Miss Pinkerton (1932)

Miss Pinkerton has Joan Blondell cast as a nurse who is sent out on assignment to take care of bedridden Elizabeth Patterson. Her nephew and last of her once wealthy family has just killed himself and the cops headed by George Brent are on the scene. Or did he kill himself? Brent suspects murder.Since he kind of likes Blondell at first sight Brent departs from normal investigative procedure. He has Blondell not only taking care of Patterson, but he wants her to keep her eyes and ears open for anything incriminating. Despite the coroner Brent thinks murder was done.Turns out murder was done and it's done again and on this Blondell may even have had a hand. Of course it was murder and it was a rather complicated scheme where the victim was in on it but was double- crossed by accomplices. There is in fact some money still left and enough to kill for.Joan Blondell's effervescent personality and quick wit is on full blast for Miss Pinkerton. It's a somewhat lame story, but watching her covers over a lot of the faults.

Miss Pinkerton (1932) ** 1/2 (out of 4) Nurse Adams (Joan Blondell) is growing tired and the same events happening everyday at the hospital but she gets her chance for excitement when Inspector Patten (George Brent) asks her to help with a suicide case. The nurse is brought on to care for an elderly woman who found her nephew's body after he killed himself but Patten believes it was actually murder. MISS PINKERTON, a nickname given to the nurse, is a fairly entertaining murder-mystery and just like the countless others that were released in this era. If you've seen its remake, THE NURSE'S SECRET, then you'll realize that it followed this one pretty closely but there's no question that this here is the better of the two. The main reason this one works so well is because Blondell is just so charming in her role. She manages to bring some light humor when it's needed but she can also handle the drama without a problem. Another major plus is that she's given a pre-code sequence where she's changing. Of course, by today's standards this is pretty tame but fans of the genre should at least get a smile out of it. Brent isn't all that memorable in his part as he sleepwalks through it. John Wray is fun as Hugo, a butler who is a prime suspect. Director Lloyd Bacon actually adds a little style to the picture including a very good scene where a person dies and we get a POV shot as she slips away. There are several attack sequences throughout the film and these too are well directed and staged. With that said, the 66-minute running time does drag in spots and there's no question that a bit of a stronger story would have been nice. Still, fans of the genre and Blondell should be entertained.

Hard to believe that Joan Blondell only got 65 minutes to strut her stuff in "Miss Pinkerton". She plays a very bored nurse ("I'm beginning to envy the patients - at least things happen to them"!!) and in answer to her prayers she is assigned to look after an elderly lady who has gone into shock after finding a murder victim. She is really working for Inspector Patton (dishy George Brent) who gives her the moniker "Miss Pinkerton". The apparent "suicide" is a young man whose death has paved the way for the happiness of the rest of the family. This is a really enjoyable comedy/mystery, there are plenty of scary shadows on the walls, things that go bump in the night, the usual suspects - a dour maid, an ominous butler (who threatens to kill a little dog, Miss Pinkerton's "palsy walsy"), a nervous doctor and a jittery patient - did I mention Miss Blondell is a terrific screamer - she would give Fay Wray a run for her money!!!! The judge rules suicide but Miss Pinkerton is not buying it - then a young girl appears, it is Paula Brent (Ruth Hall) she married the murder victim while loving Elliot (Donald Dillaway) yet another person who has been caught prowling around the house and is now charged with murder!! Oh yes, there is also the stenographer Miss Lenz (Mary Doran, to all those devotees of pre-coders, enough said).George Brent was just the perfect unobtrusive leading man which made him so popular in the early 30s handsome but with a personality that wouldn't overpower the leading lady. Lyle Talbot also played a bit as a newsman. In 1933 Ruth Hall was in a short "Hollywood on Parade" which introduced several Hollywood starlets (Mary Carlisle, Patricia Ellis, Gloria Stuart etc) who were chosen as stars of tomorrow and unfortunately Ruth was the only one who didn't make good (her very pronounced lisp could have been the trouble) - her best years were 1932 - 1933.Pinkerton is synonymous with detective agencies. Alan Pinkerton, a Scotsman, emigrated to the United States and after serving in the Civil War he became Chicago's first detective and started his own agency. He was involved with tracking down the Reno Gang and Jesse James and at the time of his death was working on a centralized criminal data base that is still used by the F.B.I.

This is an early entry in the comic/romantic mystery genre. Joan Blondell is bemoaning the boring existence of a hospital nurse when wham! She is commandeered by detective George Brent to help solve a murder case. It is he who, at her request gives her a title. The title is Miss Pinkerton.It's an old mansion with creepy servants and the whole deal. A young man has died. Suicide, it's thought; but we know better. The plot is a trifle complicated but not too far-fetched. And Blondell is as (almost) always a real joy.Brent is in it blessedly little and the supporting players all do what the need to do.