The Lone Wolf Spy Hunt

The Lone Wolf Spy Hunt marks the first appearance of Warren William as the dapper retired cracksman, Michael Lanyard who now occasionally assists the police instead of trying to evade them for a job he's committed.

Yet in this film William is indeed trying to shake the cops because they think he's stolen some highly secret war plans. Actually the guy doing it not only wants to get the plans, but he wants to make sure he frames William for the job and goes to all kinds of lengths to make that come about.

I'm surprised that Warren William lasted in the role of the Lone Wolf. No fault of his because he's as debonair and charming as the role calls for. But the film did get a bit silly at times. Ida Lupino is the dizzy daughter of a U.S. Senator and Virginia Weidler is William's daughter. Between the two of them and their crazy machinations, the Lone Wolf was lucky to get the case solved at all. I don't think it was an accident that Weidler's character was dropped in future Lone Wolf series films.

The Lone Wolf Spy Hunt is also known as being an early film that Columbia used to showcase one of their new discoveries, Rita Hayworth. Rita plays the moll of the leader of the spies and her beauty makes her stand out. No doubt she was going to be a star.

Don't let a couple of previous negative comments about this film put you off from watching it the next time it appears on TCM. If you like stylish and witty mystery-comedies from the old days, then THE LONE WOLF SPY HUNT is definitely for you. Warren William is impeccable as the urbane, laid-back Lone Wolf, and Ida Lupino is endearing as his protective and frustrated girlfriend. The exchanges between them are both amusing and warm, and add another flavoring to the Nick and Nora Charles School of Relationships. Rita Hayworth stands out in an atypical role as the baddie's chilly girlfriend, while Virginia Weidler lends the right amount of natural tom-boyish charm in her role as the Lone Wolf's daughter, Patricia. (The film was titled THE LONE WOLF'S DAUGHTER in the UK.) Production values for this type of B-film are top-notch. TCM's fresh looking print shows them off exquisitely. Cozy up to this one with some nice hot beverage and enjoy!

Viewed on Turner tonight, and found myself being fascinated with the diction. Especially Lupino and Hayworth (maybe because they're easier to look at). Good (and fun) dramatic emphasis, syllabled but natural. Understood every word from the entire cast. What a contrast from more modern productions where mumbling seems to be in vogue and my wife and I are constantly backing up to catch what was said. So, whatever happened to those diction coaches? This was 1939 sound recording technology for Pete's sake. Okay, now filling out the 10 lines that seem to be required. Yes this was B-movie fare, but good costumes, production values AND, all too rare, some fun for the kids. Also, we enjoy these older films for the time machine aspects, e.g., the cars, the decor, cityscapes and the cultural values in evidence. For instance, lots of furs on the gals in this one--one thing we're well without now, unlike the diction.

I dusted this one off after nearly 10 years to see if it was really as bad as the previous reviewers stated. I'm glad to say at least I didn't waste my 67 minutes precious time watching (and then passing comment on) rubbish but imho rather a good grade B screwball comedy.

Michael Lanyard (45 year old Warren William's first of nine films as the reformed cracksman) is being framed by an arch-enemy and his inept gang as part of a plot to steal some secret government plans. For most of the picture he also has to fend off the attentions of his jealous and lively girlfriend Val (21 yo Ida Lupino) and scatty stepdaughter Pat played by the always exuberant Virginia Weidler. Rita Hayworth played baddie Ralph Morgan's sexy sidekick, but seemed out of place, and I half expected Tom Dugan as the detective to launch into some wacky routine every time he appeared; thankfully he didn't. And at the surrealist party Lanyard was standing outside the upstairs window simply by means of an elaborate balcony with plenty of climbing plants on show – so no goof there (as stated in the goofs section) from the Columbia continuity department!

To fans of this film genre, a pleasure from start to finish, to others, why bother?

As a lover of old movies from the Golden Age of cinema (from talkies to television), it's always fun to discover talented people on both sides of the camera that never got the kind of recognition they deserved. One of these was Warren William, who this writer first noticed in THE MAN IN THE IRON MASK (1939.) Besides playing a Musketeer, his roles ranged from Julius Caesar to Perry Mason. Additionally, he played detectives Sam Spade, Philo Vance and the Lone Wolf, his most famous role. While the Lone Wolf series was never quite as good as the Thin Man's from all I've seen and read, this entry was entertaining for a good many reasons, most of all for having Rita Hayworth and Ida Lupino in the cast. Although a bit long in the tooth to be Ida's love interest (he was 45 when he made this picture, though he plays a 35-year old, which means he was really old enough to be Val Carson's dad, despite her line quoted above), he played the character with at least as much zest as William Powell imbued the Thin Man. Add to this some well-written and well-played supporting actors and you have a pretty fair crime/spy drama. It's not THE 39 STEPS, but it's still enjoyable to watch Michael Lanyard and gang in a mostly fine film series. Dale Roloff