O Papagaio Negro

In the 1930s and 40s, Hollywood made hundreds, if not thousands of cheap B-mystery movies. Most have a certain sameness about them--and "The Case of the Black Parrot" is no exception. What do they have in common? Well, usually the police are pretty dim and it takes a non-professional (often a newspaper man or woman) to solve some murders. They also usually have the most convoluted plots and schemes. Because this film is so typical, I cannot highly recommend it...but it's not terrible.

The case involves a piece of furniture being shipped from France to the Unites States. But later, folks involves with it start dying...with marks much like snake fangs on the back of the hand of the victims. So, it's up to (naturally) a bright newspaper man (William Lundigan) to put the clues together and capture the baddie...though the baddie pretty much just turns himself in at the end. Few real surprises and, of course, a fantastical sort of way of killing people.

A stylish programmer. William Lundigan is always appealing and Maris Wrixon is generally fun to have around, if only for her name (though here she is quite good.)

The plot is elaborate and somewhat preposterous. And I guessed the mystery within the first few moments. But it's chic and nicely turned out for a cheapie.

The Black Parrot is a notorious forger who is rumored to have stolen the Mona Lisa. Paul Vantine has purchased a cabinet despite suspecting it as a Black Parrot fake. He is certain that even a forgery would climb in value due to the exemplary work. Paul and his niece Sandy Vantine show the cabinet to reporter Jim Moore, and his buddy Tripod Daniels. Upon further inspection, Paul realizes that it is actually the real deal worth $250k.

I've never heard of this movie, or the play, or the novel, or the author. That's the vast majority of literary works in the history of humanity. Not everyone or everything become the popular zeitgeist. Nothing is really standing out in this movie. Jim Moore isn't that interesting. None of the actors are really breaking through. They seem like fine professionals. It's a run-of-the-mill murder mystery in a mansion. It's all rather borderline nothingness.

Wow, that William Lundigan was cute! Here he stars in 1941's The Case of the Black Parrot, directed by Noel M. Smith. This is a rare lead for Lundigan at Warners.

Lundigan is Jim Moore, on board ship returning from Europe. He's met a young woman, Sandy Vantine (Maris Wrixon) traveling with her uncle, and they've fallen in love.

The Vantines are bringing home an antique cabinet, supposedly forged by the Black Parrot, an expert forger. An inspector, Colonel Piggott (Paul Cavanagh) is also aboard and after the Black Parrot. The cabinet appears to be the real thing, not a forgery. And it appears the Parrot is after it.

Back home, Jim has proposed to Sandy and meets her family and friends. They discover a maid, Julia, is trying to find love letters in the cabinet written by her boss, Madame de Charierre, to whom the cabinet actually belongs. Then Sandy's uncle and another guest are killed. Jim contacts Colonel Piggott. Everyone is a suspect.

There is a second compartment in the cabinet that holds diamonds. Obviously someone is after them - perhaps the Parrot himself.

It won't take anyone long to figure this one out.

Nothing special about it, and for me a little confusing as my concentration wandered.

...not great. The premise of a stolen antique is somewhat different for this low budget war-era mystery. Could have been better, but the leading man is too stiff and the murders come too late despite the fast pace. Worth it only to see some ingenious means of death by furniture and to learn why the name of the criminal is the Black Parrot.