Dressed to Kill (1941 film)
| Dressed to Kill | |
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Original film poster
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| Directed by | Eugene J. Forde |
| Produced by | Sol M. Wurtzel |
| Written by | Novel: Richard Burke "Death Takes no Bows" Screenplay: Brett Halliday Manning O'Conner Stanley Ruth |
| Starring |
Lloyd Nolan Mary Beth Hughes Sheila Ryan William Demarest |
| Music by | Cyril J. Mockridge |
| Cinematography | Glen MacWilliams |
| Edited by | Fred Allen |
| Distributed by | 20th Century Fox |
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Release date
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Running time
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80 minutes |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
Dressed to Kill is a 1941 crime mystery starring Lloyd Nolan, Mary Beth Hughes and Sheila Ryan. The film was based on The Dead Take No Bows, a mystery novel by Richard Burke.
Private investigator Michael Shayne (Lloyd Nolan) is just about to marry his sweetheart, singer Joanne La Marr (Mary Beth Hughes). On their wedding day he meets up with Joanne at the Hotel du Nord where she is staying, but as they are about to leave together, Michael hears a woman screaming from one of the rooms.
It turns out that the hotel maid Emily (Virginia Brissac) has discovered two dead people: producer Louis Lathrop, owner of the hotel and the adjoining theater, and Desiree Vance, one of Lathrop's actresses. Both are dressed up in medieval costumes. Lathrop also has the head from a dog costume on him.
Police Investigator Pierson (William Demarest) arrives at the scene and learns from the hotel manager, Hal Brennon (Charles Amt), that the costumes seem to be from Lathrop's only successful show, Sweethearts of Paris, from many years before. On the cast of the show was Desiree as the leading lady, and Carlo Ralph (Erwin Kalser) as Beppo the Dog. Immediately Shayne suspects Carlo of being the killer, since there is a symbolism in placing the dog costume head on Lathrop.
On the cast of that show were also actors David Earle (Charles Trowbridge) and Julian Davis (Henry Daniell). Earle comes to the hotel and tells the police that Lathrop had hosted a private party for the entire cast of the show to celebrate its anniversary. Shayne examines the list of people involved in the show production and discovers that the musical director was Max Allaron (Milton Parsons), an alcoholic who also lives at the hotel.
As the investigation proceeds, Shayne learns that Lathrop had another woman besides Desiree, and that the apartment has many entrances and exits. From Earle's daughter he also learns that Davis stole money from Lathrop, and he decides to pay Davis a visit. Shayne finds Davis with Phyllis Lathrop, Louis' wife. They confess to embezzling money from Louis, but claim to be innocent of his murder. They hire Shayne to help them prove their innocence.
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