Originated by Chester Gould's syndicated comic strip, Dick Tracy has been a durable cinematic character with appearances ranging from 1930s serials to an over-hyped 1990 blockbuster-style motion picture starring Warren Beatty and Madonna--but the character's film appearances are perhaps most fondly recalled from the 1940s RKO Pictures series. Written with stacco dialogue and seldom running more than an hour, they were welcome "B" movies at almost every matinée.
The 1947 DICK TRACY MEETS GRUESOME is very typical of the series in terms of style, plot, and Ralph Byrd, who frequently played the character; it is atypical in the sense that it also features a major star, none other than Boris Karloff, who appears as Gruesome. In this particular tale, the criminal Gruesome is taken to meet a mysterious professor--and through him stumbles onto a chemical that makes people freeze in their tracks for several minutes. It's an ideal weapon for a bank heist, but Gruesome runs afoul of Tess Trueheart (Anne Gwynne, popular WWII pin-up and "B" actress in such titles as FLASH GORDON CONQUERS THE UNIVERSE and HOUSE OF FRANKENSTEIN), who is on the scene and unaffected. Tess manages to alert Tracy and the manhunt is soon underway.
The film makes use of cartoonist Gould's knack for odd names--on this occasion including Dr. A. Tomic--and shoot-'em-up action, and Karloff scores a particularly menacing turn with, of all things, a furnace. No one would accuse it of being high-end or particularly inventive, but it is a fun little flick of its time; while casual viewers will find it very slight, Tracy fans will have fun.
GFT, Amazon Reviewer
The 1947 DICK TRACY MEETS GRUESOME is very typical of the series in terms of style, plot, and Ralph Byrd, who frequently played the character; it is atypical in the sense that it also features a major star, none other than Boris Karloff, who appears as Gruesome. In this particular tale, the criminal Gruesome is taken to meet a mysterious professor--and through him stumbles onto a chemical that makes people freeze in their tracks for several minutes. It's an ideal weapon for a bank heist, but Gruesome runs afoul of Tess Trueheart (Anne Gwynne, popular WWII pin-up and "B" actress in such titles as FLASH GORDON CONQUERS THE UNIVERSE and HOUSE OF FRANKENSTEIN), who is on the scene and unaffected. Tess manages to alert Tracy and the manhunt is soon underway.
The film makes use of cartoonist Gould's knack for odd names--on this occasion including Dr. A. Tomic--and shoot-'em-up action, and Karloff scores a particularly menacing turn with, of all things, a furnace. No one would accuse it of being high-end or particularly inventive, but it is a fun little flick of its time; while casual viewers will find it very slight, Tracy fans will have fun.
GFT, Amazon Reviewer