Two page boys working at a radio network go from trying to solve murders to performing in black-face in between work shifts. Jack Moran and Sidney Miller star in this whodunnit from 1945. Lots of fast talking, everybody yells at everybody, and the two page boys call the police detective "Marty" (played by Ralph Sanford). It's a real "shortie" at 59 minutes, and it has the feel of being adapted from a play, since it mostly takes place in a radio station soundstage. We don't really care about any of the characters, which is probably why its hardly ever shown. No big deal. This was Phil Karlson's second film as director. We're not given any clues as to who might be knocking people off, so we just kind of follow the police detective and the page boys as they all try to solve the mystery first. I'll say no more so as not to give away any spoilers.
7 Reviews
But Where?
boblipton19 May 2008
A solid comedy-mystery from Monogram, the second directorial effort of long-time B director Phil Karlson (best known today for the 1970s version of WALKING TALL) is about a radio performer who is shot dead in a dark, locked radio studio during a performance. Jackie Moran is Jimmy Kelly, a page at the studio who wants to break into show business by whatever means possible, and Sidney Miller is fellow page and stooge Sammy, who gets roped into all of Kelly's schemes, especially when the corpses begin to pile up.
Dewey Robinson, a beefy heavy at Paramount in hundreds of roles, has a fairly substantial role as the investigating policeman, who spends most of his time chewing.... gum or tobacco, it's never specified which.
Dewey Robinson, a beefy heavy at Paramount in hundreds of roles, has a fairly substantial role as the investigating policeman, who spends most of his time chewing.... gum or tobacco, it's never specified which.
An agreeable time-passer--just make sure to hold on tight during the "comedy" sketch!!
planktonrules25 May 2008
Warning: Spoilers
I'll admit that this isn't a great film. It practically screams "low-budget" yet oddly I still found myself liking the film because although it lacked quality it abounded with energy. It was like the Little Engine That Could and a movie merged into one!
The film takes place at a radio network and concerns some of their low-level employees--two page boys (one very pushy and brash and the other one a wuss) as well as a new receptionist. All three have visions of radio stardom but must for now content themselves with their lowly jobs.
Into this story appears a murder that seems somewhat out of the blue. I didn't know that this was a murder mystery film and was taken a bit by surprise. However, like most B-mysteries, the cops are lamebrains and it's up to our pushy hero (Moran) to try to save the day. Throughout all this, I had a hard time deciding if Moran was obnoxious or endearing. I'm still not sure!!
There is a moment in the film that is high on the 'cringe factor' and that is when the two pages try out for the roles of radio comedians. They show up in black-face and do a 3rd or 4th rate imitation of Amos n' Andy. Apart from being very insensitive, it also wasn't funny. Fortunately the producer of the show they were trying out for seemed to feel the same way.
Overall. it's easy to skip this film and I wouldn't blame you if you do. However, the weird and frenetic pace of the film actually seemed to make up for the artistic deficiencies of the film and I am glad I saw it. A good film? No. But one that is still worth a peek for fans of old Bs.
By the way, perhaps I just don't have very good taste, but I thought BOTH female singing divas really had poor voices despite how everyone in the film is captivated by their warblings. Listen for yourself and let me know what you think. I just couldn't believe either was allowed to sing on film--even if it was just for lowly Monogram Studios.
The film takes place at a radio network and concerns some of their low-level employees--two page boys (one very pushy and brash and the other one a wuss) as well as a new receptionist. All three have visions of radio stardom but must for now content themselves with their lowly jobs.
Into this story appears a murder that seems somewhat out of the blue. I didn't know that this was a murder mystery film and was taken a bit by surprise. However, like most B-mysteries, the cops are lamebrains and it's up to our pushy hero (Moran) to try to save the day. Throughout all this, I had a hard time deciding if Moran was obnoxious or endearing. I'm still not sure!!
There is a moment in the film that is high on the 'cringe factor' and that is when the two pages try out for the roles of radio comedians. They show up in black-face and do a 3rd or 4th rate imitation of Amos n' Andy. Apart from being very insensitive, it also wasn't funny. Fortunately the producer of the show they were trying out for seemed to feel the same way.
Overall. it's easy to skip this film and I wouldn't blame you if you do. However, the weird and frenetic pace of the film actually seemed to make up for the artistic deficiencies of the film and I am glad I saw it. A good film? No. But one that is still worth a peek for fans of old Bs.
By the way, perhaps I just don't have very good taste, but I thought BOTH female singing divas really had poor voices despite how everyone in the film is captivated by their warblings. Listen for yourself and let me know what you think. I just couldn't believe either was allowed to sing on film--even if it was just for lowly Monogram Studios.
Monogram goes into its recycling bin.
mark.waltz21 June 2020
Warning: Spoilers
I knew I had seen this plot somewhere before, and indeed, researching it found out that this was a remake of a Monogram film made just five years before called "Up in the Air". That was one of several comedies which featured the team of eternal juvenile Frankie Darro and black comic character actor Mantan Moreland. The two had a rapport that could rival Jack Benny and Eddie "Rochester" Anderson, and that made it an acceptable if quickly forgettable poverty row programmer. Forgettable that is until I saw this and had a sense of de ja vu. The script is practically identical with an almost equal running time, but Darro has been replaced by Jackie Moran, and Moreland is now a Jewish comic played by Sidney Miller, a young character actor whom I recognized from many smaller parts particularly at Warner Brothers in the 1930's.
The story revolves around murders being committed in a radio station which then gives Moran and Miller a chance to promote newcomer Wanda McKay whom they meet on her first day working at the radio station which ironically takes place around the same time that radio singing sensation Jan Wiley is murdered When one of the suspects is also killed, that makes the mystery all the more difficult to resolve, but somehow they always do, and within a very short period of time. The musical numbers are energetic but quickly forgettable, and a blackface routine between Moran and Miller is simply tacky with absolutely no humor and purpose. This has a few moderately memorable moments, but if I ever re-visit this story again, I think I'll go back five years to the always endearing Darro and the pop-eyed but lovable Moreland.
The story revolves around murders being committed in a radio station which then gives Moran and Miller a chance to promote newcomer Wanda McKay whom they meet on her first day working at the radio station which ironically takes place around the same time that radio singing sensation Jan Wiley is murdered When one of the suspects is also killed, that makes the mystery all the more difficult to resolve, but somehow they always do, and within a very short period of time. The musical numbers are energetic but quickly forgettable, and a blackface routine between Moran and Miller is simply tacky with absolutely no humor and purpose. This has a few moderately memorable moments, but if I ever re-visit this story again, I think I'll go back five years to the always endearing Darro and the pop-eyed but lovable Moreland.
Dreadful mystery/comedy from Monogram about a radio murder case..
Doylenf19 May 2008
This is a bottom of the barrel type of B-film from one of the poverty row studios, Monogram, in the mid-'40s, the kind that filled out a double bill.
Only reason I watched was to see what JACKIE MORAN was like in a leading role as a page boy at a radio station who attempts to solve a murder. He played Phil Meade in GONE WITH THE WIND only two years earlier and this was one of his last teen-aged roles. He's no Mickey Rooney.
The script is as hapless as the production values and is full of cliché ridden situations with a cast of uniformly untalented individuals. WANDA McKAY is the switchboard girl who is "discovered" by a radio producer and SIDNEY MILLER is the nerdy friend of the hero who's afraid of his own shadow.
Mercifully, it's over in an hour when the murder is solved after a round-up of all the suspects. Terribly overacted, the only quiet performance of any interest is given by JON GILBREATH as Tex, the cowboy, but he bites the dust after too brief an appearance.
There are several songs, but all of them are forgettable, as are the lame jokes and dialog.
Only reason I watched was to see what JACKIE MORAN was like in a leading role as a page boy at a radio station who attempts to solve a murder. He played Phil Meade in GONE WITH THE WIND only two years earlier and this was one of his last teen-aged roles. He's no Mickey Rooney.
The script is as hapless as the production values and is full of cliché ridden situations with a cast of uniformly untalented individuals. WANDA McKAY is the switchboard girl who is "discovered" by a radio producer and SIDNEY MILLER is the nerdy friend of the hero who's afraid of his own shadow.
Mercifully, it's over in an hour when the murder is solved after a round-up of all the suspects. Terribly overacted, the only quiet performance of any interest is given by JON GILBREATH as Tex, the cowboy, but he bites the dust after too brief an appearance.
There are several songs, but all of them are forgettable, as are the lame jokes and dialog.
Why was this movie even made?
lphred20 July 2008
This is a awful re-make of a very good movie called "Up In The Air" starring Frankie Darrow, Mantan Moreland and Marjorie Reynolds. I was only able to get through about 20 minutes before turning it off. Almost all the lines are identical, I have no idea why they would re-do the movie. I totally disagree with a previous post that dislikes the songs ( there the same also), In the original the singing is first rate, I'm not sure if Marjorie Reynolds actually did her own singing, it's hard to tell since the vocals were usually added later, and the songs are very good, surprising in a "B" movie. If you get the chance see the original it's available on DVD. You'll be pleasantly surprised.
Karlson's direction gives this movie snap and drive
mgconlan-128 May 2008
Once again I take up the cudgels (metaphorically speaking) to defend a genuinely charming and amusing Monogram film from the slighting barbs of other commentators. Only nominally a sequel to "Here Comes Kelly" of two years earlier the leads are different and Sidney Miller as Kelly's Jewish sidekick is the only actor who's in both "There Goes Kelly" is actually funnier, thanks largely to Phil Karlson's direction (under his original last name, Karlstein). Though Jackie Moran and Wanda McKay are nowhere near as interesting actors as the leads in the earlier film, Eddie Quillan and the marvelous Joan Woodbury, Karlson's direction makes this appealing combination of semi-musical and whodunit come alive; this film is only four minutes shorter than "Here Comes Kelly" but seems to move much faster because of the greater energy from the director. One demerit is Wanda McKay's clear discomfort with trying to match her lip movements to a pre-recorded voice (almost certainly a double in fact, it seemed to me as if always cost-conscious Monogram used the SAME voice double for McKay and Jan Wiley) she never makes it believable that she's a great singer the way the script tells us she is but that's a minor glitch in a minor "B" gem.
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