''Killer Dill'' is a 1947 American

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

Lewis D. Collins Lewis D. Collins (January 12, 1899 – August 24, 1954) was an American film director and occasional screenwriter. In his career spanning over 30 years, he churned out dozens of Westerns. Career Born in Baltimore, Maryland, Collins' film caree ...

and starring

Stuart Erwin Stuart Erwin (February 14, 1903 – December 21, 1967) was an American actor of stage, film, and television. Early years Erwin was born in Squaw Valley, Fresno County, California. He attended Porterville High School and the University of Ca ...

Anne Gwynne Anne Gwynne (born Marguerite Gwynne Trice; December 10, 1918 – March 31, 2003) was an American actress who was known as one of the first scream queens because of her numerous appearances in horror films. Gwynne was also one of the most popular ...

and

Frank Albertson Francis Healey Albertson (February 2, 1909 – February 29, 1964) was an American actor who had supporting roles in films such as '' It's a Wonderful Life'' (1946) and '' Psycho'' (1960). Early life Albertson was a native of Fergus Fall ...

. It set in 1931 during the

Prohibition Era Prohibition is the act or practice of forbidding something by law; more particularly the term refers to the banning of the manufacturing, manufacture, storage (whether in barrels or in bottles), transportation, sale, possession, and consumption ...

Plot

Lingerie salesman Johnny Dill loses girlfriend Judy Parker to his longtime friend, the charming lawyer William T. Allen. And when he takes his assistant Millie Gardner to a movie, all she talks about is the manly gangster hero Big Nick Moronie. Discouraged that every woman seems to want something completely different from what he has to offer, Johnny decides to change his ways and become more of a tough gangster himself to improve his chances. Johnny drops into a bar and plays out his new act in full, upsetting the Big Nick Moronie, who is considered to be "public enemy number 21." Big Nick has a beef with "public enemy number 24", Maboose, but when he sends his goon Little Joe to deal with him, Little Joe kills Big Nick instead in the gangster's own apartment, which is just across the hall from Johnny's. Little Joe doesn't know how to dispose of the body, so he puts it in one of Johnny's lingerie trunks. Johnny finds the body, puts it in a car and drives off. The body falls out of the car when Johnny is chased by police. Everyone thinks Johnny is the one who offed Big Nick, and all over the news he is called "Killer Dill." Eventually he comes out of his hiding and a trial ensues. He is defended by his old friend William, and is found not guilty. Everyone still believes he is the killer., He is now known as "public enemy number 21" after the person he supposedly killed. Big Nick's brother Louie is eager to get revenge. Johnny tries to team up with Maboose for protection. Little Joe is also making a deal with Maboose to get rid of Louie. Before Louie is killed, Johnny bumps into Little Joe and threatens him with a toy gun. Johnny makes him write a statement taking responsibility for the murder. Little Joe discovers that the gun is a toy and starts strangling Johnny, but Louie comes to the rescue. Little Joe is thrown out the window. William, who has worked for Maboose all along, makes Johnny destroy the statement to not incriminate his boss. Judy finally sees what a stand-up guy Johnny really is. She breaks off her engagement to William, then proposes to Johnny.

Cast

as Johnny 'Killer' Dill *

as Judy Parker *

as William T. Allen *

Mike Mazurki Mike Mazurki (December 25, 1907 – December 9, 1990, born Markiian Yulianovych Mazurkevych) was a Ukrainian-American actor and professional wrestler who appeared in more than 142 films. Although educated as an attorney, his hulking 6 ft 5 ...

as Little Joe *

Milburn Stone Hugh Milburn Stone (July 5, 1904 – June 12, 1980) was an American actor, best known for his role as "Doc" (Dr. Galen Adams) on the Western (genre), Western series ''Gunsmoke''. Early life Stone was born in Burrton, Kansas, to Herbert Stone an ...

as Maboose *

Dorothy Granger Dorothy Karolyn Granger (November 21, 1911 – January 4, 1995) was an American actress best known for her roles in short subject comedy, comedies in Cinema of the United States, Hollywood. Career Granger, with her parents, two brothers, ...

as Millie Gardner *

Anthony Warde Anthony Warde (born Benjamin Schwartz; January 1, 1909 – January 8, 1975) was an American actor who appeared in over 150 movies from 1937 to 1964. Early years Born as Benjamin Schwartz in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania on New Year's Day 1909 ...

as Louie Moroni *

Dewey Robinson Dewey Robinson (August 17, 1898 – December 11, 1950) was an American film character actor who appeared in more than 250 films made between 1931 and 1952. Career Dewey Robinson was born in New Haven, Connecticut, in 1898, and made his B ...

as McGowan, house detective *

Ben Welden Ben Welden (born Benjamin Weinblatt; June 12, 1901 – October 17, 1997) was an American character actor who played a wide variety of Damon Runyon-type gangsters in various movies and television shows. Early years Welden was born in Toledo, Oh ...

as Big Nick Moroni *

Julie Gibson Julie Gibson (born Gladys Camille Soray; September 6, 1913 – October 2, 2019) was an American singer and radio, television and film actress who had a career in movies during the 1940s. Gibson, who retired from the industry in 1984, was known ...

as Joan, model * Shirley Hunter as Gloria * Lola Jensen as Other model with Joan * Margaret Zane as Girl with Gloria *Stanley Ross as Mushnose

Reception

The ''Los Angeles Times'' called the film "a trifle heavy handed".

External links

* * * *

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Killer Dill 1947 films American crime comedy films 1940s English-language films American black-and-white films 1940s crime comedy films Films set in 1931 Lippert Pictures films 1947 comedy films 1940s American films English-language crime comedy films