The Lone Wolf in London

The Lone Wolf in London (1947)

* 1/2 (out of 4)

Stop me if any of this sounds familiar. Michael Lanyard (Gerald Mohr), better known as The Lone Wolf, is visiting London doing research for his upcoming book when some priceless jewels are stolen. Scotland Yard believes he did the crime so he must once again prove that he's innocent by nabbing the bad guys. THE LONE WOLF IN London was the third and final time that Mohr would play the part and it was the next to last in the original wave of films from Columbia. It's easy to see that the series was on its final legs as everything going on here just seems like stuff we've seen countless times before and what's hurts this film so much is that every other time we've seen it it was done much, much better. The entire film has a "been there, done that" feel to it and this includes the various comic banter between Lanyard and Jamison, once again played by Eric Blore. This comic back and forth between the two started back when Warren William was still in the series and as time went on the banter got to be more and more annoying in each film. The same is true here as very rarely does anything funny happen with the lone exception being at the start when Jamison goes to visit the help's quarters. The actual mystery in the film seems to have taken a backseat as everything pretty much just plays out and there never seemed to be any wish for the viewer's to get in on the action and try to figure out what's going on. The screenplay really doesn't offer anything new and that's not a good thing. Mohr isn't too bad in his part but you can't do much without a screenplay. Even Evelyn Ankers can't add much to this thing.

Michael Lanyard (Gerald Mohr) is suspected of stealing two fabulous diamonds from a vault in Scotland Yard, where they were being held for safekeeping, but the Yard can't prove he did it. Later, Lanyard is summoned by a member of the nobility to help the latter raise money to pay a blackmailer. Lanyard later finds the evidence and ensnares the culprit.

This is the second Lone Wolf featuring Gerard Mohr as Michael Lanyard and he comes across better here, a bit dreamy and romantic yet quick to put up his fists or use his guile. Of course, he is not as good as Warren William, but he's not too bad in the role and has his own style. As for the film, it's an ok entry, though a little muddled and too leisurely in the plot. Evelyn Anders is a standout character as the villainess.

You really have to feel sorry for poor old Gerald Mohr in being cast as Michael Lanyard ("The Lone Wolf"). Sure, his three Lone Wolf films were entertaining, but because the role had been played so long and so well by Warren William, many fans (including myself) longed for him in this film. Why Columbia did not use William is unknown to me--as William made movies through 1947 before dying of cancer and Mohr began making the films in 1946. Perhaps William was too sick for the strain of the role or maybe the studio was stupid in thinking the public would embrace another actor or perhaps William himself just wanted a change. So at the onset, I was NOT favorably disposed towards the film but at least it did still have Eric Blore--William's old side-kick.

In this film we find Lanyard in London doing some research for a book on gems. Uncharacteristically, though, he is practically broke--something you would not expect as his character always seemed to be independently wealthy. And when, not surprisingly, some gems are stolen, the stupid British police automatically assume Lanyard did it and ignore all other possible leads. This is nothing new--something that has occurred in many previous Wolf AND Boston Blackie films. In fact, without William's charm and style, this film seems more like a Blackie film than anything else. That is, a Blackie film with Eric Blore.

So overall, the film is a bit flat and offers nothing uniquely good but it's also inoffensive and palatable--sort of like white rice. Worth a look, but don't assume most other Lone Wolf films are of similar quality and possessing so little energy or charm.

In 1947, we have a new Michael Lanyard, the Lone Wolf, in Gerald Mohr. He does an okay job, but I admit I miss Warren William.

Lanyard is writing a book on famous jewels, but he's missing access to two diamonds, The Eyes of the Nike. Unfortunately, these diamonds were stolen from a Scotland Yard vault. It's assumed Lanyard took them, but it can't be proven.

The plot is straightforward up to there; then it gets confusing. A wealthy man hired him to pawn his jewels in order to pay a blackmailer. Needless to say, the cops hone in on that as suspicious.

Then Lanyard is romanced by a stage star (Evelyn Ankers), and it turns out her maid works both for her and the rich man and is very chummy with Jamison. Sometimes Jamison is introduced as Lanyard's collaborator, but he's the butler.

So can Lanyard remove suspicion from him by finding out who stole the diamonds? And where are the diamonds? Why is the wealthy man being blackmail, and by whom?

Not a bad mystery, and it really moved along. Eric Blore is funny as Jamison. His repartee with Lanyard is always enjoyable.

I'd say Mohr is less smooth than William, but in the several films he does as The Wolf, he makes the part his own.

Whatever actor played The Lone Wolf be it Melvyn Douglas, Warren William, Ron Randell or in this case Gerald Mohr, he cannot escape his reputation as a thief. No amount of good deeds done seems to prove this guy is no longer on the dark side.

Case in point while visiting London, Scotland Yard suspects Mohr of stealing those two matching diamonds, the Stars of the Nile. We know the butler didn't do it, he had them but Tom Stevenson was murdered and The Lone Wolf is implicated in that as well even though Scotland Yard was shadowing him. Not to mention the beautiful musical comedy star Evelyn Ankers and her maid Queenie Leonard as Ankers has her producer Alan Napier under her thumb. Never mind it all gets straightened out in the end.

The Lone Wolf In London saw the farewell appearance of Eric Blore as Michael Lanyard's invaluable valet Jameson. Blore really added something to this series, in many ways he kept his wits about him even better than his boss. Note the palming off of a jewel case back and forth right under the nose of the Scotland Yard cops who are searching both of them in broad daylight. Sheer genius.

This was a nice passable B film that did no harm to the reputations of its cast.