Leave It to the Irish

This film from Monogram Pictures was the last film done by James Dunn before his Oscar winning role in A Tree Grows In Brooklyn and for his old studio of 20th Century Fox. Dunn's problems with alchohol had brought him down to poverty row Monogram. Still with the effortless Irish charm for which he was known for Dunn breezes through Leave It To The Irish as a private detective going out with Wanda McKay a police detective's daughter.

Arthur Loft plays McKay's father and he'd much rather see his daughter involved with Dick Purcell his detective sidekick. Marrying a PI would bring disgrace on the family name.

That gets exacerbated when Dunn is hired by Barbara Woodell to look into her husband's murder. The husband was involved in a heist racket with club owner Jack LaRue.

Dunn saunters through the part, one he had done many times over at Fox and other studios. Still with Monogram's lack of production values the film looks as cheap as it is.

James Dunn's career would get a kick start with that great Oscar winning performance in A Tree Grows In Brooklyn. But sadly enough it didn't last for him. Leave It To The Irish is an easy to take film which Dunn carries with charm.

This typically short (61 minutes) Monogram private detective movie stars James Dunn in a fast-talking role, directed by that legendary director of bad movies, "One Shot" William Beaudine.

Beaudine, like many another leading silent director, hid out in the Bs for the rest of his career, where he specialized in cranking 'em out fast and cheap -- he is reported to have said, when told that some studio executives wanted the rushes on a Bowery Boys picture "You mean there's someone who wants to see this c**p?" James Dunn had a decent career, hampered by a drinking problem and is best known for supporting Shirley Temple in a couple of her early features and atypically winning an Oscar for his role in A TREE GROWS IN BROOKLYN the year following this picture. But really, he had become typecast as a leading man when he was more suited for supporting roles, even when he had to get the parts in Poverty Row productions. Here he exercises his talents by speaking his lines very fast to indicate a gift of gab.

There's not much to be said about this movie except that it won't take up too much time and if it is never particularly good, it's short enough to sustain its length.

During the 1930 and 40s, Hollywood made a ton of B mystery movies. "Leave it to the Irish" is pretty typical of these, though instead of a hot-shot reporter or other amateur, the hero here is a private eye.

When the story begins, Mrs. Hamilton approaches Terry (James Dunn) in order to help solve the death of her husband, a furrier. Unfortunately for this private dick, he soon ends up in the wrong place at the wrong time and the police think he could have committed a murder! They soon realize he didn't do it....and a bit later the exact same thing occurs! What's going on here and who is behind these killings? And, why does Terry always seem to be there at the wrong time?!

What I actually was most impressed by is supporting actor, Vince Barnett. Often I have found his characters to be rather annoying but here he's an enjoyable addition to the film. Overall, a clever mystery movie BUT one that is also incredibly familiar...perhaps too familiar.

By the way, this Monogram film also marks the final appearance by Dick Purcell. Sadly, this first Captain America died very young, at 38, of a heart attack.