CRIME DOCTOR’S DIARY

US, 1949, 61 minutes, Black-and-white.
Warner Baxter, Stephen Dunne, Lois Maxwell, Adele Jurgens, Robert Armstrong, Don Beddoe, Whit Bissell, George Meeker.
Directed by Seymour Friedman.

This is the final film in the crime Crime Doctor’s all murder mysteries. There were based on a popular radio series.

Warner Baxter portrayed psychiatrist Dr Robert Ordway, some time in a parole board, collaborating with the police in solving mysteries. Although the running time is brief, the plot is quite complex in this last film. It has the advantage of being in the early screenplay by Edward Anhalt who, the next year, was to receive an Oscar for Panic in the Streets and, during the 1960s, for Beckett. He had a prolific career, many fine films, during the 1950s to the end of the 1980s.

The setting is very contemporary, some companies who had record stocks and where customers could phone in and request the playing of particular records. One of the companies suffered from an arson attack, one of the employees imprisoned for three years. He is played by Stephen Dunne. There are two women in the cast, one who works in the company, a rather typical-seeming heroine, played by Lois Maxwell who was to be Miss Moneypenny in the James Bond films with Sean Connery and Roger Moore. The other is Adele Jurgens, who had a vaudeville background and often played the glamorous femme fatale.

However, the film is stolen by a very interesting and sympathetic performance by Whit Bissell, playing the younger brother of the company’s head, wanting to compose a song, the same song playing all the time, trying to record quietly at the company itself – but interrupted. And this is a device to reveal who the murderer is as the recording kept going, the murderer unawares until later.

A good end to quite an entertaining series.

1. The popularity of the Crime Doctors series? The last of the series? The style of murder mysteries and investigation of the 1940s? Based on a radio program?

2. The 1940s, the record company, phone calls, records played for customers?

3. Dr Robert Ordway, Warner Baxter in the ten films, his skill as a doctor, psychiatrist, involvement in the investigations? In collaboration with the police?

4. Carter, accused of arson, three years in prison, the support of the warden? His work with Dr Ordway? The record company, his job? The burning of the station? His boss? Jane, the attraction, her meeting him at the prison? Helping him settle?

5. Philip Bellum, the company, Pete as his brother, simpleminded, his song on the composition, playing it in the diner, at the studio, doing the recording, the interaction by Carl Anson, Anson and his irritation? Later discovered dead?

6. Steve going to see Inez, her working for the other firm, Goldie as the boss? Her style is a femme fatale? Jane arriving, seeing Steve kissing in as?

7. The background of Carl Anson, exploiting the company, double deals with Goldie?

8. Pete, the recording, Jane listening to it? Her not wanting Steve to listen?

9. Philip, his concern, the company, supporting his brother?

10. The recording, the revelation, Jane and her killing Anson? Her obsession with Steve? Her burning the studio?

11. A satisfactory solving of the murder mystery? Unexpected? The end of the series?