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Memorable, crazy movie

The film makes a home in your brain and the only cure is to see it again.

Let me be very fair here, this is not the best movie in my opinion. But, this movie is fun, it has purpose and is very enjoyable to watch.

All of these films share one commonality, that being a kind of emotional center that humanizes a cast of monsters.

The spirits flow freely in this good "Boston Blackie" episode where the occult and a blackmail ring go hand in hand, leading to murder. It's a mixture of mystery and comedy, and when George E. Stone says, "Well I'll be a monkey's uncle", you expect the old Bob Hope gag to occur with him. Chester Morris is aiding blackmail victim Jeff Donnell and this leads him into the traps of sinister mediums (Marvin Miller and Forbes Murray) and their sexy but deadly assistant (Dusty Anderson). Richard Lane and Frank Sully spent much of this series switching between smart and stupid, and it's back to buffoonery for them here. I give this one a higher than just average simply for an interesting setup, believable characters, comedy that doesn't grate on your nerves and flowing by seamlessly without unnecessary distractions or needless schtick concerning Morris and Stone's penchant for impressions.

This entry in the Boston Blackie series has Blackie trying to help a young woman who is being blackmailed by a spiritualist, Dr. Nejino, played by familiar Columbia heavy Marvin Miller. When Blackie confronts Nejino, the doctor does something unusual for a spiritualist in these old movies - he admits the whole séance business is an act, but that it is an act that helps his patients deal with the losses of loved ones in their own way and in their own time. In the case of the young woman in question - wealthy Anne Duncan - her father's death has left her terribly lonely in spite of her recent marriage. So Nejino invites Blackie to watch one of his séances. The problem is, during the séance a member of the audience is knifed in the back. Of course, Blackie is suspect number one in the case.This one has plenty of good old fashioned haunted house and ghostly fun, and if it seems that magic is a recurring theme in the Boston Blackie series, it is so for a reason. Chester Morris was a very good amateur magician, even entertaining the troops during World War II with his act. Recommended for anyone who specifically likes the Boston Blackie series or the old B detective movies of the 40's in general.

The Phantom Thief has Boston Blackie and The Runt helping out yet another pal from stir with a burglary problem. Three bodies later including Murray Alper's their friend and they're up to their necks in it. The supremely inept police Richard Lane and Frank Sully get involved once again, but Blackie solves the caper. Would you expect anything else.The series was clearly running out of gas with this episode. The main problem in this film was how George E. Stone could be so dumb in this film. Remember while he's Chester Morris's faithful retainer, Stone is also an a crook and he ought to know about the fake medium racket and the gags they use for the marks. It made no sense to get as hysterical as he did.This by the way was George E. Stone's farewell to the Boston Blackie series. He was a remarkable player doing everything from the Runt to some good drama with playing Edward G. Robinson's retainer in Little Caesar to one of the big shot gamblers who catches Frank Sinatra cheating in The Man With The Golden Arm.As for Blackie who knows carnival tricks in a New York minute it's not long revealed that the real victim of spiritualist Marvin Miller is Jeff Donnell another society dame in distress. Without going into the story let's say Donnell has some real bad taste in men.The Runt is loyal to Blackie, but not as dumb as he's made out here.

Thought this film was one of the best Boston Blackie films with all kinds of slapstick going on with George E. Stone, (The Runt) and Chester Morris, (Boston Blackie). In this film Richard Lane, (Inspector John Farraday) carries on with the same type of role he has played in other films, only in this film Farraday is constantly accusing Boston Blackie of every murder. The Runt manages to get Boston Blackie involved in a diamond necklace which has been stolen from Jeff Donnell, (Ann Duncan) who gives a great supporting role. Dr. Nejino,(Marvin Miller) performs séance's with all kinds of voices from the dead being heard and ghostly hands floating in the air and plenty of trap doors opening and closing in the closets. This film will entertain you, however, this film is a Classic 1946 film and has plenty of the same old thing which is repeated in all of these B films.