A Fugitive from Justice

This run-of-the-mill programmer from the early 1940's is a prime example of the second movie on a double feature bill. It's an action movie without much action. Long on talk, and undeveloped characters, the film does have it's strong points. It's quick and to the point. The plot is set up quickly, and it moves in a straightforward manner to its conclusion. The dialogue is interesting and typical for the times. But, whoever told Roger Pryor he was leading man material? He doesn't have much charisma. Eddie Foy, Jr, the second banana in the movie, tries too hard. In spite of this uneven mixture of elements, the movie is not completely unsuccessful. It's worth a look, if there's nothing else on.

B-movies were intended as second and lesser films for a double-feature. They were very popular in the 1930s-50s and folks today often incorrectly assume a B is synonymous with BAD...which isn't necessarily so. A B-movie was quickly made and ran between 50-70 minutes...at most. Unfortunately, while B's were sometimes very good, however, "A Fugitive from Justice" isn't....even though it was made by a major studio.

The police and insurance investigators as well as the mob have something in common....they're all looking for the same man, John Leslie. The story focuses on a detective working for the insurance company, as he stands to gain $20,000 if he finds Leslie. Not surprisingly, as he works hard to track down the baddies, the baddies are often following him...hoping that he'll lead him to Leslie so they can murder him.

This film is enjoyable IF you completely turn off your brain and don't think at all. If you do think, you'll realize how often the plot or folks' actions in the film make little sense...and the emphasis is definitely NOT on making a quality film. Dopey and with a rather bland leading man, Roger Pryor.

A Fugitive from Justice (1940)

** (out of 4)

Boring crime picture about an insurance investigator (Roger Pryor) who goes out looking for a fugitive who just happens to be running from the police who are trying to kill him as well as a group of gangsters who also wants him dead. The investigator hopes to bring him to justice so that his company won't have to pay out a large sum of money. If you don't know director Terry O. Morse's name you might be familiar with some of his films like British INTELLIGENCE with Boris Karloff and FOG ISLAND George Zucco. I mention those two films because like them, this one here is pretty boring from start to finish and there's not an inch of energy to be found anywhere. What's really strange about this picture is that it almost seems two different directors were given certain pages of the script and asked to film them. The problem is that the two directors never talked about what type of film they wanted to make so one went out and did a straight crime picture while the other did some sort of spoof. Considering there was only one director, it's rather shocking to see how poorly paced this thing is and at how wildly uneven it is. The film starts off being able to grab one's attention because the set-up is pretty straight-forward and it seems like you're going to be in for a treat. Sadly this feeling is over within minutes as the main story kicks up and the film turns into some badly acted, over-the-top scenes meant to get laughs but instead it just drives one crazy. Pryor just doesn't have enough going for him to hold the viewer's attention and Eddie Foy, Jr. is just too silly for his own good. Lucile Fairbanks, the niece of Douglas, is decent in her supporting role but the screenplay doesn't give her much to do. A FUGITIVE FROM JUSTICE is a pretty bland excuse for a crime picture and even at just 52-minutes the thing drags.

Standard trivial crime flick -- no better or worse than most. Eddie Foy, Jr. as Ziggy, the comic-relief sidekick, is so incredibly stupid as to detract even from a film that has no particular merits to begin with. The movie's main merit is that it's over in 53 minutes.

This B picture from Warner Brothers reminded me of the remark that one of Napoleon's mistresses made about Bonaparte in bed. He made love like a fireman rushing to a fire. This film has that kind of frantic pace but it really goes nowhere.

The film stars Roger Pryor who is an insurance investigator trying to track down wanted fugitive Donald Douglas. And does everyone want Douglas, cops and crooks. Douglas also has some big insurance policies he took out although what kind of fool would insure a public enemy?

But it's done and Pryor has to find him and keep him alive.

Was there a fire on the set that they were in such a hurry to get this done? It wasn't worth the effort.