The Lone Wolf Spy Hunt (1939)

"The Lone Wolf" character was invented by Louis Joseph Vance and came to life on the silver screen beginning in 1917. Many actors have portrayed him throughout the years; but Warren William will play the character in this Columbia picture. "The Lone Wolf" has been identified as Michael Lanyard, retired safe-cracker. Ralph Morgan plays and international spy that is anxious to force Lanyard to bust open a safe that contains plans of an anti-aircraft gun for the U.S. War Dept. When Lanyard refuses, he is set up to take the fall for the theft. The crooks only have half of the plans and still need "The Lone Wolf" to get what is missing.A beautiful brunette named Karen(Rita Hayworth)lures Michael to crack the scientist's safe to get the missing plans. But the wily Lanyard takes the plans and leaves a useless set of baby carriage blueprints for the bad guys to find. Ida Lupino plays Lanyard's girlfriend Val, that seems to be good for getting in the way. Her father happens to be a Senator(Brandon Tynan), who ends up with possession of part of the plans. It becomes a game of cat-and-mouse with each of the two halves of the top secret document. Peter Godfrey directs this fast paced 71 minute drama. Other players in the cast: Virginia Weidler, Don Beddoe, Tom Dugan and Leonard Carey.

The plot of this Lone Wolf mystery is standard for a B mystery: a spy ring wants to steal the plans for an anti-aircraft gun and then plant evidence so the Lone Wolf, Michael Lanyard, will get the blame. The cast of characters is typical too: beautiful women, dumb cops and even dumber cohorts of the master criminal and a dashing, witty hero. But this one also has some especially amusing bits - chief among them Jack Norton in his usual role as a drunk. This time it's as Charlie Fenton at a surrealist party (the whole surrealist party was a riot and worth watching the movie just for that). Fenton comes to the part with a card board clock face on his chest and Lanyard, after sticking a few tree twigs about his clothes is dressed as the primeval forest. Priceless. Then there's the bit about Lanyard's driving around and around a diner trying to get a donut eating cop to come out and give him chase. And Virginia Weidler is wonderful as the Lone Wolf's tomboy daughter who wants to be a junior G girl. Shame that she appeared in no more series entries. The best line in the movie is that of Val's (Lanyard's girlfriend) Senator father. When Lanyard asks the Senator who attacked him, was it a man in a gray hat?, he says "yes, he looked like a Republican." Loved that throw away line. The only bummer in the movie is the role of Val played by Ida Lupino. Her character was an extraordinarily annoying wannabe wife of Lanyard. You'd think she'd get the hint when he was willing to go to jail rather than marry her. But no. She and Lanyard's daughter giggle about having the keys to his cell. Makes no sense. Even so, it's a highly enjoyable movie thanks to some very funny scenes indeed. Besides, what's not to like about Warren William? Also a plus is that TCM showed a beautiful print of the film.

Warren William is that ex-safecracker Michael Lanyard, The Lone Wolf, in "The Lone Wolf Spy Hunt." Criminals, led by Ralph Morgan, who are after some plans from the war department try to frame the retired crook for the theft.What makes this film a cut above the usual B detective film is the terrific cast. Not just any B movie has Ida Lupino and pre-electrolysis Rita Hayworth as the female leads. They are not only excellent in their roles but beautiful, Hayworth being on the side of the bad guys and Lupino playing Lanyard's young girlfriend. He complains about being old enough to be her father, which in real life, was true. Here, the character is 35. This would undoubtedly get a laugh from today's audience. He was 45 and in today's youth-obsessed society, could pass for 60. Virginia Wiedler plays Lanyard's tomboy daughter, lending the same kind of terrific support she did in "The Philadelphia Story." Being a big fan of Warren William, I'll watch him in anything. The persona he used for many of these types of roles - relaxed, unflappable, charming, and funny - seems to hit the right notes, even though in silents, he played the villain. He's like a poor man's William Powell, but in his own way, every bit as good.Lots of fun.

(Some Spoilers) He's at it again The Lone Wolf Michael Laryard, Warren Williams, knocking the ladies dead as well as knocking the bad guy out cold and on the seat of their pants as he does his patriotic duty for Uncle Sam in foiling a spy ring working for either Germany the Soviet Union or Japan, just take your pick,in their attempt of stealing this top secret blueprint for an antiaircraft artillery piece. Laryard despite his heroics in dealing with the spy ring has his hands full with his wannabe bride the cute and pasty Val Carson, Ida Lupino, who would smash any woman over the head with her trusty baseball bat who as much as looks at the suave & debonair Lanyard.The spy ring lead by Spiro Gregory, Ralph Morgan, at first try to blackmail Lanyard, a reformed Jewel thief and safe cracker, to help them crack open the safe at the Plamer Laboratory where half of the artillery blueprint is kept, the other half Gregory has. Only to have the cagey Lone Wolf escape and later with the help of Val crashes a custom party at Gregory's mansion dressed up as a tree branch,and steals the other half of the blueprint right under Gregory's nose.Also in the movie is an absolutely gorgeous 21 year-old Rita Hayworth,Karen,as Gregorys girlfriend who has the Lone Wolf making eyes at her which almost drives Val to belt her for trying to take her man away from her. Among the other characters in the movie is Lanyard's, he's a widower in the film,somewhat spoiled and bratty daughter Pat,Virginia Weidler. Who as a wannabe junior G-girl runs around the house with a cap gun shooting at the imaginary Red Weasel Gang. Not being able to get the Red Weasel she ends up instead plugging the butler Jameson, Leonard Carey, who refuses to roll over and play dead for her.We get to see Lanyard use his fists as well as his brains at the end of the movie as he slug's it out with the bad guys without as much as getting his hair mussed, or tuxedo wrinkled. Lanyard not only saves the day for the good old U S of A but both Val & Pat who ended up being captured by the Gregory Gang. Wanting to finally get as far away from Val as he can Lanyard admits to the police, who came to his rescue, anything that would put him safely behind bars. But his plans of freedom from Val, while losing all his freedom by being locked up in the clink, are soon to fall apart with both Pat and Val having the keys to his prison cell and more then willing, in getting the very reluctant Lone Wolf out, to use them.