Rpgcatech Disapointment

Casey Duggan It’s sentimental, ridiculously long and only occasionally funny

Yash Wade Close shines in drama with strong language, adult themes.

Fulke Great example of an old-fashioned, pure-at-heart escapist event movie that doesn't pretend to be anything that it's not and has boat loads of fun being its own ludicrous self.

keesha45 As a lover of old movies from the Golden Age of cinema (from talkies to television), it's always fun to discover talented people on both sides of the camera that never got the kind of recognition they deserved. One of these was Warren William, who this writer first noticed in THE MAN IN THE IRON MASK (1939.) Besides playing a Musketeer, his roles ranged from Julius Caesar to Perry Mason. Additionally, he played detectives Sam Spade, Philo Vance and the Lone Wolf, his most famous role. While the Lone Wolf series was never quite as good as the Thin Man's from all I've seen and read, this entry was entertaining for a good many reasons, most of all for having Rita Hayworth and Ida Lupino in the cast. Although a bit long in the tooth to be Ida's love interest (he was 45 when he made this picture, though he plays a 35-year old, which means he was really old enough to be Val Carson's dad, despite her line quoted above), he played the character with at least as much zest as William Powell imbued the Thin Man. Add to this some well-written and well-played supporting actors and you have a pretty fair crime/spy drama. It's not THE 39 STEPS, but it's still enjoyable to watch Michael Lanyard and gang in a mostly fine film series. Dale Roloff

Neil Doyle WARREN WILLIAM in the first of his Lone Wolf capers manages to be amusing, but IDA LUPINO as his scatter-brained girlfriend gets to be a little grating after awhile and there's too little of RITA HAYWORTH to comment on. It's a wonder Rita reached super stardom at Columbia after meager early roles like this as the sophisticated "other woman" type.The whole thing has the look and feel of "The Saint" series, where a reformed thief is giving the police a hard time in cracking a case. In this outing, William has been set up by the bad guys into looking like the thief who stole some highly important war plans. It's his job to get to the bottom of the mystery and solve it in time for the syrupy happy ending with Lupino batting her eyes at him.It's meager stuff as far as entertainment goes, interesting only to see what Ida and Rita were like at this stage in their careers. William seems at home in the title role and VIRGINIA WIEDLER is believable as his tomboyish daughter crazy about being a little detective herself.

Spondonman I dusted this one off after nearly 10 years to see if it was really as bad as the previous reviewers stated. I'm glad to say at least I didn't waste my 67 minutes precious time watching (and then passing comment on) rubbish but imho rather a good grade B screwball comedy.Michael Lanyard (45 year old Warren William's first of nine films as the reformed cracksman) is being framed by an arch-enemy and his inept gang as part of a plot to steal some secret government plans. For most of the picture he also has to fend off the attentions of his jealous and lively girlfriend Val (21 yo Ida Lupino) and scatty stepdaughter Pat played by the always exuberant Virginia Weidler. Rita Hayworth played baddie Ralph Morgan's sexy sidekick, but seemed out of place, and I half expected Tom Dugan as the detective to launch into some wacky routine every time he appeared; thankfully he didn't. And at the surrealist party Lanyard was standing outside the upstairs window simply by means of an elaborate balcony with plenty of climbing plants on show – so no goof there (as stated in the goofs section) from the Columbia continuity department!To fans of this film genre, a pleasure from start to finish, to others, why bother?

Norm-30 This is one of THE weakest entries in an otherwise GREAT "Lone Wolf" series. As the other reviewer mentioned, Ida Lupino's character is sooo "grating" that you'd like to smack her one!There is a blooper in this film: When Ralph Morgan is coming down the staircase (from the SECOND floor), the burglar alarm goes off. He runs UPSTAIRS to check out the alarm. Meanwhile, the Lone Wolf is outside the window, STANDING ON SOLID GROUND, watching him! (How can the ground be outside the SECOND floor?). Unless you're a die-hard LW fan, don't waste your time on this one.