Caged Fury

The producing team of William Howard Pine and William C. Thomas could be said to have been in charge of Paramount's "B" unit. They were known around Hollywood as "the two dollar Bills". The reason for this nickname can be found in the low budget of many (though not all) of their offerings. In this one, the circus background provides plenty of opportunities for its hoary script to enliven proceedings by inserting loads of painfully obvious stock footage.

Fortunately, Mary Beth Hughes is in this movie and does what she can to save the day, although it is Buster Crabbe as the charismatic Smiley who benefits most from the attentions of director and photographer. The other players are quite flat.