BELOW THE DEADLINE
US, 1936, 64 minutes, Black and white.
Cecilia Parker, Russell Hopton, Theodore von Eltz, Thomas E. Jackson.
Directed by Charles Lamont.
The deadline of the title is the area below Wall Street in New York City, a diamond area.
This is quite an interesting film, with a great deal of material in its brief running time. The focus is on a young woman who is an assistant in a diamond company and the Irish- American policeman who is courting her.
There is a diamond robbery, the perpetrator insinuating himself into the company, getting the signature of the young woman for future forgeries, rather attracted to the young woman, deciding to set up the policeman as the patsy – sending a note, getting a henchmen to abduct the policeman, let slip his name so that the victims are able to tell that to the police. And the policeman is arrested, escapes, is involved in a train crash, takes the identity of one of the dead passengers, has surgery on his nose – and decides to return to clear his name. He pretends to be his twin brother but the young woman sees through him and they used by the insurance inspector to try to trap the criminal.
All of which happens, quite interestingly and entertainingly.
Director Charles Lamont was to go on to direct a lot of comedies at Universal Studios in the 1940s and 50s, including films with Abbot and Costello.
1. The title, the visuals of New York City, the area below Wall Street, Diamond district?
2. Brief thriller of the 1930s, the complexity of the plot, the characters, action within a short time?
3. The city, the officers, the clubs, the streets? The police? The train, the crash? Hospitals? The boxing gym? Authentic feel?
4. The complexity the plot, pace and editing, omission of details – and the credibility tested because of the speed of action?
5. The focus on Molly, her work with Abrams, her reliability, working back? Diamonds? Her relationship with Terry Mulvaney? Going out with him? The visit of Ackroyd? Information about the office, seeing Molly, attracted, getting the receipt from her, her signature and using it for the forgery, meeting Terry, using him as a target?
6. Molly, personally, her work, living with her aunt, Terry’s visits and her aunt’s criticisms?
7. The special delivery, the information, Ackroyd and his sending the note in Terry’s name, arriving at the office, masked, Ackroyd disguised himself as Terry, the red hair and the accent? The success of the robbery? The driver and his hitting Terry, finding him, then letting him go, his whistling and the later revelation about him?
8. The use of Terry during the robbery, the police apprehending Terry, his denials, their not believing him, his escape in the car, driving, the garage and getting the handcuffs off, getting on the train, the guards identifying him, the crash, his escape, the dead man and his identity? In hospital, the surgeon and reconstructing the nose? Leaving, going back to the city, to clear his name, pretending to be his brother, the encounters with Molly and her recognising him? The insurance investigator, collaborating with Terry, concealing his identity?
9. Molly, supported by her aunt, no jobs, leaving town, Ackroyd and his approach, offering her the job at the club?
10. Ackroyd, the members of the gang, his shrewdness in waiting, the case blowing over, the plan to release the diamonds gradually? And to make a play for Molly?
11. Terry coming to the club, the discussions with Molly, Ackroyd seeing him? His boxing identity and his boxing training, the encounter with Ackroyd’s thugs?
12. Molly and the insurance investigator, knowing the truth? Revealing it to Terry, in the taxi, the driver giving the information to Ackroyd? Terry and the taxi driver and his whistling?
13. The insurance investigator, contacts, the police, the capture of the gang?
