This 1935 movie starred Spencer Tracy and Myrna Loy as a detective who follows a woman linked to jewel thieves who stole a group of valuable pearls. After the thieves make their getaway, another group of thieves try to muscle in on the loot. Spencer is tasked with tailing Myrna in an attempt to find the pearls. For most of the beginning of the film, the pair try to throw off the other of group of thieves who are also trying to find the pearls. Spencer pretends to be a hood in front of Myrna in order to gain her confidence. However, she figures out that he is a cop early in their first encounter. Myrna tries a few times to get away from Spencer to no avail as he is one step faster than she is. The latter part of the film has the pair having to stop at a home with an expectant wife and nervous husband during a big rainstorm. Myrna assists in the childbirth and has a change of heart with how she has lived her life. The original thieves and the other group of thieves eventually track her down. She wants to give up the stealing way of life, but her cohorts complicate the matter by hiding the stolen pearls with her and not telling her. When the thieves all come to the home where the pair have been staying, Spencer makes up the story that they are married and that the pearls were left in another city. They stop off at a diner where Spencer makes his move and a shootout occurs. Spencer gets Myrna out of harm's way by intentionally smudging dirt on her face so she would go to the restroom to clean it off. Spencer is wounded, but state troopers hear the shooting and arrest the entire bunch of thieves. At the end, Spencer asks for a deposition from Myrna regarding her role in the jewel heist. It involves yes or no answers. She turns the table on him after he finishes his line of questions.
Some thought that the plot was not well developed and didn't provide enough of good material for the stars. While it probably did not rate as well as later movie roles for Spencer and Myrna, I felt the storyline was still acted very well by the stars. Some of the plot twists probably was on the implausible side, but I still enjoyed this movie as a crime melodrama. A touch of romance was added to lighten what could have been a much darker movie. The movie did highlight something that would be much more common later in the telephone industry, that is tracking phone calls and their origin. The movie also has a few unique plot twists that show how "clever" the screenwriter was.
Always nice to see Myrna and Spencer in one of their early talking movie roles.
Some thought that the plot was not well developed and didn't provide enough of good material for the stars. While it probably did not rate as well as later movie roles for Spencer and Myrna, I felt the storyline was still acted very well by the stars. Some of the plot twists probably was on the implausible side, but I still enjoyed this movie as a crime melodrama. A touch of romance was added to lighten what could have been a much darker movie. The movie did highlight something that would be much more common later in the telephone industry, that is tracking phone calls and their origin. The movie also has a few unique plot twists that show how "clever" the screenwriter was.
Always nice to see Myrna and Spencer in one of their early talking movie roles.