Lancoor A very feeble attempt at affirmatie action

2freensel I saw this movie before reading any reviews, and I thought it was very funny. I was very surprised to see the overwhelmingly negative reviews this film received from critics.

Scotty Burke It is interesting even when nothing much happens, which is for most of its 3-hour running time. Read full review

Raymond Sierra The film may be flawed, but its message is not.

kidboots Bob Kane must have been an avid movie goer. The genesis for "Batman" can be seen in 1926's "The Bat" but the details of Bruce Wayne's private life must have been got from "The Public Defender". Richard Dix plays Pike Winslow, a bumbling playboy who amuses everyone with his deplorable head for finance - "not everyone can laze around and live off their dad's money" snarls Purnell Pratt (shades of "Zorro" here too). But he is leading a double life as "The Reckoner" - a "will o' the wisp" who secretly rights wrongs and whose calling card featuring a set of scales makes many corrupt businessmen quake in their boots. When a childhood friend Barbara Gerry's (Shirley Grey) father has been unjustly found guilty of misappropriating trust funds he swears he is innocent and accuses his associates of the crime (they certainly act guilty and one of them quickly flees to Bermuda)!!Like Clarke Gable, Boris Karloff may well have had one of his best years in 1931, the variety of parts he was given was astounding - a trusted convict ("The Criminal Code"), a defrocked priest ("Five Star Final"), head of a crime family ("The Guilty Generation") and of course "Frankenstein". You could also add the poetry reciting butler in "The Public Defender". His name isn't Alfred but all that is missing is the Bat cave and the Batmobile as he and Dix have a lot of fun ribbing chauffeur Paul Hurst who hasn't time for the niceties of wine, cheese and Keats!!!A few of these reviews seem to indicate that Dix's identity is instantly known but that is part of the movie's mystery. Although cinema goers would have guessed who "The Reckoner" really was long before the frustrated police, who grudgingly allow pesky Winslow to tag along (when they set a trap for "The Reckoner") so he can be in at the thrill of the chase.This is just a terrific movie - the type that gives a lot more enjoyment than some of the flashier As of the time. I really liked Shirley Grey. She had had a pretty awful life by the time she left films in 1936 to try to make a go of her third marriage (which failed) and the death of one of her sons during the War pushed her to the brink. She was a cool blonde who showed a lot of picture promise ("The Public Defender" was almost her first) but she just couldn't break away from programmers into the A league. Rochelle Hudson also had a tiny bit as a telephone operator.Highly Recommended.

MartinHafer To most, Pike Winslow (Richard Dix) is just some rich playboy living off Daddy's fortune. However, there is quite a bit more to him than this--he is a crusading masked hero whose calling card announces that he's 'The Reckoner'! And, with his two friends (Paul Hurst and Boris Karloff), they are out to right wrongs.The film begins with a bank officer getting accused for the bank's shortage of funds--and all the other officers ganging up on him to place this blame. However, Winslow know the man and his family and can't help but think he's being railroaded. So, the Reckoner and his friends go to work--stealing documents from the real crooks that would implicate them.All in all, this B-movie plays a lot like a very well-written and understated series film--such as Bulldog Drummond, the Saint, the Shadow or the like. But, the film is better written and quite exciting compared to a typical film of the genre. Too bad they didn't make some sequels--I would have enjoyed seeing further adventures of the Reckoner. Of course, given that 1931 also saw Karloff in "Frankenstein", perhaps he just better things to do than appear in more of these films.

calvinnme "The Reckoner", a vigilante of sorts, does the things that the police won't do - he brings lying stealing greedy banksters to justice. Considering what's been going on in the country the last three years as I'm writing this, the plot itself should win this one lots of fans.It's a shame that if Richard Dix is remembered at all it's often for his part in Best Picture winner Cimarron - his hammiest performance - rather than gems like this one. Here Richard Dix plays millionaire Pike Winslow, heir to a large fortune who, though well liked among the wealthy crowd, seems to be a bit of an idler. However, the truth of the matter is that he is "The Reckoner" who - along with two faithful assistants - steals incriminating documents from perpetrators of financial fraud and then does some financial forensic analysis to shine a spotlight on their crimes. The amusing thing here is that Pike's forensic analyst, "The Professor", is played by Boris Karloff. He pulls off the role of the erudite man of letters devoted to the cause of The Reckoner quite well.I couldn't help seeing the parallels between The Reckoner and Batman here. It would have been nice if, back when Warner Brothers was building deluxe DVD sets, they had put this movie as an extra to one of their Batman DVD releases - Warner Brothers owns the RKO library and therefore this film - plus this movie is unusual for early RKO properties in that it is in a very watchable state already. Highly recommended for anyone who likes an old thriller.

buckcody This is a great early pic from RKO and one of the best! Picture the team of Richard Dix, Paul Hurst, and Boris Karloff as good guys?! They are out to clear the father of Dix's childhood sweetheart who they feel was wrongly accused of some crimes! Dix is great as the crusading hero who goes out of his way to offer his aide to the lovely Shirley Grey. There is plenty of action and mystery as the police try to catch the mysterious figure known as "The Reckoner"!. A mysterious figure who is committing some robberies and is stealing some strange items. This is sort of an early Green Hornet and Shadow type character. You will enjoy the fine performance by Dix. He has some great scenes and some great facial expressions! It was a pleasure to see the trio working together in this film and the ventures they get into! I would recommend this film to all "B" movie and mystery film buffs!! The direction is excellent and we see a great supporting cast with some fine performances also! Get a copy and sit and relax and enjoy this fine early classic!