Dick Tracy Contra o Monstro

If we sometimes pay lip service to the notion that Boris Karloff was a fine actor, we are hard-pressed to offer examples - unless we mean his memorable gallery of monsters, mummies, mad scientists and assorted grotesques. In this unlikely film can be found one of the best performances of his career: that of a criminal, to be sure, but an ominous character who projects menace rather than horror. Karloff underplays the ruthless, single-minded social misfit whose manner is close enough to the norm to enable him to move among commonplace types without attracting undue attention, but is at the same time sufficiently glowering to intimidate even his henchmen. Among the latter is a perfectly contrasted ally in the person of Skelton Knaggs.

About the rest (apart from the tantalizing opening shot)...the less said, the better. But here is a B picture raised to the level of B+ by the solid work of a genuine professional.

Dick Tracy and his exploits step into the world of science fiction Ralph Byrd as animation's favorite square jawed police detective gets involved with none other than Boris Karloff as Gruesome in Dick Tracy Meets Gruesome.

Usually Boris Karloff is the mad scientist concocting such things as a paralysis nerve gas which leaves folks paralyzed so that others think they could be dead. But here he's a ruthless career criminal who gets a dose of the stuff outside a waterfront dive and appear so dead that he's brought to the morgue by Lyle Latell as Tracy's sidekick Pat Patton. When he gets up and walks out of the morgue making Latell the victim of a horse laugh that's only the beginning.

Karloff realizes the possibilities as does the inventor of the paralysis gas for criminal enterprise and he uses it in several bank jobs. But it was his hard luck to have Tess Trueheart in the bank on the first job and in a telephone booth so that the paralysis wouldn't effect her. She recognizes the robbers and Karloff as Gruesome is not hard to miss. Hell Boris Karloff isn't hard to miss. Tess played by B movie queen Anne Gwynne.

Byrd is put in some real harm's way in the final confrontation with Karloff. Gruesome is pretty ruthless in eliminating witnesses and Byrd is almost caught in the trap he set for him.

Boris Karloff as Gruesome lifts Dick Tracy Meets Gruesome a notch over a lot of B films.

This was my first look at one of these old Dick Tracy movies. I believe most of them were very short, like those, a little over an hour long, and pretty fast-moving. Apparently, this is the fourth and last one of the films. I read where many people think it's the best, so I started here....and wasn't disappointed. It was entertaining.

What I found, at least in this movie, was a mixture of crime and some humor. Here, too, was a little sci-fi thrown in as someone invented a gas that would freeze anyone near it for about 15 minutes. The crooks, of course, freeze everyone at the First National Bank, and then go in and rob it. (These were the days before video cameras.)

Early on, one of the characters mentions something about a creepy-looking guy, "someone like Boris Karloff." The guy WAS Boris Karloff. Later, a doctor who could help the police figure out this mystery gas goes by the name of "Dr. A. Tomic," physicist. Still later, there is a dramatic scene in a room with a big sign that reads, "Y. Stuffem, taxidermist." The film is full of these little corny things making it a crime-comedy type of story.

Yet, the bad guys are tough guys. Karloff is convincing as a big thug who would kill without remorse. To me, he really makes this movie and elevates the crime angle of it beautifully. He was one-of-a-kind: had the perfect look and voice for scary roles on film. Skelton Knaggs, as "X-ray," as a frightening face.

Ralph Byrd is well-suited to the role of Dick Tracy, and this is a solid B-feature overall. But it is Boris Karloff, in the role of "Gruesome", who lifts the movie above the norm for its genre. He makes his character come vividly to life, and makes him into a believable and formidable foe for Tracy.

The story is enjoyable, if a bit on the wacky side, with a gang of criminals taking advantage of a gas that is supposed to cause temporary paralysis in anyone who breathes it. Tess and Pat also get their moments as they help Tracy track down the gang.

Karloff was an impressive and unusual talent, using his appearance, voice, and mannerisms in all kinds of ways, generally relying on the little things and on understated actions to create his character. He was certainly in a number of movies of far greater stature than this one, but in this, as in almost all of his roles, he is very interesting to watch, and he adds a great deal to the movie.

This is a good little film and the first one that I saw Skelton Knaggs listed in the credits--he is a hoot to watch as X-Ray!! Something about this late actor is funny to watch, I don't know if it is his voice or his looks or what, but he is something else in this film.

But I found this film to be very enjoyable and fun to watch--in fact, all of the Dick Tracy films from the 1940's are good ones. Good character names all around--Lee Thal, A.Tomic-- wonder if they came from the comic strip or the screenwriters? Either way, I like the play on words. But, it is a good film and if you enjoy harmless fun, be sure and catch this one if it on television.!!