The gentleman killer
| Movie | |
|---|---|
| German title | The gentleman killer |
| Original title | Kid Glove Killer |
| Country of production | United States |
| original language | English |
| Publishing year | 1942 |
| length | 74 minutes |
| Rod | |
| Director | Fred Zinnemann |
| script |
Allen Rivkin John C. Higgins |
| production | Jack Chertok |
| music | David Snell |
| camera | Paul C. Vogel |
| cut | Ralph E. Winters |
| occupation | |
| |
The Gentleman Killer is an American crime film from 1942 directed by Fred Zinnemann with Van Heflin in the lead role.
action
Ambitious, young and unscrupulous attorney Gerald Latimer is helping to get mayoral candidate Daniels and district attorney candidate Turnely elected to help eradicate crime in their city. Little did the elected know that Latimer is actually on the payroll of gang boss Matty. He hopes to hoist Daniels and Turnely Latimer to the hoped-for senatorial post in Washington in order to pursue a policy from there that will be of use to Matty. Soon Turnely isn't as cooperative as hoped, and Matty and Latimer decide to get rid of him. When Latimer is chosen to be a special prosecutor, he gets the Turnely murder case into his hands and can now try everything from his new post to cover up the leads to him. But he did not expect his friend, the shrewd forensic scientist Gordon McKay, and his assistant Jane Mitchell, who do not allow themselves to be hindered in their work and even determine the identity of the killer (although not his name yet). He, in turn, dies trying to evade arrest.
Innkeeper Eddie Wright is fed up, he no longer wants to be bullied by the city's gangsters and protection rackets. For this reason, one day he goes to the mayor's office and offers to help fight the crime. Since the police think he is a tramp, they do not take him for full, but instead take him into custody temporarily and question him. Meanwhile, the new mayor is taking his job more seriously than expected and grilling his former sponsor Latimer for an insurance policy for a very large sum, from which he wants to know where Latimer got the money for it. Gerald then worries whether the mayor now seriously wants to track down his links with the underworld mob and then places a bomb under his car to get rid of the annoying top politician. The police promptly suspect the completely innocent Eddie of having something to do with the attack and put him behind bars. Gordon McKay has doubts about Eddie's guilt, despite some evidence pointing to Eddie's culprit, and is conducting secret investigations on his own, despite Special Counsel Latimer pursuing the incarceration and murder charges of Eddie.
Gerald Latimer now spends a lot of time in McKay's laboratory to keep an eye on the coroner. He also ties up with Jane and one day even asks her for her hand. Jane refuses and then announces that she will leave her job when this case is closed. Nevertheless, she reveals to Latimer that her boss Gordon has a knowledge advantage: the bomb bomber must have explosive powder under his fingernails. Then Gerald washes his hands intensively, but Gordon is already on the trail of the perpetrator. In the office of the late mayor he finds a reference to Latimer's perpetration. Gordon McKay suspects that Gerald Latimer could be involved in both murders and, through a trick, gets hold of a sample of the suspected criminal's hair.
Gordon confides in his assistant and reveals to Jane that he has found the culprit, but does not reveal his name to her. Jane carries this message to Gerald the next time they meet and is now ready to become his wife soon. Gerald now has to make a decision. And he decides to kill his friend Gordon McKay as the third man who could be dangerous to him. Gerald arranges a meeting with gang boss Matty and gives Jane his car keys so that she can drive home alone. Jane is about to drive off when she recognizes a cigar cutter on the bunch of keys ... and suddenly she has a terrible suspicion: Could this have been used as a remote ignition for the car bomb? Jane immediately goes to the laboratory and examines Latimer's keys with the cigar cutter for traces of explosive material. Meanwhile, Matty hands Gerald a revolver to use to kill Gordon. In McKay's office he threatens his old friend with this weapon and tells McKay to pull out the evidence-heavy hair sample. From the lab, Jane hears the loud voices of men arguing. She rushes over there and overhears Latimer admitting the two assassinations to McKay. In a short duel, McKay takes Latimer's "cannon" down. A little later the police arrive and arrest Gerald, then Matty. Gordon realizes that he loves Jane, and Jane accepts his subsequent proposal.
Production notes
The Gentleman Killer was created at the beginning of 1942 and was first shown in New York on April 17, 1942. The cost of this B-Picture was $ 199,000 and the revenue was approximately $ 550,000. This made the strip a box office success. This film, which was never shown in German cinemas, ran on ARD on October 11, 1986 .
Cedric Gibbons designed the film structures , Randall Duell was at his side. Edwin B. Willis provided the equipment . Douglas Shearer was the chief sound engineer.
Reviews
“Mr. Zinnemann comes from Metro's short film department and he must have learned something there. From a routine story of a battle between a city administration and a criminal syndicate, he has made a film that is straightforward, compact and tight as a drum. (...) Van Heflin makes another solid appearance as the apathetic, pleasant young scientist; although his pale smile and his dry, drawn-out manner of speaking lead him to be pinned down on a particular type, he can nevertheless represent a character with intelligence. Marsha Hunt is a capable alternative to him as his 'lab' assistant, and the others in the cast play their roles with some ability too. In fact, ' Kid Glove Killer ' is an excellent piece of work in every respect on its modest level. "
“Detective film with surprising comedic elements. In his first film work, director Fred Zinnemann developed a tightly staged, dramatic crime thriller with moral questions out of a dozen stories. "
"Professionally made police thriller as you would see it on television today."
"Solid B-movie."
Individual evidence
- ↑ In the original: “Mr. Zinnemann is a graduate of Metro's shorts department, and he must have learned something. Out of a routine story of the battle between a city reform administration and a criminal syndicate, he has made a film that is direct, compact and tight as a drum. (...) Van Heflin gives another solid performance as the listlessly likable young scientist; although his wan smile and dry drawl have tended to 'type' him, he can create a character with intelligence. Marsha Hunt is a capable foil as his 'lab' assistant, and the others in the cast performed their roles competently. In fact, on its own modest level, 'Kid Glove Killer' is a first-rate job all round. "
- ↑ The Gentleman Killer in the Lexicon of International Films
Web links
- The gentleman killer in the Internet Movie Database (English)
- extensive film review in the New York Times