Sunday, May 10, 2009

G-Men Never Forget – Chapter 8: The Fatal Letter

OUR STORY SO FAR: With Thrilling Days of Yesteryear’s weekly dissection of the 1948 Republic cliffhanger G-Men Never Forget (1948) pushed up to Sunday, we nevertheless aren’t surprised at all to see arch criminal Vic Murkland (Roy Barcroft)—professional meanie and all-around no-goodnik—continuing with his reign of terror over a helpless city thanks to plastic surgery (administered by Robert “Doc” Benson [Stanley Price], the Earl Scheib of Nip ‘n’ Tuck) which has made him the spitting image of Police Commissioner Angus Cameron (also played by Barcroft).

When we last checked in, Murkland’s head flunky, Duke Graham (Drew Allen), was attempting to transport stolen furs past a blockade set up by the cops—and our stalwart hero and heroine, Special Agent Ted O’Hara (Clayton Moore) and Sergeant Francis Blake (Ramsay Ames), were hot on his trail. Realizing that further attempts to outrun O’Hara and Blake would be futile, Duke instructed his lackey (Dale van Sickel) to stop the truck at the top of the hill—which Duke then sets on fire and sends rolling back down…directly into the path of our heroes’ automobile!

Okay, quick show of hands—who believes that Ted and Francis crashed into el carro llameante and died deaths so heroic that I won’t have to do another write-up next week? Yeah, that’s what I thought. As you’ve no doubt guessed, these two shining examples of law enforcement merely step out of an automobile going about 60 M.P.H. and roll around on the highway while their hot-rod runs right into the flaming truck. It must be seen to be believed. (On second thought—I saw it and I couldn’t believe it.)

Back at Benson’s Sanitarium (“Our patients aren’t the only thing that’s crazy—check out our low prices!”); Duke laments the loss of nearly $250,000 worth of furs, while Benson and his aide Slater (Jack O’Shea) reassure him that everything is going to be hunky-dory. It would appear, however, that there is a bit of dissension in the ranks: an orderly named George (Barry Brooks) is wringing his hands at the thought of the cops finally figuring out that Murkland is posing as Cameron, whining (there’s one in every crowd): “We might get in trouble.” (George apparently is unaware that Special Agent O’Hara is in charge of this case, and the odds of him figuring out Murkland’s deception so early in this serial are pretty slim because…well, let’s just say O’Hara won’t be bringing potato salad to any of the MENSA picnics anytime soon.) George has cut a deal with the imprisoned Cameron; he has arranged for a letter (I assume this is the “fatal” missive mentioned in this week’s title) to be mailed to O’Hara informing him of Murkland’s diabolical ruse:

CAMERON: Did you mail my letter?
GEORGE: You sure I won’t do time?
CAMERON: I’ve explained to you I can’t promise you immunity but I’ll do all I can to help you…after all, you’ll be a witness against Murkland—I’m sure the court will take that into consideration…
GEORGE: All right…I took care of my end of the deal…

Unbeknownst to George, Benson has been outside Cameron’s room drinking this entire conversation in, so he calls Murkland to let him know there’s a stoolie in the ranks and to ask what to do with him. At that same time, O’Hara chats with Murkland (pretending to be Cameron) about the after effects of his efforts to put the kibosh on Murkland’s plans:

O’HARA: I don’t think Sergeant Blake was seriously hurt…however, I left her at Dr. Anderson’s on Line Street for a check-up…just to be sure…
MURKLAND: I hope you’re right…she’s a very capable police woman…
O’HARA: Definitely…
(The phone on the Commissioner’s desk begins to ring…Murkland reaches over to answer it…)
MURKLAND: Commissioner Cameron…excuse me, O’Hara…yes, yes, I understand…I’ll give it my personal attention…in the meantime, collect all the information you can on the case…not at all… (He hangs up the phone)
O’HARA: The Murkland case?
MURKLAND: No, no…another bad traffic accident

So the Commissioner has to be informed of every traffic accident that happens down the pike? (No wonder this city is in such a mess.) O’Hara announces his intentions of returning to the garage where the false oil drum bottoms were being built, and takes his leave of “Cameron”—which prompts the big phony to drive out to the sanitarium just in time to watch Cameron and George being worked over for their perfidy:

MURKLAND: All right, Duke…that’s enough…well, Cameron? Feel like talking? (Cameron nods his head “no.”) No? You’d better…no use being beat to death…
CAMERON: You won’t kill me, Murkland…for some reason, you want me alive…
MURKLAND: Sure I do…someday I’ll fix it so you’ll die…be buried as Murkland…master criminal…and I’ll go free… (Pointing at George) As for you…your death would give me nothing but pleasure…

All together now: “Mwha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha!!!”

CAMERON: Don’t talk, George! It’ll only be a little while longer…
MURKLAND: George won’t be here in a little while unless he talks…Benson!
(“Doc” follows Murkland over to the side of the room where it’s not necessary to shoot Roy Barcroft’s double from the back…) See what you can do…
BENSON: Very well…

Benson reaches into his “medical bag” and pulls out an evil-looking syringe. “Duke…you and Slater put him on the table.” The “him” Benson is referring to is George, who is soon singing like a canary at the thought of being shot up with something that will have him picturing himself in a boat on the river with tangerine trees and marmalade skies. George babbles all about…the fatal letter…and when Cameron taunts Murkland that the mail to O’Hara’s apartment has already been delivered by now Vic sends Duke and Kramer (John Daheim) to O’Hara’s crib to retrieve it.

At Chez O’Hara, the two nosy parkers find…the fatal letter…and Dukie sets it ablaze…only to be startled when Ted makes a cameo appearance in his own joint. With his gun drawn, he informs Graham he’s taking the letter and…well, naturally a fist fight erupts. But this is a relatively brief affair: Kramer is knocked down in the brief struggle, while Duke hits Ted with a balsa wood desk chair and beats a hasty retreat out the fire escape. Just as Kramer is going to tattoo his initials on O’Hara’s forehead with his .45, Sgt. Blake comes in a-blazin’. (“Nice shootin’, Sarge,” remarks O’Hara for a second time.)

O’Hara, using his phenomenal powers of deduction, dopes out that the now-destroyed…fatal letter…must have been very important in the Murkland matter and once again opines if there might not be a leak in the good guys’ organization. Francis suggests that if they were to get the word out on the streets that the henchman Kramer didn’t die in the gunfight—but was merely wounded—it might flush Duke out and into a trap:

O’HARA: Do you have a man who might contact the mob?
BLAKE: Better than that…Duke Graham’s ex-girlfriend…Duke double-crossed her…and she’d do anything to get even with him…

Ah, yes…hell hath no fury like a moll scorned. Duke gets the misinformation and relays it to Benson, who in turn tries to contact Murkland…but with no success. So Duke decides to take a goon with him out to the old Clarkson farmhouse where O’Hara is purportedly keeping Kramer, planning to get him hopped up on truth serum so he’ll spill the beans. When Benson finally contacts Murkland and fills him in on Duke’s plans, Murkland—who’s just had a gander at the “daily homicide reports,” important papers that reveal that the late Mr. Kramer…well, is the late Mr. Kramer—he orders Benson to have a bomber pilot (Tom Monroe) drop his payload on the farmhouse.

Frances and Ted rearrange balsa wood furniture in front of the house’s back entrance in order to force Duke into using the front door. (Yeah, like that’s gonna stop him.) Duke and a thug named Bud (the indefatigable Dale Van Sickel) pull up in the Thugmobile, and Duke tells his lackey to go around to the back while he takes care of the front entrance. (But…but what about all that balsa furniture?) Overhead, Joe the Bomber Pilot, sizing up the situation from his plane, decides to use his microphone (and a speaker system that I’ll be can be heard in twenty surrounding counties) by announcing in a loud, clear voice: “Duke…this is Joe…O’Hara set a trap for you…get back and keep them pinned down…I’m gonna bomb the house…”

Nothing like the element of surprise, huh? Frances and Ted decide that now might be a good time to vacate the premises…but with Duke pinning them down with gunfire in the front and Bud returning the favor in the backyard, it would appear our two heroes are trapped. Furthermore, the Lydecker brothers (special effects wizards Howard and Theodore) are having to work overtime because Joe’s accuracy is apparently on par with his element-of-surprise skills (apparently close does only count in hand grenades and horseshoes). He misses the house with his first two bombs…but it looks as if the third time’s the charm…

Nest Saturday, Chapter Nine: The Death Wind!

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