Produced and Directed by Frank
Tuttle
Written by Edward Ediscu, Harold Shumate and
Richard Mack
Story by Robertson White and Darrell
Ware
Released December 20, 1939
Cute picture, good
songs. A cops-and-robbers theme
which has some laughs. Charlie's monologues with Bergen are the
high spots of the picture.
The plot is a mélange of strange and convenient
happenings for the scripters. A magazine publisher is in cahoots with a
gangster who proceeds to knock off those who cross the path of the
publisher. Bergen, entertainer at a swank night club, is invited to the
home of the publisher for a party, and becomes involved in the eventual murder
of his host. While a rowdy fight goes on in the basement of the home,
Bergen calmly picks up clues to eventually disclose the real murderer.
Constance Moore, as night club entertainer, sings two
tunes, both passable. Supporting cast clicks and Edgar Kennedy and Warren Hymer hit some broad comedy antics,
while Anne
Gwynne provides suitable eye candy.
Cast:
Edgar Bergen w/
Charlie McCarthy, Mortimer Snerd
Robert Cummings
Constnace Moore
Anne Gwynne
Jules Sutton
Louis Calhern
Edgar Kennedy
Production:
Edward
Ediscu, Harold Shumate and Richard Mack-
Writers
Robertson
White & Darrell Ware- Story
Frank Tuttle- Producer/Director
George Robinson- Cinematographer
Bernard Burton- Editor
Songs by: Sam Lerner, Ben Oakland, Eddie Cherkose,
and Jacques Press
Full Storyline
Reporter Bill Banning and his pal, Joe Felton, are compiling
evidence that links magazine publisher Arthur Aldrich to racketeer
Tony Garcia when they are framed by Aldrich and jailed in Central
America. Joe manages to escape and travels to New York, where he
turns to Bill's fiancée, singer Sheila Stuart, and fellow writer
Scotty Hamilton for help in freeing Bill. Before he can testify to
the police, however, Joe is murdered and the authorities refuse to
accept Scotty's story. Soon after, Bill escapes and decides to pay
a visit to Aldrich. Learning of Bill's freedom, Aldrich summons
Garcia to eliminate the reporter, and they all converge upon the
Aldrich estate on the night of a big party. As Bill breaks into
the house to confront Aldrich, Garcia stalks him. Two gun shots
bring the assembled guests to Aldrich's room, where they find
Aldrich's dead body.
Inspector Dailey of the police department is
then summoned, and as he questions the partygoers about the
night's events, suspicion points to Bill. Party guests
ventriloquist Edgar Bergen and his dummy, Charlie McCarthy, decide
to undertake their own investigation while Garcia orders his gang
to kidnap Bill and Sheila and bring them to the Club Gardenia.
Edgar's hunch also leads him and Scotty to the Club Gardenia,
where their appearance disrupts Garcia's plans, allowing Sheila
and Bill to escape. As Garcia's men pursue the
intruders through
the bowels of the club, Edgar discovers a police officer who had
been imprisoned by the gang, and sends him for reinforcements.
While a fistfight rages in the club's basement, Edgar calmly
pieces together the clues and deduces that Garcia's bullet missed
Aldrich and that Scotty is the murderer. Overwhelmed by his guilt,
Scotty confesses that he felt powerless against Aldrich's
corruption and took the law into his own hands. When the police
arrive to arrest Garcia for Joe's murder, Scotty confesses to
Aldrich's murder, thus freeing Bill of all suspicion.
which has some laughs. Charlie's monologues with Bergen are the
high spots of the picture.
magazine publisher Arthur Aldrich to racketeer
Tony Garcia when they are framed by Aldrich and jailed in Central
America. Joe manages to escape and travels to New York, where he
turns to Bill's fiancée, singer Sheila Stuart, and fellow writer
Scotty Hamilton for help in freeing Bill. Before he can testify to
the police, however, Joe is murdered and the authorities refuse to
accept Scotty's story. Soon after, Bill escapes and decides to pay
a visit to Aldrich. Learning of Bill's freedom, Aldrich summons
Garcia to eliminate the reporter, and they all converge upon the
Aldrich estate on the night of a big party. As Bill breaks into
the house to confront Aldrich, Garcia stalks him. Two gun shots
bring the assembled guests to Aldrich's room, where they find
Aldrich's dead body. 
partygoers about the
night's events, suspicion points to Bill. Party guests
ventriloquist Edgar Bergen and his dummy, Charlie McCarthy, decide
to undertake their own investigation while Garcia orders his gang
to kidnap Bill and Sheila and bring them to the Club Gardenia.
Edgar's hunch also leads him and Scotty to the Club Gardenia,
where their appearance disrupts Garcia's plans, allowing Sheila
and Bill to escape. As Garcia's men pursue the
intruders through
the bowels of the club, Edgar discovers a police officer who had
been imprisoned by the gang, and sends him for reinforcements.
While a fistfight rages in the club's basement, Edgar calmly
pieces together the clues and deduces that Garcia's bullet missed
Aldrich and that Scotty is the murderer. Overwhelmed by his guilt,
Scotty confesses that he felt powerless against Aldrich's
corruption and took the law into his own hands. When the police
arrive to arrest Garcia for Joe's murder, Scotty confesses to
Aldrich's murder, thus freeing Bill of all suspicion.
