Charles LamontBelow the Deadline (1936)

Police Officer Terry Mulvaney (Russel Hopton) is in love with Molly Fitzgerald (Cecila Parker). However, his unknown rival is Flash Ackroyd (Theodore von Eltz), firecode incompliant nightclub owner, socialite, and master jewel thief. Molly works as secretary to Abrams (John St. Polis), of Abrams and Co. diamond brokers, and Flash uses a legal ruse to get a copy of her handwriting for his friend Spike (Jack Gardner).

With a fake letter sent to Terry and some good acting, Ackroyd and has henchmen hold up Abrams and frame Terry and Molly for it. Terry escapes on a train out of town which goes over a collapsed bridge and gives him the chance to change places with a nameless, faceless corpse, get a new nose (literally) and a few grand in US $.

As Molly is about to leave town to seek employment, Flash offers her a job at his nightclub and she accepts, unsuspecting his ulterior motive. Meanwhile Terry gets back into town and meets up with the insurance agent and they go after Ackroyd.

[NB: The guard at the Abrams place also played a guard at a prison in 'Prison Mutiny', and the Police radioman is played by True Boardman, a possible relation to Virginia True Boardman of 'The Crime Patrol'.]

[Synopsis by uniQ.]

You can find more information regarding this film on its IMDb page.

This item is part of the collection: Feature Films

Director: Charles Lamont
Producer: George R. Batcheller
Production Company: Chesterfield Motion Pictures Corporation
Audio/Visual: sound, b&w
Keywords: crime; drama

Creative Commons license: Public Domain

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Reviewer: jimelena - - June 5, 2007
Subject: Lower than just below

Not just below the deadline, below the entertainment value line.

Reviewer: manavkaushik - - March 28, 2007
Subject: WELL CRAFTED

Best known for his direction of the 1950s TV serial featuring comic strip hero “Zorro”, Charles Lamont remains one of the most versatile American film directors. Its worth mentioning that after eleven years of acting, Lamont occupied the director’s chair and within three decades had over 200 films to his credit.

Set in the heart of New York’s business district, Below the Deadline has a cleverly crafted plot that is sure to thrill even the most cynical movie critics. This vintage Hollywood film takes you on a voyage, deep into the mind of a flashy, sleek-talking local conman who puts his knowledge of diamonds and human psyche to good use in pulling off one the most stunning diamond thefts.

Watch it.

http://www.myspace.com/62663692

Reviewer: surfvh - - March 28, 2007
Subject: A good film that deserves a higher rating, so I'll give it one

This is a tightly done mystery with an interesting plot twist. Rather informative too, since the idea of a 'deadline' is still with us. A deadline in this case has nothing to do with newspapers, it is an imaginary line drawn around the better parts of a city, outside of which the level of police presence is, shall we say, less than adequate.

Below The Deadline is worthy of a download. It's very entertaining, well done, and even educational. It's Really Good For Free as Joni Mitchell once sang.

Reviewer: Jen Kollmer - - November 5, 2004
Subject: An enjoyable watch.

A gangster flick like this feels pretty dated now, but this script offers some clever twists, both in the main throughline of the wronged cop trying to prove his innocence and in the romantic sub-plot.

Reviewer: Yogibear - - November 5, 2004
Subject: Nostalgia

Whats wrong with the present ...?