The Lone Wolf Spy Hunt (1939)

Sadly Over-hyped

good back-story, and good acting

Very good movie overall, highly recommended. Most of the negative reviews don't have any merit and are all pollitically based. Give this movie a chance at least, and it might give you a different perspective.

There's a more than satisfactory amount of boom-boom in the movie's trim running time.

This is the first time I've seen a Lone Wolf movie, and I was struck by the similarity to the Bulldog Drummond series from the same era. Not only did the main characters have a canine nom de plume, but each featured a comic relief butler and a fetching female hanger on that can't wait to get married. In the Drummond franchise, the marriage just around the corner bit was carried from film to film, though I don't know how the Lone Wolf series handled it. I'll have to wait and see.The caper involving Lone Wolf Lanyard (Warren William) also hints at those encountered by Drummond, Charlie Chan, and Mr. Wong, to name a few other detectives of the era, even though Lanyard isn't a detective per se, but a retired safe cracker who appears to be on the right side of the law. I found it odd that he considered himself 'old' at thirty five; it gives one a sense of how far we've come as a society that puts a premium on perpetual youth. Can you picture George Clooney admitting that he's old?The story involves a set of plans for a new anti-aircraft gun, with lead villain Gregory (Ralph Morgan) attempting to steal the prints and frame Lanyard for the theft. I couldn't shake the feeling that the whole thing was done pretty much tongue in cheek, as the Lone Wolf seemed to be the only competent character amidst a jealous girl friend (Ida Lupino), bumbling henchmen, inept detectives, and an aspiring G-Man, er, Woman daughter (Virginia Weidler) who likes to stick up the butler in repeated scenes. You even get Rita Hayworth as a femme fatale, a pretty classy villainess I must say. It's too bad attempts at humor often fell flat, like the Charlie Fenton gimmick at the surrealist party. Speaking of which, you can see the folks behind this 'B' grade mystery didn't have a big budget to work with, as party guests showed up with boxes or cellophane wrapped around their head, making Lanyard's tree branch outfit look almost creative.Hey, I did get a kick though out of that car chase around the coffee shop. By the third time around, someone figured out there should be a police car in front of it so the cops could give pursuit!If you're a fan of the earlier mentioned mystery and detective flicks of the Thirties and Forties like I am, you'll be able to have some fun with this one. They're interesting diversions and offer a glimpse of what audiences considered entertaining at the time. Just don't hold them under a magnifying glass.$38.70 for lunch!!!!

WARREN WILLIAM in the first of his Lone Wolf capers manages to be amusing, but IDA LUPINO as his scatter-brained girlfriend gets to be a little grating after awhile and there's too little of RITA HAYWORTH to comment on. It's a wonder Rita reached super stardom at Columbia after meager early roles like this as the sophisticated "other woman" type.The whole thing has the look and feel of "The Saint" series, where a reformed thief is giving the police a hard time in cracking a case. In this outing, William has been set up by the bad guys into looking like the thief who stole some highly important war plans. It's his job to get to the bottom of the mystery and solve it in time for the syrupy happy ending with Lupino batting her eyes at him.It's meager stuff as far as entertainment goes, interesting only to see what Ida and Rita were like at this stage in their careers. William seems at home in the title role and VIRGINIA WIEDLER is believable as his tomboyish daughter crazy about being a little detective herself.

Don't let a couple of previous negative comments about this film put you off from watching it the next time it appears on TCM. If you like stylish and witty mystery-comedies from the old days, then THE LONE WOLF SPY HUNT is definitely for you. Warren William is impeccable as the urbane, laid-back Lone Wolf, and Ida Lupino is endearing as his protective and frustrated girlfriend. The exchanges between them are both amusing and warm, and add another flavoring to the Nick and Nora Charles School of Relationships. Rita Hayworth stands out in an atypical role as the baddie's chilly girlfriend, while Virginia Weidler lends the right amount of natural tom-boyish charm in her role as the Lone Wolf's daughter, Patricia. (The film was titled THE LONE WOLF'S DAUGHTER in the UK.) Production values for this type of B-film are top-notch. TCM's fresh looking print shows them off exquisitely. Cozy up to this one with some nice hot beverage and enjoy!

This is one of THE weakest entries in an otherwise GREAT "Lone Wolf" series. As the other reviewer mentioned, Ida Lupino's character is sooo "grating" that you'd like to smack her one!There is a blooper in this film: When Ralph Morgan is coming down the staircase (from the SECOND floor), the burglar alarm goes off. He runs UPSTAIRS to check out the alarm. Meanwhile, the Lone Wolf is outside the window, STANDING ON SOLID GROUND, watching him! (How can the ground be outside the SECOND floor?). Unless you're a die-hard LW fan, don't waste your time on this one.