them from a safety deposit box on behalf of the daughter of the man who pinched them in the first place. He was being coerced by his "associates" to return the loot, but when he is killed it falls to "Betty" (Ann Savage) to work with "Blackie" to prove his innocence and to apprehend the folks who killed her father. Again, it's a tightly cast and well paced drama with an on form Morris working well with the slightly more substantial role played by Savage and with Lloyd Corrigan and the soon to be married "Runt" (George E. Stone) contributing well as this wartime feel-good thriller keeps us entertained easily enough for an hour of predicable cat and mouse antics with a hint of diamond-laced legerdemain!

The Runt is getting married—that is, if his and Blackie's wealthy friend Arthur can manage to keep the few principals involved in the wedding assembled in his house for more than thirty seconds. Blackie, however, is occupied helping an old friend's daughter sort out a mystery involving the missing father, some diamonds he had hidden and a gang of crooks who will stop at nothing to seize those diamonds. Of course, Inspector Farraday and his dumb assistant Matthews are on hand, slapping Blackie with any charge handy and letting Blackie slip away as needed to work on the actual solving of the case.

Cy Kendall is particularly oily as the head villain here, even though he had appeared in at least two previous series outings as an old underworld pal of Blackie's. Walter Sande as Detective Matthews is wonderfully hapless as comic foil and brunt of insults for both Farraday and Blackie. (Farraday making a point: "I have Matthews as a witness!" Blackie: "Well, I wouldn't brag about that.")

A handful of comments and events in the film allude to the war—particularly a scene set during a blackout when cops, bad guys and Blackie and friends are all chasing each other around in the dark. But for the most part, this is your standard escapist B mystery featuring familiar characters, plentiful comic relief and an easy-to-follow plot about diamonds and murder.

We never do find out if Blackie's "ulcer remedy" that he shares with Farraday is the real stuff, or just a trick. I suspect a trick, since one of the ingredients is ketchup.

This low budget film with the usual cast of characters has Chester Morris, as Boston Blackie coming to the aid of an ex-con buddy who he got to know while serving in the State Penn. His buddy is being released and has some diamonds hidden my his previous business investments and is afraid his old gang will want the diamonds and kill him. Ann Savage, "Detore" is the ex-con's daughter and she wants to look after him and seeks Boston Blackie's help. Richard Lane, Inspector Farraday is still out to handcuff and arrest Blackie for breaking into a locker containing the diamonds. There is train rides and plenty of car chases and Boston Blackie even impersonates an African American in order to disguise himself from Cy Kendall the top gangster. If you like these sequels, you will love this film which runs very smoothly and is enjoyable.

This one was played slightly more serious, but still packed with some sparkling repartee especially between Blackie and Farraday. The plot actually intrudes on the comedy! However a running gag is supplied by the Runt in the process of getting married to a six foot stripper but being continually thwarted, until the very end ...

I can even forgive some of the more Keystone moments: such as Blackie being escorted between Farraday and Matthews, simply backing off and making a run for it, Arthur immediately taking his place, and fooling the two dumb cops all the way to the station. A delicious moment was where F&M realise their police car has been stolen by Blackie and a baddie and everyone but them knew it.

Good effort, nice production values, and better script make this a welcome entry.

After Midnight with Boston Blackie (1943)

** 1/2 (out of 4)

Fifth film in Columbia's series is still going pretty well with Chester Morris returning as Boston Blackie. In this film, Boston tries to help out a friend but when that friend is murdered and his diamonds stolen, Blackie is the lead suspect by the always dimwitted Captain Flannigan (Richard Lane). This is no great masterpiece but if you enjoy the series then you should get enough kicks out of this entry even though there isn't anything new here. As usual, Morris is highly entertaining in the title role and he acts wonderfully well with Lane. The two of them add a lot of comedy to the mix, which is good since the actual case isn't all too strong. Ann Savage adds nice support as the friend's daughter. Lew Landers (The Raven) directs once again.