Movie Cosmos - Dick Tracy Meets Gruesome

Description:

A gang of criminals, which includes a piano player and an imposing former convict known as 'Gruesome', has found out about a scientist's secret formula for a gas that temporarily paralyzes anyone who breathes it. When Gruesome accidentally inhales some of the gas and passes out, the police think he is dead and take him to the morgue, where he later revives and escapes. This puzzling incident attracts the interest of Dick Tracy, and when the criminals later use the gas to rob a bank, Tracy realizes that he must devote his entire attention to stopping them.

Top Cast >

Boris Karloff

As Gruesome

Ralph Byrd

As Dick Tracy

Anne Gwynne

As Tess Trueheart

Edward Ashley

As Dr. L.E. Thal

June Clayworth

As Dr. I.M. "Irma" Learned

Lyle Latell

As Pat Patton

Tony Barrett

As Melody

Skelton Knaggs

As X-Ray

James Nolan

As Dan Sterne

Joseph Crehan

As Chief Brandon

Milton Parsons

As Dr. A. Tomic

Ernie Adams

As Waiter at Hangman's Knot (uncredited)

Phil Arnold

As Sneezing Bank Customer (uncredited)

Walter Bacon

As Bar Patron (uncredited)

Lex Barker

As City Hospital Driver (uncredited)

Eddie Borden

As Bank Customer (uncredited)

Robert Bray

As Sergeant (uncredited)

Robert Clarke

As Fred (Police Analyst) (uncredited)

George Cooper

As Stone (Bank Teller) (uncredited)

Suzi Crandall

As Blonde Bank Customer (uncredited)

William Gould

As Pop (uncredited)

Ben Hall

As Luke (Police Stooge) (uncredited)

Harry Harvey

As Humphrey (Bank Guard) (uncredited)

Tom Keene

As Dr. Frankey (uncredited)

George Lloyd

As Owner of the Hangman's Knot (uncredited)

Robert Malcolm

As Doctor (uncredited)

Sean McClory

As Officer Carney (uncredited)

Lew Meehan

As Police Driver in Montage (uncredited)

Bruce Mitchell

As Police Sgt. in Montage (uncredited)

Lee Phelps

As Detective (uncredited)

Lorin Raker

As Insolvent Borrower (uncredited)

Bert Roach

As Crandall (uncredited)

Jason Robards Sr.

As Bank Officer (uncredited)

Harry Strang

As Tim (uncredited)

Tex Swan

As Policeman (uncredited)

Top Crew >

John Rawlins

Director

Robertson White

Screenplay

Eric Taylor

Screenplay

William Graffis

Story

Robert E. Kent

Story

Chester Gould

Characters

Herman Schlom

Producer

Paul Sawtell

Original Music Composer

Frank Redman

Director of Photography

Elmo Williams

Editor

James Lane

Assistant Director

Albert S. D'Agostino

Art Direction

Walter E. Keller

Art Direction

James Altwies

Set Decoration

Darrell Silvera

Set Decoration

Gordon Bau

Makeup Supervisor

Terry Kellum

Sound

Jean L. Speak

Sound

Russell A. Cully

Special Effects

Reviews:

CinemaSerf (6/10)

Now this made me laugh - it is certainly one of the more preposterous of these adventure yarns. Dick Tracy (Ralph Byrd) and Tess Trueheart (Anne Gwynne) are called in to investigate a series of intriguing bank robberies where the customers/staff are poleaxed by a nerve gas that enables the robbers to calmly rob the place without anyone even knowing. Of course, at the bottom of the dastardly scene is "Gruesome" - one of the livelier outings for Boris Karloff that I've seen. The script is terrible, and the still-life effects are pretty cheap and cheerful photographic freezes, but you can tell that they - including the wonderful research scientist "I.M. Learned" and Skelton Knaggs ("X-ray") - are having a good time on set. They are there to entertain us, and that they do.

2022-07-07