Footsteps in the Dark is a light-hearted 1941 mystery, starring Errol Flynn as an amateur detective investigating a murder.The text was taken from two plays, Footsteps in the Dark 1935) and Blondie White originally titled Katzenzungen (1937).
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Theatrical release poster
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Warner bought the rights to Footsteps in the Dark in 1937.
Flynn had just done seven period films in a row and was pestering Warner’s for a change of pace so he was cast instead of Edward G. Robinson, who dropped out due to oher commitments.
Flynn plays Francis Warren (Errol Flynn), a man appears to have a normal life, but secretly writes lurid detective novels under the pseudonym F.X. Pettijohn. His other career is unknown to wife Rita (Brenda Marshall) or to anyone but Inspector Mason (Alan Hale), who mocks the books, insisting that true crime is much more difficult to solve.
A man named Leopold Fissue (Noel Madison) wants Francis to help him turn uncut diamonds into cash, but soon he is found murdered on a yacht.
The trail leads Francis to burlesque dancer Blondie White (Lee Patrick), who becomes his prime suspect. But her dentist, Dr. Davis (Ralph Bellamy), gives her a solid alibi.
Blondie turns up dead after asking Francis to retrieve a satchel from a locker. Rita thinks Francis must have killed Blondie, while her husband believes just the opposite.
Francis concludes that only one man could be behind all this—Davis, the dentist, who promptly tries to kill Francis before the police can figure things out.
Cast
Errol Flynn as Francis Monroe Warren II
Brenda Marshall as Rita Warren
Ralph Bellamy as Dr. R.L. Davis
Alan Hale as Police Inspector Charles M. Mason
Lee Patrick as Blondie White
Allen Jenkins as Mr. Wilfred
Lucile Watson as Mrs. Agatha Archer
William Frawley as Detective ‘Hoppy’ Hopkins
Roscoe Karns as Monahan
Grant Mitchell as Wellington Carruthers
Maris Wrixon as June Brewster
Noel Madison as Leopold Fissue
Jack La Rue as Ace Vernon
Turhan Bey as Ahmed
Directed by Lloyd Bacon
Written by Lester Cole, John Wexley, based on Footsteps in the Dark 1935 play by Ladislas Fodor, and Blondie White, 1937 play by Bernard Merivale and Jeffrey Dell
Produced by Hal B. Wallis, Robert Lord
Cinematography Ernest Haller
Edited by Owen Marks
Music by Friedrich Hollaender
Production and Distribution by Warner Bros.
Release date: March 8, 1941
Running time: 96 minutes
