THE FAT MAN


US, 1951, 78 minutes, Black and white.
J. Scott Smart, Julie London, Rock Hudson, Clinton Sundberg, Jayne Meadows, John Russell, Jerome Cowan, Emmett Kelly, Teddy Hart.
Directed by William Castle.

The Fat Man was a successful radio program in the latter part of the 1940s, based on characters derived from Dashiell Hammett. J. Scott Smart was a supporting character actor but brought the Fat Man alive on radio as well as in this brief supporting feature from Universal Studios.

While in latter times it might serve as an episode for a television series, it is actually quite an entertaining murder mystery, mysterious feet walking along the street, the death of a dentist, the mystery of the stealing of an x-ray plate.

J. Scott Smart is very good in the central role, literally large, liking his food, but quite a nifty dancer with Julie London, good repartee, calling everyone sweetheart. His associate is the rather meek Clinton Sundberg, preparing his meals, driving the cars, patiently serving his boss.

The film is an early role for Rock Hudson who, within a few years, was starring in films like Magnificent Obsession and Giant. Julie London appears before her singing career. There is good support from Jayne Meadows as the dental assistant, John Russell is a smooth villain and, Jerome Cowan as the police chief, Teddy Hart (younger brother of composer Lorenz Hart) in a brief comic role as Shifty and actor and clown, Emmett Kelly, has a central role as a clown character.

Direction is by William Castle who directed many small budget films before his excursion in the late 1950s and into the 1960s of his idiosyncratic and often gimmicky horror films.

1. A murder mystery based on a radio play series? The strengths of the dialogue of the radio play? Visualised?

2. New York and California settings? The convention in New York? The dentist surgery in Los Angeles? The racing background? Hotels and accommodation? The circus and the clowns? Prisons? The musical score?

3. The brief plot, many characters, plenty of action?

4. Brad Runyan, the literally fat man? J. Scott Smart and his radio series, his acting career, personifying the Fat Man? The jokes about his size? The child eating the ice cream and his being threatened by his mother? The food sequences, like surgery, Bill and his attentiveness? Brad enjoying his food? Calling everyone ‘sweetheart’?

5. The opening, the footsteps, confrontation with the dentist, stealing the x-ray, pushing the dentist to his death? Jane and her discovery of the body? Her going to see Brad? His interest in the case? Bill and his assistants, taking Jane to the airport, being attacked? Brad going to the airport?

6. The case, Roy Clark, toothache, surgery, the return on and his being well-dressed, chauffeur? His not returning? Disappearance?

7. Brad, his investigations, the discussions with Inspector Starke, the photo, identifying Roy Clark as a prisoner? The discussions with Gordon at the racetrack? Tony the chauffeur, the relationship with Gordon’s wife? Brad and his pressures on Tony?

8. The visit to Ed Deets, circus, his being in the cell with Roy, six years? His sympathetic story about Roy? The revelation about the truck, the burning of the truck and the destruction of Roy’s body? The need to get the dental x-rays so that he would not be identified? Brad going to see Deets in his trailer? The flashbacks to his performance as a clown? The truth, his being the murderer, of the dentist, strangling Jane? His deals with Gordon and the other robbers?

9. The flashbacks to the robbery, the team disguised as security guards, the change of vehicle, the shooting, taking the money, checking the identities, the shootouts, Roy being injured? Prison? His getting out? Wanting the money?

10. Brad, the encounter with Pat, sultry? Talking? Brad and his skill at dancing? Pat’s flashback, the meeting at the bar, friendship, outings, the zoo and Roy talking about himself? The wedding, the photo? His disappearance, her waiting?

11. The supporting characters, Bill, patient, his own diet, preparing the food, with the gun and his military background? Shifty and his contacts? Starke and the police, their collaboration? Starke listening to Brad’s explanation of what happened, especially about the explosion on the truck? The visit to the truckies, the owner, disparaging his brother-in-law, the brother-in-law with the information?

12. The buildup to the solution, the caravan, the shootout, Gordon and the criminals shooting, Deets going into the big top, climbing the ladder, being shot and his fall?

13. A satisfying murder mystery, B-budget supporting film?