Behind Green Lights

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.

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 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.

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 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)