Movie Review: The Phantom of 42nd Street (1945)

Synopsis: Theater critic Tony Woolrich is reviewing a play when an actor is murdered. Even though he is friends with the theater's owner, actor Cecil Moore, and the victim was Moore's brother, he is reluctant to investigate but does so after being chewed out by his editor. After a second murder is committed, the police believe an escape asylum inmate is to blame. However, Woolrich believes someone from Moore's past is targeting both the actor and his daughter, Claudia.

Who's in it? The movie stars Dave O'Brien, Kay Aldridge, Alan Mowbray, Frank Jenks and Jack Mulhall.

Review: I am gaining a whole new appreciation for just how busy actor Dave O'Brien was in the 1940s. It seems as though I can't scroll through my movie library without coming across a film he's in. This includes The Phantom of 42nd Street, which I decided to finally watch this morning. It ended up being a good choice.

The movie's mystery is an interesting one. While Woolrich's (O'Brien) theory about someone targeting Cecil Moore (Mowbray) and his family seemed sound, the motive behind it wasn't, especially since the killer was also targeting people who weren't related to the family, including a seemingly random electrician. For a while, I even wondered if Moore himself would turn out to be the killer (he did have financial motive for killing his brother) and if, so, how would that impact Woolrich's budding relationship with Claudia (Aldridge).

The discovery of Moore's secret lover and Claudia's mother, Janis Buchanon (Edythe Elliott) was a nice mid-movie addition. I suspected she was somehow involved, either directly or indirectly, but it was unclear how, especially since the one person from her past who could be the killer had been dead for years.

Woolrich's plan to get the killer to reveal him/herself was risky enough to be suspenseful and even had a couple surprises as far as when and how the killer did strike. It was one of those situations that could easily have been a success while also resulting in a tragic death and kept me interested until the very end.

Another thing I liked about this movie was the pairing of Jenks as Romeo, Woolrich's friend/cab driver chauffeur. He provided a bit of comic relief to keep the film from getting too serious but also was a guy Woolrich could count on in a pinch and even gave some sound advice at times. It wasn't quite a Sherlock Holmes/Dr. Watson relationship, but it did work.

My only real complaint about this movie is it did feel as though there were some missing pieces at the end. It doesn't clearly resolve if Woolrich and Claudia are getting together (though it does strongly hint at them becoming a couple) or address Claudia meeting her mother for the first time or if Janis even tells her. 

It wasn't anything that necessarily ruined the movie. However, if there was time to resolve if Romeo's wannabe actress girlfriend (Vera Marshe) could remember her one line, there was time for Claudia to learn the truth about Janis before sharing a closing kiss with Woolrich.

Final Opinion: It is a solid classic murder mystery with a few good suspects and a couple twists. It's one that is worth taking the time to watch as a result.

My Grade: B

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Here are some reviews of other Dave O'Brien films:

Movie Review: Water Rustlers (1939)

Movie Review: Frontier Fugitives (1945)

Movie Review: East Side Kids (1940)

Movie Review: The Devil Bat (1940)