Watch Private Detective 62 For Free

You won't be disappointed!

Why so much hype?

A Masterpiece!

This is a coming of age storyline that you've seen in one form or another for decades. It takes a truly unique voice to make yet another one worth watching.

Long before he directed Casablanca, Mildred Pierce and The Adventures of Robin Hood (among other brilliant films) Michael Curtiz took a hand in putting together this little Depression gem about shady detective work, women with money to spare, and a budding romance. The always puckishly sophisticated William Powell appears to have a great deal of fun playing what appears to be a shady detective—but one with an integrity and a great charm for women. In this zippy little pre-code gem, Powell is hired to put a wealthy female gambler in jeopardy so that her considerable winnings can be taken back by the speakeasy where she gambles; can you guess what happens when the two meet? The woman is played by the engagingly attractive but underused Margaret Lindsay, and she's an apt foil for Powell's machinations (Lindsay has never looked better than she does in this film, and one wonders why she never moved into more major films).This is another Warner Brother's quickie, a highly entertaining, fast-moving (67 minutes!) "B" film loaded with familiar character actors like Hobart Cavanaugh and Irving Bacon and even Toby Wing, whose wide-smile and sexy persona impresses immediately in a five second appearance as one of Powell's willing conquests. There's even a pre-code drug addict named "Whitey" referred to as a "hophead" into "snow," the sort of drug reference which, as a result of the new code, would completely disappear from films for twenty years after 1934; drugs didn't make a major appearance again until Sinatra's Oscar-nominated performance in The Man With The Golden Arm in 1956. This is not a great film by any means, but a perfect Saturday matinée popcorn movie, an excellent example of a studio film that was no longer made after 1950.

William Powell's stay at Warner Brothers was a short one - only a couple of years - but he hit the bullseye in every picture he did there. This film is one of them. Here William Powell plays Donald Free, a secret agent of sorts who gets caught in France with stolen documents. The agency he works for has already told him that if he is caught all knowledge of his action will be disavowed, so he is unsurprised when that is exactly what happens. For some strange reason, the French take Donald all the way to New York harbor before deciding to transfer him to another ship and send him right back to France. The only reason for all of this inefficiency can be as a plot device for Donald to make an easy escape by jumping overboard and swimming to shore, which he does.Donald is now home and at liberty, but that doesn't get you far in 1933 Depression era America. Without references he is unable to get a job as a detective for any police department or obtain a private detective license. But after pounding the pavement with no luck for months, Donald manages to partner up with a private detective firm on its last legs. The partner has the license but not much talent at detecting or discretion, and Donald has the talent and no license. Ruth Donnelly plays the firm's secretary with mouth and moxy to spare. They're doing OK and then a well-known gangster bankrolls the firm and floods the office with business. When that gangster wants a favor in return - the discrediting of a beautiful customer that his gambling joint owes tens of thousands of dollars to because he doesn't have the money to pay her when she finally decides to cash in her chips - things begin to get really interesting. You'll probably figure out what's going on even before Powell's character solves all of the mysteries for you, but here as in most of the early 30's Warner Brothers films, most of the fun is the journey not the destination. Highly recommended.

I have no idea where the number in the title comes from, but it doesn't really matter, this is a rip roaring mystery drama comedy about government agent William Powell who, after being arrested and deported by the French government ends up as a private detective working for another detective of lesser moral standing. Complications arise when Powell 's used to get the goods on a socialite who is owed a great deal of money by a gambler. Powell falls for the girl, but continues to see her until he's found out. As things become even more morally questionable murder occurs and Powell must wade into the matter. Excellent story of intrigue and adventure that has a wickedly funny edge to it. Its easy to imagine Powell's Donald Free as Nick Charles in his heyday since he seems to operate in a similar manner. Everything clicks here from the mystery to the comedy to the romance into a seamless whole. I can't understand why this film isn't better known because its so perfectly put together. I love it, even more so in retrospect.

The film begins with William Powell being convicted in a French court of espionage and he is deported back to America. However, the French reconsider and plan on returning him to France when Powell jumps overboard and swims for shore in New York. Once there, he has a devil of a time finding work since it is during the Depression and since his reputation was ruined over the conviction. Eventually, he does land on his feet when he partners up with a two-bit private detective with very questionable morals. Through Powell's business acumen and skills as a detective, the agency is able to grow and prosper. Unfortunately, his partner is even more shady and corrupt than he imagined--leading to a dandy climax.Over the years I have become a real fan of the films of William Powell--mostly because he was able to make his performances look so natural and relaxed. In this film, you have a somewhat ordinary plot that comes to life thanks to Powell. This mystery-action film isn't much like his later THIN MAN films, though it is still pretty exciting and well worth a look.