Kid Glove Killer

Kid Gloves Killer (1942)

There might be little to recommend this movie beyond a look at Van Heflin in a constrained early role. Oh, and that the director is the noted Fred Zinneman himself. This is a crime caper formula movie, and it's enjoyable all through. For me, a highlight was the unexpected ease of the leading actress, Marsha Hunt (who is still alive at 100 years old as I write this). She is a kind of "regular girl" who everyone is meant to like, but she has a natural presence on screen that seems like should have meant something bigger. Maybe that kind of "normalness" isn't quite star material, not bigger than life. But see it for her, at least. Heflin is an acquired taste these days, but an interesting leading man a little different than the rest (he's great in "Martha Ivers" and "Act of Violence"). His role here is meant to be a really determined and incorruptable science guy in a crime lab. There is a little of that show-and-tell that happens in some detective movies of the time, but not too much to make it lag. The plot owes something to gangster films, where the big crime guy has the D.A. in his pocket. But this same man is also in love (or pretends to be) with the Hunt character. It's all in good entertainment fun, however, nothing too thrilling, and nothing too corny or cheap either. Back to Zinneman. This is his first feature film direction. The snappy, smart construction might be a sign of things to come, once he gets meatier material. Interesting!

In Zinneman's directorial debut, as in most of his films, the emphasis is on the interaction among human minds, souls, emotions, words, and actions. Forensic pathologist Heflin tries to clear accused killer Quillan from being railroaded by radio cop Lee Bowman. Marsha Hunt is marvelous as the lady caught in the triangle. John Litel is memorable in supporting role.

Voters elect to "clean up crime" by electing Samuel S. Hinds (as Richard Daniels) mayor of a small city. Gangsters strike back immediately by murdering his district attorney. The homicide is investigated by forensics expert Van Heflin (as Gordon McKay) and his attractive assistant Marsha Hunt (as Jane Mitchell). She provides Mr. Heflin with most of his cigarettes. A likely couple, they say "match me" instead of "got a light?" Special prosecutor and crime-busting radio show host Lee Bowman (as Gerald "Jerry" Ladimer) is also on the hunt. In a "love triangle" subplot that adds tension later on, both men are attracted to Ms. Hunt...

As a car-hop, young Ava Gardner asks if anyone wants desert. Things heat up when the mayor is also murdered. In a "best supporting actor" role, sweating restaurant owner Eddie Quillan (as Eddie Wright) is accused. We know who the real killer is and who could be the next victim. This was a good feature length debut for director Fred Zinnemann. Before the car bomb, one of the characters says, "Wouldn't it Be Nice" which has no connection to The Beach Boys' song. However, the phrases "Don't Worry Baby" and "I Get Around" fairly quickly follow. God only knows if Brian Wilson was jotting down song titles while watching.

****** Kid Glove Killer (4/17/42) Fred Zinnemann ~ Van Heflin, Marsha Hunt, Lee Bowman, Eddie Quillan

Van Heflin plays the head of the police crime lab who investigates the murder of a district attorney and a mayor. His assistant (Marsha Hunt) is in love with him but he doesn't show her that kind of attention. So when his friend (Lee Bowman), a special prosecutor working for the mayor, starts romancing her we get ourselves a good old-fashioned love triangle.

Heflin is terrific and has great chemistry with lovely Hunt. The killer's identity is easy to figure out. It's pretty much the most obvious suspect. But thankfully the film doesn't expect that mystery to play out too long and we're let in on his identity relatively quickly. Pretty good B movie from director Fred Zinnemann (his first film). The script is smart and the forensic angle is fresh for the time. The love triangle part of the story is weak but that sort of thing was very common back then.

The birth of forensic evidence, such as the kind we are now used to on CSI and other TV shows, became popular in the 1950s and 60s. But before then, there was this film, and a few others like it in the early 1940s that highlighted this new science. Kid Glove Killer is a nice tight little drama in that tradition. With nice direction and solid performances, this little mystery hits the spot. Worth viewing.