Crime by Night

"Crime by Night" is a lively 1944 film starring Jerome Cowan, Jane Wyman and Faye Emerson.

Cowan plays a private eye trying to help a man wrongly accused of murder. It ends up being a lot more complicated than originally thought. Jane Wyman is his attractive secretary, and Emerson plays a talent representative. Eleanor Parker has a small role as the daughter of the murder victim.

This is an enjoyable B movie that moves fast; Cowan is slick and Wyman looks great and gives a vivacious performance. Cowan was rarely given an opportunity at leads. He makes the most of this one. A good B movie made during World War II.

Jane Wyman is given top billing on screen but she sits out most of the movie off screen. It's left up to her co-star Jerome Cowan to carry the load. He has a certain oily/sleazy charm but I wouldn't like to have my life or freedom depend on his detective abilities. It was amusing to observe the way he did anything he felt appropriate to help his client. No matter the legality of it. Hiding witnesses, disturbing evidence at a crime scene, and even downright stealing evidence right from the Sheriff's office.

This movie must be noted for having one of the bloodiest crime scenes in a pre-1960's film. It's a wonder the censors passed it.

CRIME BY NIGHT is a neat little programmer that gives JEROME COWAN one of his few leading roles in films. He was usually the man who supported the big Warner stars in films ranging from MR. SKEFFINGTON to THE MALTESE FALCON, always a reliable character actor.

For an up-and-coming contract star, JANE WYMAN was given little to do in this caper, making me wonder how she ever reached full fledged stardom at the studio that insisted on wasting her talent in fluffy, very inconsequential roles in films like this and FLIGHT ANGELS, always the brassy wise-cracking dame before she tackled more serious roles. Another actress with a future at the studio is also on hand in a small part, ELEANOR PARKER, but it's FAYE EMERSON who has the most interesting role and she makes the most of it.

The story is a dull contrivance about a vacationing detective (Cowan) who helps clear an innocent man of murder. He and Wyman join forces to solve the crime which turns out to be embedded in some sort of spy plot that is never hinted at until the final scene.

Summing up: A weak programmer that wastes the Warner contract players.

I'm surprised by the fairly good reviews this B mystery has received by several IMDb reviewers, having found the movie thoroughly implausible. Character actor Jerome Cowan has a rare starring role as a ladies man detective (despite being well into middle-age and not particularly handsome) who is trying to prove that a maimed retired concert pianist did not kill his belligerent ex-father-in-law. Jane Wyman receives top billing as Cowan's gal Friday and while she starts out the movie in what appears to be a starring role, disappears for much of the middle of it. She is much missed as Cowan and company struggle to hold one's interest in this rather dull and improbable tale.

Not surprised to learn this one sat on the shelf at Warner Bros. for over a year. There's a horribly edited scene of Cowan and Faye Emerson speaking seated in a car with two very rough jumps that is as bad a continuity as any I've seen in a major studio's film from the period.

One has to give supporting actor Fred Kelsey (as Dad Martin) props though for not breaking character as a persistent fly keeps flying around and landing on his arm during one conversation scene with Cowan (why Kelsey has to ignore the fly to keep in character is explained at the denouement.) This movie is only 72 minutes long but it really drags. Jane Wyman is as perky and delightful as she always is in these early "sassy girl" roles but this time her hard work can't make this one ultimately a success.

Sounds like a serious film noir, judging from the title. Wet,dark alleys, trench coats, world-weary private eye, etc. But it's not - "Crime By Night" is a breezy, light-hearted crime story that could have been a series. No telling where Warner Bros. was going with this entertaining B picture, but it could have been better than the main feature it played with.

Jerome Cowan is the star as the genial, unflappable private eye and Jane Wyman is his 'girl Friday', even though she has top billing. Can't remember Jerome Cowan as the leading man before. He spent most of his career as a supporting actor, but goes all out here as he solves a murder mystery - and it's a genuine whodunit, which is the yardstick by which all mysteries are measured. If you haven't seen it and you're a mystery movie fan, give it a shot. It's only 75 minutes of your time.