Paularoc Review of The Lone Wolf Spy Hunt

The Lone Wolf Spy Hunt (1939)

A fun B mystery with some wonderfully amusing scenes

[8/10 · 24 September 2012]

The plot of this Lone Wolf mystery is standard for a B mystery: a spy ring wants to steal the plans for an anti-aircraft gun and then plant evidence so the Lone Wolf, Michael Lanyard, will get the blame. The cast of characters is typical too: beautiful women, dumb cops and even dumber cohorts of the master criminal and a dashing, witty hero. But this one also has some especially amusing bits - chief among them Jack Norton in his usual role as a drunk. This time it's as Charlie Fenton at a surrealist party (the whole surrealist party was a riot and worth watching the movie just for that). Fenton comes to the part with a card board clock face on his chest and Lanyard, after sticking a few tree twigs about his clothes is dressed as the primeval forest. Priceless. Then there's the bit about Lanyard's driving around and around a diner trying to get a donut eating cop to come out and give him chase. And Virginia Weidler is wonderful as the Lone Wolf's tomboy daughter who wants to be a junior G girl. Shame that she appeared in no more series entries. The best line in the movie is that of Val's (Lanyard's girlfriend) Senator father. When Lanyard asks the Senator who attacked him, was it a man in a gray hat?, he says "yes, he looked like a Republican." Loved that throw away line. The only bummer in the movie is the role of Val played by Ida Lupino. Her character was an extraordinarily annoying wannabe wife of Lanyard. You'd think she'd get the hint when he was willing to go to jail rather than marry her. But no. She and Lanyard's daughter giggle about having the keys to his cell. Makes no sense. Even so, it's a highly enjoyable movie thanks to some very funny scenes indeed. Besides, what's not to like about Warren William? Also a plus is that TCM showed a beautiful print of the film.