What a tepid little thriller this is, with LEW AYRES as a lounge lizard who sings for his supper, finds romance with a girl (MARJORIE STEELE) when both of them have to go on the lam for a crime they didn't commit. SONNY TUFTS is the detective on the case in what can only be described as a sketchily written role with almost no real substance. Miss Steele remains a nonentity throughout.
As a result, this is a poorly motivated crime tale using authentic San Francisco backgrounds for some local color but the B&W photography is notably ineffective in bringing the film to life.
Ayres seems to know he's coasting along in inferior material and only occasionally shows a flash of his talent that gives the tale a momentary lift from the ordinary. Tufts is solemn and humorless in a poorly written role as the detective who seems obsessed with keeping his girlfriend out of the case when it's discovered that she paid a visit to a murdered man.
The revelation of the murderer comes as no big surprise.
Summing up: Strictly a low-budget affair that never becomes the taut tale it strives to be, judging from the opening credits and music.
As a result, this is a poorly motivated crime tale using authentic San Francisco backgrounds for some local color but the B&W photography is notably ineffective in bringing the film to life.
Ayres seems to know he's coasting along in inferior material and only occasionally shows a flash of his talent that gives the tale a momentary lift from the ordinary. Tufts is solemn and humorless in a poorly written role as the detective who seems obsessed with keeping his girlfriend out of the case when it's discovered that she paid a visit to a murdered man.
The revelation of the murderer comes as no big surprise.
Summing up: Strictly a low-budget affair that never becomes the taut tale it strives to be, judging from the opening credits and music.