''Fast and Furious'' is a 1939 American mystery

comedy film The comedy film is a film genre that emphasizes humor. These films are designed to amuse audiences and make them laugh. Films in this genre typically have a happy ending, with dark comedy being an exception to this rule. Comedy is one of the o ...

directed by

Busby Berkeley Berkeley William Enos, (November 29, 1895 – March 14, 1976) known professionally as Busby Berkeley, was an American film director and musical choreographer. Berkeley devised elaborate musical production numbers that often involved complex geo ...

. The film stars

Franchot Tone Stanislaus Pascal Franchot Tone (February 27, 1905 – September 18, 1968) was an American actor, producer, and director of stage, film and television. He was a leading man in the 1930s and early 1940s, and at the height of his career was known ...

and

Ann Sothern Ann Sothern (born Harriette Arlene Lake; January 22, 1909 – March 15, 2001) was an American actress who worked on stage, radio, film, and television, in a career that spanned nearly six decades. Sothern began her career in the late 1920s ...

as Joel and Garda Sloane, a crime-solving married couple who are also rare book dealers. It is the last of a

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios Inc. (also known as Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures, commonly shortened to MGM or MGM Studios) is an American Film production, film and television production and film distribution, distribution company headquartered ...

trilogy, along with ''Fast Company'' (1938) and ''Fast and Loose'' (1939). However, different actors played the couple each time.

Plot

Joel and Garda Sloane, a husband and wife sleuthing duo, sell rare books in New York and dream of taking a vacation to escape the sweltering heat of the city. Joel decides to take Garda to Seaside City, where his friend Mike Stevens is managing a beauty pageant. In addition to his vacation plans, Joel, who has invested $5,000 in the pageant, plans to supervise the event's finances. Soon after arriving in Seaside City, Joel discovers that Eric Bartell, the unscrupulous promoter of the pageant, is duping Stevens. Garda is troubled to learn that Joel is a pageant judge and becomes jealous when he socializes with the contestants prior to the pageant. Joel senses trouble when New York racketeer Ed Connors arrives to monitor Bartell's activities and when Lily Cole, Bartell's publicity director, lashes out at contestant Jerry Lawrence for vying with her for Bartell's attentions. A detective tells Joel that Bartell will be arrested on swindling charges as soon as a warrant is issued. When Bartell is mysteriously murdered, Stevens is arrested and suspected of the crime because he had visited Bartell to demand all of the money owed to him and was last person seen with Bartell. Although Joel and Garda are warned by Chief Miller not to involve themselves in the case, along with the help of newspaper columnist Ted Bentley they begin to investigate the murder. Soon after, an attempt is made on their lives when a falling elevator nearly crushes them. Joel does not believe that Stevens was the murderer, but instead suspects Lily, because she and Bartell were involved in a dispute prior to the murder. Later, when Joel discovers that Jerry smokes the same brand of cigarettes as the one found smoldering at the scene of Bartell's murder, he interrogates her and she names Connors as the murderer. Connors, overhearing her accusation, attacks her and tells Joel that she is trying to frame him. When Jerry is found murdered, Joel deduces that the murderer must be Bentley, because he is the only person who knew that he had proof against Jerry. Joel tricks Bentley into confessing his guilt, but Bentley, in an attempt to silence Joel, tries to kill him. However, he is prevented from doing so by the police, who arrest him. Eventually, Joel learns that Bentley killed Bartell because Jerry threw him over for Bartell, and that he killed Jerry because she knew too much.

Cast

as Joel Sloane *

as Garda Sloane *

Ruth Hussey Ruth Carol Hussey (October 30, 1911 – April 19, 2005) was an American actress best known for her Academy Award-nominated role as photographer Elizabeth Imbrie in '' The Philadelphia Story''. Early life Hussey was born in Providence, Rho ...

as Lily Cole * Lee Bowman as Mike Stevens *

Allyn Joslyn Allyn Morgan Joslyn"Real Name—and He Has Proof"
''Tulare Advan ...

as Ted Bentley *

John Miljan John Miljan (November 9, 1892 – January 24, 1960) was an American actor. He appeared in more than 200 films between 1924 and 1958. Biography Born in 1892, Miljan was the tall, smooth-talking villain in Hollywood films for almost four deca ...

as Eric Bartell *

Bernard Nedell Bernard Jay Nedell (October 14, 1898 – November 23, 1972) was an American film actor. He appeared in 50 films between 1916 and 1972. He was born in New York, New York and died in Hollywood, California. He was married to actress Olive Bla ...

as Ed Connors * Mary Beth Hughes as Jerry Lawrence *

Cliff Clark Cliff Clark (June 10, 1889 – February 8, 1953) was an American actor. He entered the film business in 1937 after a substantial stage career and appeared in over 200 Hollywood films. In the last years of his life, he also played in a numb ...

as Sam Travers * James Burke as Clancy *

Frank Orth Frank Orth (February 21, 1880 – March 17, 1962) was an American actor born in Philadelphia. He is probably best remembered for his portrayal of Inspector Faraday in the 1951-1953 television series ''Boston Blackie''. Career By 1897, Orth ...

as Captain Joe Burke *

Margaret Roach Margaret Mae Roach (March 15, 1921 – November 22, 1964) was an American actress active in the 1930s and 1940s. Biography She was born on March 15, 1921, in Los Angeles, California, the daughter of Hal Roach and Marguerite Nichols, and her b ...

as Emmy Lou *

Gladys Blake Gladys Blake (born Gladys Timmons; May 12, 1910 – May 21, 1983) was an American character actress from the 1930s to the 1950s. Biography Blake was born on January 12, 1910, in Luray, Virginia. Her mother, Ada Timmons, died when Gladys was ...

as Miss Brooklyn *

Granville Bates Granville Bates (January 7, 1882 – July 8, 1940) was an American character actor and bit player, appearing in over ninety films. Biography Bates was born in Chicago in 1882 to Granville Bates, Sr., a developer and builder, and Adaline Bates ...

as Chief Miller * Inna Gest as Miss San Antonio

Reception

In a contemporary review for ''

The New York Times ''The New York Times'' (''NYT'') is an American daily newspaper based in New York City. ''The New York Times'' covers domestic, national, and international news, and publishes opinion pieces, investigative reports, and reviews. As one of ...

'', critic

Bosley Crowther Francis Bosley Crowther Jr. (July 13, 1905 – March 7, 1981) was an American journalist, writer, and film critic for ''The New York Times'' for 27 years. His work helped shape the careers of many actors, directors and screenwriters, though some ...

compared the teaming of Franchot Tone and Ann Sothern unfavorably with the leads from the previous two films in the series and wrote: "Metro seems to be stretching an original idea to infinity–a suspicion which is practically confirmed by the plot of 'Fast and Furious.' It is a perfect specimen of unoriginal attenuation ... which results in a couple of murders, a couple of limp comedy situations and an interminable lot of chasing about leading nowhere. Mr. Tone and Miss Sothern banter through it in the manner of third-string substitutes who know that the game is hopelessly lost."

References

External links

* * * {{Authority control 1939 films American comedy mystery films American black-and-white films Films directed by Busby Berkeley Films scored by Daniele Amfitheatrof Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer films 1930s comedy mystery films Films with screenplays by Harry Kurnitz 1939 comedy films 1930s English-language films 1930s American films English-language comedy mystery films

Plot

Cast

Reception

See also

References

External links