Sky Murder (1940)
This final Carter film is a lot of fun, with Nick (unwillingly, at first) taking on a ring of Fifth Columnists (since this was filmed before the US entered the war, we're not told the villains are Nazis, but it's pretty clear anyway). Of course, the helpful and persistent Bartholomew is at his side--much to Nick's irritation. To further complicate things--and to make them still funnier--Joyce Compton is along for the ride too, as a delightfully brainless "detective" named Christine Cross.
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Self-important, over-dramatic, uninspired.
It's not great by any means, but it's a pretty good movie that didn't leave me filled with regret for investing time in it.
The movie's not perfect, but it sticks the landing of its message. It was engaging - thrilling at times - and I personally thought it was a great time.
The movie really just wants to entertain people.
Walter Pidgeon returns for a third appearance as suave-yet-rugged detective Nick Carter in this fast-paced spy picture.Set very much on the eve of America's entrance into WWII, the plot involves American traitors distributing flyers about a new regime and Nick Carter's (initially reluctant) efforts to track down and put them out of business. Spies, patriotism, murder – it's a neat little movie featuring a solid cast and efficient script.Donald Meek offers able assistance and mild comic relief as Bartholomew the Bee Man. Put in charge of escorting a group of ladies off of a plane, he gets a little overzealous: "The first one that makes a break dies like a dog!" he barks. (Of course, they trample him and give him a bump on the head.) Other capable cast members include Tom Conway as a shady character; Kaaren Verne as an earnest immigrant pressured to betray her new country; and Joyce Compton as would-be detective Chris Cross.Walter Pidgeon looks like he's enjoying himself as the dashing lead character who spouts like dialog like, "Well, this is swell. Seven beautiful girls and every one of them a murder suspect." There's not much substance, really, but it's a pleasant mix of adventure, mystery and comedy.
Funny, back in the 30s, 40s and into the 50s the B picture was still a feature that was many times better that the A feature. Not the case here, except for Walter Pidgeon the rest of the actors can't pull off a lousy script. Typical "5th column" stuff from just before the war, I think it was to get the US ready for war with Germany. I understand this purpose but couldn't the studio generated a more realist script? As this was the last Nick Cannon film, I guess they decided to skip a script and get something out. I am watching the film as I type this, fortunately the credits are rolling now and I can turn off this turkey. As my summary says, Mr. Tritten review was Right On.
When I heard "Nick Carter," I was expecting a dark, noir-ish hard boiled detective story, along the lines of Sam Spade or Philip Marlowe. "Sky Murder" is anything but.I thought the first few scenes of the movie were so bad, I was going to give it a 3 and turn it off. (No movie can score higher than a 3 with me if I can't stand it till the end.) For some reason, though, and it wasn't any sudden change in plot or acting, I kept with it. It was more than three quarters of the way through, more than 45 minutes into the film, that I suddenly realized this is a rollicking adventure story aimed at eight-year-old boys, with no pretensions of being anything but a good time. It is a comic book come to life, sort of like the old Superman TV show from the fifties.Once I realized that, the movie became much more enjoyable.I don't know if an eight-year-old would enjoy it today, though. It's not full of fast action, has no gunfire, and of course it has no CG.So, without modern kid appeal, and, as other reviewers have shown, it doesn't hold much for adult viewers, I'm afraid this well-done and entertaining film is probably destined for obscurity.
This is a series B-movie from MGM, and since it had a much higher budget and production values by Bs at Monogram and Columbia Studios, it was rather pretty to look at--even if the plot was a bit silly and some of the characters were ridiculous.Walter Pidgeon went slumming in this film, as the usual A-list actor was cast as the detective, Nick Carter. His sidekick (practically a requirement in all B-detective films) was a highly unusual choice, as Donald Meek looked and acted nothing like the usual assistant. At first, I did not like this (though I usually love Meek in films). I think this was because they made Meek's character too bizarre and downright loopy! Him and his stupid bees--what a dumb plot idea. However, later, when you see Meek (one of the smallest and most harmless looking supporting actors) beating the snot out of the Nazi spies, the film really heated up!! Oddly, Pidgeon seemed mostly asleep in the film--and did very little. Most of the time, cute little Donald Meek was the one who sprang into action to save the day!! While I liked Meek, I definitely detested the lady detective played by Joyce Compton. While she often played ditsy ladies in films, here she is practically an imbecile and was a major hindrance to the plot. No detective is THAT stupid and I tired of her one-note performance.Still, despite its many flaws, the film was fast-paced and reasonably fun--making it an excellent time-passer.