Nick Carter, Master Detective(film)

Nick Carter, Master Detective
Nick Carter, Master Detective
	Lobby card
Directed by	Jacques Tourneur
Written by	Bertram Millhauser
Based on	original story by Bertram Millhauser andHarold Buckley
Produced by	Lucien Hubbard
Starring	Walter Pidgeon; Rita Johnson
Cinematography	Charles Lawton Jr.
Edited by	Elmo Veron
Music by	Edward Ward
Production; company	Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer
Distributed by	Loew's Inc.
Release date	December 13, 1939(New York);
Running time	59 minutes
Country	United States
Language	English
Budget	$379,000
Box office	$456,000

Nick Carter, Master Detectiveis a 1939 film directed byJacques Tourneurand starringWalter Pidgeon.It is based original stories created for the screen featuring the Nick Carter character from the long-running literary series.

Pidgeon andDonald Meekwent on to reprise their roles in two sequels,Phantom Raiders(1940) andSky Murder(1941).^{[N 1]}

Plot

Detective Nick Carter boards an airliner with John Keller, the inventor of arevolutionary new aircraftat the Radex Aviation Company. The pilot makes an unscheduled landing so that his confederates can try to steal Keller's plans, but Carter holds them off, and stewardess Lou Farnsby manages to fly them to safety. Carter poses as Robert Chalmers, the new assistant to Hiram Streeter, the Boss of the California factory, and has Lou reassigned to the infirmary.

During his investigation, Carter receives the unwanted help of his companion Bartholomew, who fancies himself an amateur sleuth.

A test flight of the new aircraft ends in disaster; the wings are ripped off during a high-speed dive, and thetest pilotis killed. It is found that bolts attaching the wings had been cut. Later, Carter finds Keller's body in a running car in a closed garage. Carter suspects that Keller was strangled with the scene staged to resemble that of a suicide.

Carter notices that each time a part of the blueprints goes missing, a worker has a serious accident and is sent home by company doctor Dr. Frankton. He surmises that sections of the plans have been photographed, with photos hidden under bandages. He goes to apprehend Frankton. Unable to leave the factory in time, he has the unsuspecting Lou escort a "patient" home. When Carter arrives, Frankton tells him that Lou will be killed unless the doctor shows up at a prearranged rendezvous soon.

Carter lets him leave, but secretly has the roof of Frankton's car painted with a white cross. This enables Carter to track the doctor in an aircraft to a section of the Los Angeles docks. Frankton races to a waiting ship with Lou and his associates. Carter engages in a firefight with the crew using aTommy gunborrowed from the police.

Although his aircraft is shot down, Carter prevents Frankton's getaway. A harbor patrol gunboat arrives and the villains are forced to surrender.

Cast

Walter Pidgeonas Nick Carter / Robert Chalmers
Rita Johnsonas Lou Farnsby
Henry Hullas John A. Keller
Stanley Ridgesas Dr. Frankton
Donald Meekas Bartholomew
Addison Richardsas Hiram Streeter
Henry Victoras J. Lester Hammil
Milburn Stoneas Dave Krebe
Martin Kosleckas Otto King
Frank Faylenas Pete
Sterling Hollowayas Bee-Catcher
Wally Maheras Cliff Parsons
Edgar Dearingas Denny
William Newellas Cabbie
Eddy Chandleras Workman
Harry Tyler as Locker Guard

Production

The aircraft shown in the film is aRyan STc/n NC17344. Most of the aerial footage was staged in the studio backlots and incorporated into background scenes.^[3]

Reception

According to MGM records,Nick Carter, Master Detectiveearned $276,000 in the U.S. and Canada and $180,000 elsewhere, resulting in a loss to the studio of $93,000.^[1]

InThe New York Times,reviewerFrank S. Nugentwrote: "No, this isn't Nick Carter as we remember him, but it's an amusing fiction for all that, with enough action to compensate for the arch unoriginality of the plot and with pleasantly casual performances all around.... They [Pidgeon and Meek] make a gay crime-solving combination".^[4]

In a modern-day review inTime Out,Tom Milne wrote: "Tourneur's second film in Hollywood, it's briskly and competently done, but the best thing about it is Donald Meek's performance as Bartholomew, the Bee Man, a mousy littleapiculturistwho fancies himself as a private eye ".^[5]

References

Notes

^After appearing onBroadway,Walter Pidgeon returned to Hollywood but was relegated to secondary roles in films such asSaratogaandThe Girl of the Golden West.Taking a leading role inNick Carter, Master Detectivewas an opportunity to build his profile withMGM.^[2]

Citations

^^a ^b ^cThe Eddie Mannix Ledger,Los Angeles: Margaret Herrick Library, Center for Motion Picture Study.
^Quinlan 2000, pp. 415–416.
^Santoir, Christian."Ryan ST (1934)",Aeromovies,September 9, 2015. Retrieved: June 15, 2019.
^Nugent, Frank S."The screen: 'Nick Carter, Master Detective' belatedly joins the ranks of the Hollywood spy-chasing fraternity at the Miami Theatre",The New York Times,December 14, 1939.
^Milne 2004, p. 830.

Bibliography

Milne, Tim."Review: 'Nick Carter – Master Detective'"in Pym, John, ed. Time Out Film Guide. London: Time Out Guides Limited, 2004.ISBN 978-0-14101-354-1.
Quinlan, David.Quinlan's Film Stars.Washington, D.C.: Brassey's, 2000.ISBN 978-1-57488-318-3.

External links

[3] After appearing onBroadway,Walter Pidgeon returned to Hollywood but was relegated to secondary roles in films such asSaratogaandThe Girl of the Golden West.Taking a leading role inNick Carter, Master Detectivewas an opportunity to build his profile withMGM.^[2]

[Mannix-1] The Eddie Mannix Ledger,Los Angeles: Margaret Herrick Library, Center for Motion Picture Study.

[2] Quinlan 2000, pp. 415–416.

[4] Santoir, Christian."Ryan ST (1934)",Aeromovies,September 9, 2015. Retrieved: June 15, 2019.

[5] Nugent, Frank S."The screen: 'Nick Carter, Master Detective' belatedly joins the ranks of the Hollywood spy-chasing fraternity at the Miami Theatre",The New York Times,December 14, 1939.

[6] Milne 2004, p. 830.

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