Viewed on Turner tonight, and found myself being fascinated with the diction. Especially Lupino and Hayworth (maybe because they're easier to look at). Good (and fun) dramatic emphasis, syllabled but natural. Understood every word from the entire cast. What a contrast from more modern productions where mumbling seems to be in vogue and my wife and I are constantly backing up to catch what was said. So, whatever happened to those diction coaches? This was 1939 sound recording technology for Pete's sake. Okay, now filling out the 10 lines that seem to be required. Yes this was B-movie fare, but good costumes, production values AND, all too rare, some fun for the kids. Also, we enjoy these older films for the time machine aspects, e.g., the cars, the decor, cityscapes and the cultural values in evidence. For instance, lots of furs on the gals in this one--one thing we're well without now, unlike the diction.

This is the first time I've seen a Lone Wolf movie, and I was struck by the similarity to the Bulldog Drummond series from the same era. Not only did the main characters have a canine nom de plume, but each featured a comic relief butler and a fetching female hanger on that can't wait to get married. In the Drummond franchise, the marriage just around the corner bit was carried from film to film, though I don't know how the Lone Wolf series handled it. I'll have to wait and see.The caper involving Lone Wolf Lanyard (Warren William) also hints at those encountered by Drummond, Charlie Chan, and Mr. Wong, to name a few other detectives of the era, even though Lanyard isn't a detective per se, but a retired safe cracker who appears to be on the right side of the law. I found it odd that he considered himself 'old' at thirty five; it gives one a sense of how far we've come as a society that puts a premium on perpetual youth. Can you picture George Clooney admitting that he's old?The story involves a set of plans for a new anti-aircraft gun, with lead villain Gregory (Ralph Morgan) attempting to steal the prints and frame Lanyard for the theft. I couldn't shake the feeling that the whole thing was done pretty much tongue in cheek, as the Lone Wolf seemed to be the only competent character amidst a jealous girl friend (Ida Lupino), bumbling henchmen, inept detectives, and an aspiring G-Man, er, Woman daughter (Virginia Weidler) who likes to stick up the butler in repeated scenes. You even get Rita Hayworth as a femme fatale, a pretty classy villainess I must say. It's too bad attempts at humor often fell flat, like the Charlie Fenton gimmick at the surrealist party. Speaking of which, you can see the folks behind this 'B' grade mystery didn't have a big budget to work with, as party guests showed up with boxes or cellophane wrapped around their head, making Lanyard's tree branch outfit look almost creative.Hey, I did get a kick though out of that car chase around the coffee shop. By the third time around, someone figured out there should be a police car in front of it so the cops could give pursuit!If you're a fan of the earlier mentioned mystery and detective flicks of the Thirties and Forties like I am, you'll be able to have some fun with this one. They're interesting diversions and offer a glimpse of what audiences considered entertaining at the time. Just don't hold them under a magnifying glass.$38.70 for lunch!!!!

(Some Spoilers) He's at it again The Lone Wolf Michael Laryard, Warren Williams, knocking the ladies dead as well as knocking the bad guy out cold and on the seat of their pants as he does his patriotic duty for Uncle Sam in foiling a spy ring working for either Germany the Soviet Union or Japan, just take your pick,in their attempt of stealing this top secret blueprint for an antiaircraft artillery piece. Laryard despite his heroics in dealing with the spy ring has his hands full with his wannabe bride the cute and pasty Val Carson, Ida Lupino, who would smash any woman over the head with her trusty baseball bat who as much as looks at the suave & debonair Lanyard.The spy ring lead by Spiro Gregory, Ralph Morgan, at first try to blackmail Lanyard, a reformed Jewel thief and safe cracker, to help them crack open the safe at the Plamer Laboratory where half of the artillery blueprint is kept, the other half Gregory has. Only to have the cagey Lone Wolf escape and later with the help of Val crashes a custom party at Gregory's mansion dressed up as a tree branch,and steals the other half of the blueprint right under Gregory's nose.Also in the movie is an absolutely gorgeous 21 year-old Rita Hayworth,Karen,as Gregorys girlfriend who has the Lone Wolf making eyes at her which almost drives Val to belt her for trying to take her man away from her. Among the other characters in the movie is Lanyard's, he's a widower in the film,somewhat spoiled and bratty daughter Pat,Virginia Weidler. Who as a wannabe junior G-girl runs around the house with a cap gun shooting at the imaginary Red Weasel Gang. Not being able to get the Red Weasel she ends up instead plugging the butler Jameson, Leonard Carey, who refuses to roll over and play dead for her.We get to see Lanyard use his fists as well as his brains at the end of the movie as he slug's it out with the bad guys without as much as getting his hair mussed, or tuxedo wrinkled. Lanyard not only saves the day for the good old U S of A but both Val & Pat who ended up being captured by the Gregory Gang. Wanting to finally get as far away from Val as he can Lanyard admits to the police, who came to his rescue, anything that would put him safely behind bars. But his plans of freedom from Val, while losing all his freedom by being locked up in the clink, are soon to fall apart with both Pat and Val having the keys to his prison cell and more then willing, in getting the very reluctant Lone Wolf out, to use them.

While no reasonable reviewer would give any B-detective series movie a score of 10 (after all, they were not exactly deep and they tended to focus much more on entertainment instead of originality), for such a film, this Lone Wolf film scores a bullseye. As far as quality and watchability goes, I would place it on par with the average Sherlock Holmes, Charlie Chan or Saint film of the era. In fact, in many ways, this film seems a lot like one of the Saint films because the hero is a reformed gentleman thief who investigates crimes for kicks--and chases women along the way. While the film starred Warren William, I could have just as easily imagined Tom Conway or George Sanders (from the Saint and Falcon detective series) playing the lead in this film. This isn't meant as a negative per se--it's a very familiar but also very satisfying formula.Warren William was wonderful in the lead but he was also ably supported by a better than usual supporting cast. Having Ida Lupino AND Rita Hayworth playing the female leads was pretty amazing, as neither were exactly stars at the time and it was just a case of dumb luck in casting. In addition, the other supporting players all provided some needed depth to the film--something often lacking in B-movies.As far as the plot goes, it was pretty interesting but also purely secondary--not at all unusual for this type of film. You certainly don't watch this type of film because of the finely crafted mystery, but more for the personalities and style. In many ways, this sort of film is like a warm and familiar pair of old shoes you put on after a long day at work.