Scene of the Crime (1949 film)
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Theatrical release poster
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| Directed by | Roy Rowland |
| Produced by | Harry Rapf |
| Screenplay by | Charles Schnee |
| Based on | the story "Smashing the Bookie Gang Marauders" by John Bartlow Martin |
| Starring |
Van Johnson Arlene Dahl Gloria DeHaven |
| Music by | André Previn |
| Cinematography | Paul Vogel |
| Edited by | Robert Kern |
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Production
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Release date
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Running time
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94 minutes |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Budget | $761,000 |
| Box office | $1,391,000 |
Scene of the Crime is a 1949 film noir directed by Roy Rowland and starring Van Johnson, Arlene Dahl, Gloria DeHaven, Tom Drake and Leon Ames.
Lieutenant Mike Conovan (Van Johnson), head of an LAPD homicide detective squad, investigates when Ed Monigan, an older member of his squad (and former partner), is murdered while off-duty and carrying $1,000 in cash. Conovan's current partner and one-time mentor, Fred Piper (John McIntire), is getting on in years and his eyesight is failing, while under Conovan's wing is rookie detective "C.C." (for "carbon copy") Gordon (Tom Drake), learning the ropes.
Out to dispel a theory that Monigan was secretly in cahoots with bookmakers, Conovan begins to track down a pair of downstate criminals ("lobos") known as the "Royalty Brothers." The trail leads to a stripper, Lili (Gloria DeHaven), whose ex-boyfriend Turk Kingby (Richard Benedict) has apparently pulled off a series of robberies of gamblers with his partner Lafe Douque (William Haade). Conovan's primary informant, Sleeper (Norman Lloyd), is brutally murdered for snitching. Conovan tracks down Lafe and places him under arrest, but leaving Lafe's apartment, gunshots ring out, killing Lafe. Conovan is convinced by his wife Gloria (Arlene Dahl) that police work is too dangerous. He agrees and tenders his resignation.
Lili calls headquarters with a tip for Conovan on where Turk can be found. Piper intercepts the message, investigates it himself and is gunned down. Conovan concludes that Lili has been double-crossing him, secretly helping Turk all along. Over the objections of his wife, he gets his old job back with the police force. Turk and his new partner attempt to flee, but Conovan sets up an ambush. He uses a truck to crash into Turk's armor-plated car, causing it to catch fire. Turk confesses to the murders and clears Monigan before he dies.
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