Nine Lives Are Not Enough (1941)

Good story, Not enough for a whole film

It isn't all that great, actually. Really cheesy and very predicable of how certain scenes are gonna turn play out. However, I guess that's the charm of it all, because I would consider this one of my guilty pleasures.

It’s not bad or unwatchable but despite the amplitude of the spectacle, the end result is underwhelming.

There is, somehow, an interesting story here, as well as some good acting. There are also some good scenes

This is a B-movie that Ronald Reagan made for Warner Brothers near the beginning of his career. Unlike many of his previous films, here he plays lead and he seemed very adept to this sort of film. Plus it sure helped that he had excellent support in the form of several adept character actors--including Eddie Brophy, James Gleason and Howard de Silva.Reagan plays a crime reporter who seems to drive his boss crazy. Several times, Reagan's stories turned out to be seriously mistaken and instead of firing him, the editor gives him a dead-end assignment--going out on patrol with a couple idiot cops (Brophy and Gleason). However, instead of punishment, it turns out that there really is a story, as a missing millionaire is unexpectedly found dead in a local rooming house. So, it's up to Reagan and his police friends to uncover the mystery in a film that is highly reminiscent of a Falcon or Saint series film. Despite being a very likable and competent film, the series never clicked and this is the only one of the series.

Investigative reporter Ronald Reagan (as Matt Sawyer) is at odds with his editor, and may lose his job permanently if he's wrong about a big story with dangerous gangster connections. Mr. Reagan thinks a millionaire was murdered, but officials say suicide. The dead man's daughter, pretty Joan Perry (as Jane Abbott), comes to agree with Reagan; and, the two are mutually attracted. He is finally fired, for getting the story wrong, but more murders may prove Reagan right, after all… Reagan, who doesn't always dominate the films he is advertised as the "star" of, really lives up to his top billing, this time around. A. Edward Sutherland's "Nine Lives Are Not Enough" is an intermittently bright and funny comic murder mystery, with Reagan showing promise as a light comic; he is the movie's main asset, maintaining interest throughout an unfortunately fair feature. After this appearance, Ms. Perry took herself out of cinema circulation, for marriage with Harry Cohn.**** Nine Lives Are Not Enough (1941) A. Edward Sutherland ~ Ronald Reagan, Joan Perry, James Gleason

Mr. President aka Ronald Reagan plays reporter Matt Sawyer, who needs to get a big story, and get it right after bungling up the last story. Viewers will recognize James Gleason as Sergeant Daniels, the thin, blustery, over-confident cop who means well, and usually lucks into the right solution. He was in all "The Falcon" movies, and Arsenic and Old Lace. Sawyer and a reporter for the competition play tricks on each other to get the stories in first. When a famous businessman turns up face down, its Sawyer's job to find out what really happened, even when he's thrown off the paper. Story moves along pretty quickly, except that at one point, Reagan looks into the camera and seems to talk to the viewer. Joan Perry plays the dead man's wife, and that was the last role she did, after marrying Harry Cohn in 1941. Ed Brophy is Officer Slattery, sidekick to Sgt. Daniels. Sounding like one of the Three Stooges, he had ALSO been in the "Falcon" series of films. With gangsters, mistresses, and the mentally challenged, this comedy/whodunnit has a little of everything. Listen closely when J.B. the editor speaks - that's Howard DaSilva, who played Louie Mayer in Mommie Dearest. Has a very distinctive voice. One of Reagan's more fun films, this is from the novel by Jerome Odlum, who had written several novels turned into movies.

Nine Lives Are Not Enough is a great example of the studio system at work. This is so obviously a property that was meant for the Cagney- O'Brien duo who made so many good films at Warners. Instead of Ronald Reagan as the fast talking reporter, picture Jimmy Cagney in the part and instead of Howard DaSilva as the hardboiled editor, this is Pat O'Brien to a T. See what I mean.Pat O'Brien was ending his Warner Brothers contract stint and the studio was trying to give Cagney better parts. So we substitute Reagan and DaSilva who as a team wouldn't set the world on fire. Jack Warner was quoted once as saying the reason he supported Ronald Reagan for Governor of California was that while at Warners, Reagan was a very obliging man, who took whatever was given him without complaint. That kind of loyalty needs to be rewarded.Despite this film being a Cagney-O'Brien hand-me-down, it's fast paced and amusing enough on it's own terms. A good cast of colorful character actors help it along. Make special note of the performances of James Gleason and Edward Brophy as the two cops reporter Reagan is assigned with in their patrol car.