CITY WITHOUT MEN

US, 1943, 75 minutes, Black-and-white.
Linda Darnell, Edgar Buchanan, Michael Duane, Sarah Allgood, Glenda Farrell, Leslie Brooks, Doris Dudley, Margaret Hamilton, Constance Worth, Rosemary De Camp, Sheldon Leonard, Joseph Crehan.
Directed by Sidney Salkow.

The title now seems rather sensationalist. In fact, this is something of a propaganda film from Hollywood in the middle of American involvement in World War II.

The film focuses on a captain who has signed on to serve in the Coast Guard (Michael Duane). On patrol, he comes across a boat with illegal Japanese and sights a German destroyer. His action comes under suspicion from the authorities, the Japanese testify against him, he goes to court and is found guilty and sentenced to 5 years in jail. His fiancee, played by Linda Darnell at the beginning of her successful career, is upset, wants to hire a lawyer, goes to a boarding house near the prison so she can be near him.

The boardinghouse is the city without men. There is a very good supporting cast of women, Sarah Allgood playing the manager of the boardinghouse, her husband in jail for life having attempted to escape. Glenda Farrell does her usual hard-boiled character, Constance Worth is very earnest, Rosemary De Camp devoted to her husband and, surprisingly, Margaret Hamilton (the Wicked Witch of the West from the Wizard of Oz) is a hard drinking card playing wife.

Of the men, Edgar Buchanan plays an alcoholic judge who pretends to be involved in the case, but is provided with some evidence to help the young man, and goes to his quite aristocratic brother to appeal to him to reopen the case. Interestingly, there is a priest character, Joseph Crehan, a strong presence, deals reasonably with the men.

However, an escape is planned, most of the men being in on it, but relying on the captain to pilot a boat for their escape. Sarah Allgood’s husband gives information about the escape but is murdered, most of the women having collaborated in the plan except for Linda Darnell. The plot is thwarted – and Justice seem to be done for the captain.

While the story has many familiar elements, they come together quite interestingly – though the contemporary audience will have to take account of the propaganda purposes of the film.

The screenplay was written by Bud Schulberg, prominent writer, winning an Oscar for On the Waterfront.