If you were paying attention during the early part of the movie, there's a major tip-off that Kay Kerrigan (Joan Bennett) didn't really kill Thomas Bruhme II (Sidney Blackmer), but not for lack of trying. She shot him in the chest, but the bullet that killed him went to the base of his skull. But if the authorities had left it at that, there would have been no story. So instead, we have a globetrotting tale in which detective Sam Wye (Fredric March) chases lovely Kay Kerrigan from country to country with more than a little romance on his mind when he catches up with her.
The main event is almost upended entirely by the presence of Sam's sidekick Ben Blodgett. I've never seen Ralph Bellamy in a more thankless role, as he layers on more ham than a deli sandwich. When he connects with Sam's secretary, Jean Livingstone (Ann Sothern), they form a second romantic pairing in the picture, more by accident than intentional, since starting out, Jean had the hooks out for her boss. For his part, Sam was an unabashed playboy who never met a dame he couldn't woo until the next one came along.
Though credibility is stretched throughout the picture, it's still a fun outing keeping tabs on the characters and marveling at the silliness of it all, especially Blodgett's complete ineffectiveness. He would have given Leslie Nielsen's Lieutenant Drebin a run for his money. I'm not convinced Kay Kerrigan would have gotten away scot-free with the Bruhme shooting since she did attempt to harm him, even if it was a blank placed in her gun. Which is another little discrepancy in the story, which if you have a keen eye, will jump right out at you when the whole thing is over.
The main event is almost upended entirely by the presence of Sam's sidekick Ben Blodgett. I've never seen Ralph Bellamy in a more thankless role, as he layers on more ham than a deli sandwich. When he connects with Sam's secretary, Jean Livingstone (Ann Sothern), they form a second romantic pairing in the picture, more by accident than intentional, since starting out, Jean had the hooks out for her boss. For his part, Sam was an unabashed playboy who never met a dame he couldn't woo until the next one came along.
Though credibility is stretched throughout the picture, it's still a fun outing keeping tabs on the characters and marveling at the silliness of it all, especially Blodgett's complete ineffectiveness. He would have given Leslie Nielsen's Lieutenant Drebin a run for his money. I'm not convinced Kay Kerrigan would have gotten away scot-free with the Bruhme shooting since she did attempt to harm him, even if it was a blank placed in her gun. Which is another little discrepancy in the story, which if you have a keen eye, will jump right out at you when the whole thing is over.