The Lone Wolf Strikes

Delia Jordan's father is murdered and some very valuable jewelry stolen. She hires Michael Lanyard (aka The Lone Wolf), a retired-and-reformed jewel thief to find the killer and the jewels.

The 2nd Lone Wolf entry starring Warren William is a tightly-plotted, engaging one with a clever run around over the stolen pearls. One minute there's a fake one exchanged for the real one etc - the Lone Wolf is always one step ahead, but he's bit hampered by the interference of Joan Perry who plays the daughter of the murdered man; she's a restless client who is practically on Warren's heels every minute, overly anxious to get back her father's gems. There's another beauty Astrid Allwyn an alluring moll, who along with her boyfriend are after the pearls and so are another group. Nice chase sequence at the end.

Michael Lanyard, aka The Lone Wolf is hired by Delia Jordan, who's father was killed, and had some highly valuable jewellery stolen.

It's perhaps not as good as the first film, but it's still a fine watch. It's a very easy going watch, it's fun, it's intriguing, and there's enough happening to keep you entertained, pacing is good, helped by a relatively short running time.

Warren William is great once again as the lead character, oozing charm and charisma, Joan Perry is great in support, Eric Blore is outrageous as The Butler, he's an absolute scream.

It's a very stylish looking film, even after so many years have past it still looks so slick, it's beautifully shot and produced.

I loved those quirky scenes with the fish, so different.

Nothing heavy, just a very pleasing, east to watch mystery.

7/10.

Director Sidney Salkow directed the films in the Lone Wolf series, Warren William portrayed with considerable charm the shady leading man, and the formula generally worked well.

Skillful B&W cinematography by Henry Freulich definitely helps, especially the interiors where all the pearl necklace shenanigans happen, with so many faux/real item exchanges that it did not take long for me to feel that I was looking for a ball under countless thimbles.

William and Joan Perry make a good looking leading duo, he with his attention firmly trained on his multifaceted aquarium, she heads over heels for a fella using her to spy on the Lone Wolf, and Eric Blore ever the thumb-sucking butler who the Lone Wolf counts on to spill the beans, so as to deceive the villains.

The final chase is a real sleeper to wrap a light-hearted 67-minute flick that is definitely worth watching. Found it better than the more famous THE LONE WOLF KEEPS A DATE. 7/10.

Delightful entry in the Lone Wolf series starring WARREN WILLIAMS, this time with JOAN PERRY as the young woman seeking to find the killers who murdered her wealthy father. With a larger than usual role for valet ERIC BLORE, who makes the most of his comic abilities, this one gets off to a merry start and provides a good mix of laughs and shady bits of suspense.

The cast is in fine form--especially when MONTAGU LOVE turns up as a European diamond merchant with thick accent, bushy mustache and monocle. The story is all about the theft of a pearl necklace from the safe of Philip Jordan (Perry's father) and his murder. The Lone Wolf takes the case when the daughter pleads with him and from then on it's standard Lone Wolf fare with the plot leading to a satisfying capture of the killer thieves.

Summing up: Delightful entry in the series.

Trivia note: For awhile, I thought the actor playing Ralph Bolton was Craig Stevens, but it turns out it was RALPH WILCOX who was married, first to Florence Rice, and then to Diana Barrymore--who dedicated her book "Too Much, Too Soon" to Wilcox, with whom she went on alcoholic binges during their five year marriage. Very handsome actor who never made it to stardom in Hollywood, probably due to alcoholism.

"The Lone Wolf Strikes" from 1940 is a neat entry into the Lone Wolf series starring Warren William. William is delightful as Michael Lanyard, aka The Lone Wolf. His butler is played by Eric Blore, who has a large part in this and is very funny. In this story, Lanyard is asked by a friend to find pearls that were stolen from a friend of his, who was subsequently murdered - though the murder was called an accident.

Fake pearls and real pearls bounce back and forth, with William going to a gathering as Emil Gorlick, a diamond merchant. Gorlick is actually played by Montagu Love, but when William finds out that he has never met the thieves, he ties Gorlick up and impersonates him in order to re-steal the pearls.

Warren William was a wonderful, relaxed actor, an old-fashioned patrician type, who found humor in roles once the silents ended. In silents, he usually played the heavy. He played Perry Mason, Sam Spade, and Philo Vance, among other parts. He continued to play the occasional heavy, but he's best known for his precode work as a meanie. He died in 1948, only 53.

Very enjoyable.