Jerome Cowan is a private eye hired to solve a murder. There are several other murders along the way, although the only sentiment they generate among their acquaintances is disappointment, not grief. How dare he die after being attacked with an ax -- before he told us who did it? Jerome Cowan, familiar from "The Maltese Falcon" a few years earlier, has the lead this time, probably partly because of his appearance in that film. But Cowan is no Humphrey Bogart. On the other hand, the writers were no Dashiel Hammets, and the director was no John Huston. The result is a complicated, fast-paced mystery yarn with no grace notes, an extended B feature.Some of the supporting cast is good. Cy Kendall as Sheriff Amblers, determined to win re-election, is a portrait of good-natured deceit. The women have key parts but little screen time. Jane Wyman is cute. The young Eleanor Powell radiates innocence and sex appeal.But it's all pretty formulaic and if you miss it, you're not missing much.

"Crime by Night" is based on a book by Daniel Mainwaring, who went to write some of the best screen plays of the genre. This 1944 B movie was directed with great style by William Clemens. The film has good moments, but best of all is the presence of Jerome Cowan in the main role of the private investigator, Sam Campbell.Sam is called to help a man accused of killing his father-in-law, a crime he didn't commit. Sam arrives accompanied by his assistant, Robbie Vance, who he calls "Candy Lamb". The story takes us to meet the corrupt sheriff Max Anders who is running for reelection. We also meet the cunning Ann Marlowe, a shady woman who has an interest in all we are seeing. Sam Campbell solves the mystery with assurance.For being a B movie, "Crime by Night" gathered an interesting cast. Best of all, Jerome Cowan, who played in a lot of films of the genre, most notably in "The Maltese Falcon". Mr. Cowan didn't make it big in the movies, but in this one, he is quite enjoyable as the sleazy man who knows where to go to unmask the truth. Jane Wyman is hardly seen, although she is quite effective in her small part. Faye Emerson plays Ann Marlowe with style and conviction. Cy Kendall is the crooked sheriff Max Anders. Eleanor Parker and Charles Wilson are also seen in smaller parts.Another comment to this forum says it all in the praise to TCM for keeping these forgotten movies alive by presenting them from time to time to new audiences.

Private Eye Sam Campbell is hired by the estranged husband of a woman whose father he's accused of killing. With a few good plot twists, he uncovers the real murderer and the reason behind that and two other subsequent killings.Don't pass up an opportunity to see character actor Jerome Cowan for once in the lead. His most noted role in film was also a detective as Sam Spade's luckless partner Miles Archer in the Maltese Falcon. In that film he was a lady's man whose hormones got him killed. Here he's quite the ladies man as well, but his mind as it turns out is on business first.Cowan's main squeeze in this film is Jane Wyman. She played a lot of molls before she got real roles of substance later in the decade, culminating with that Oscar for Johnny Belinda. It's interesting to see her in these roles sometimes though.Of the supporting cast the biggest kudos go to Cy Kendall who was the hapless sheriff. It's a running truism in Hollywood that in these detective stories, the police always get shown up by the private eye. Sometimes the cops are smart, but the private eye is smarter and sometimes they're downright dumb. It's the latter here.This film is an enjoyable product from Warner's B film unit.

For a fifteen year period between the late 1930's and the early 1950's, Jerome Cowan played supporting roles to a number of big name stars in a variety of movies. Here he gets a chance to be the lead in this snappy little B picture, playing a detective on vacation. He was notable for playing wisecracking sidekicks, and in Crime By Night he plays a wisecracking detective. His sidekick is Jane Wyman who is actually listed as the lead here, but she plays second fiddle as Cowan's "candy lamb." Faye Emerson is on hand in a supporting role, and Eleanor Parker has a small role in one of her early films. The pace is fast with snappy dialog written by Daniel Mainwaring, who a few years later became famous for the quintessential film noir: Out Of The Past, which was based on his novel Build My Gallows High. **1/2 of 4 stars.