THEY MADE ME A KILLER

US, 1946, 62 minutes, Black-and-white.
Robert Lowery, Barbara Britton, Lola Lane, Frank Albertson, Elizabeth Risdon, Paul Harvey.
Directed by William C.Thomas.

While the title is sensational, the film is rather lower key. Not that it does not have some action and some fights.

A young man, upset at the death of his brother, decides to move west, giving up a good job as a motor mechanic, skilled at reconstructing cars. On his way, he decides to sell his car and is approached by a young woman who is impressed by it. She says it is to be a birthday present from her fiance – who arrives but asks them to wait, even though the police want to move them on from this parking area. We realise that a bank robbery is probably in process and he will be the getaway driver, unwittingly. Also involved is a young man who is rather infatuated with the woman.

The bank is robbed, lots of shots are fired, a policeman is killed, as is the young bystanding man. The hero is forced to drive, pursued by the police, getting away but crashing, knocking him out and the criminals getting away.

The sister of the injured young man is also concerned. The hero is arrested, no one believing him. He makes an escape, disguises himself as an intern at the hospital, encounters the young woman and is able to persuade her to help him track down the criminals.

They find some clues which indicate that the woman worked in a diner. They visit the various diners and eventually find the right one where the criminals are hiding out under the protection of the initially meek-sounding owner but who is as brassy as her daughter. Surprisingly, she is played by veteran actress, Elizabeth Risdon.

There are lots of fights, complications, two genial policeman who frequent the diner, lots of fights and the defeat of the criminals – and happy matrimonial ending.