The Devil's Henchman
Cast & Crew
Seymour Friedman
Warner Baxter
Mary Beth Hughes
Mike Mazurki
Peggy Converse
Regis Toomey
Film Details
Technical Specs
Synopsis
Insurance agent Jess Arno, working undercover as a salvager, sells his finds to Tip Banning, whom he suspects is the head of a gang of waterfront smugglers. Later, in Connie's waterfront tavern, Arno watches as Banning and the beautiful Silky, his confederate, meet with Bill Falls, third mate on a ship that is currently docked in the harbor. After Bill complains about the size of his cut, Silky offers take him to the head of the organization, and Arno follows them to a plumbing store. A short time later, Arno discovers Bill's cap, but is stopped from searching further by Rhino, a simple-minded giant who works for the smugglers. Rhino befriends Arno and invites him to share a room at Connie's. That evening, Connie tells Banning that she wants money to keep quiet about his meetings with the ships' mates, who are in charge of cargo. The following day, Arno discovers Bill's body floating in the bay, but when questioned by the police, does not reveal that Bill had earlier met with Banning. As a reward for his silence, Banning offers Arno a job. Later Arno evades Rhino and meets with his government contact. Together, they examine a case of furs from Bill's ship and discover that it is empty. Arno suspects that the furs were removed at sea, but cannot determine how the stolen cargo was then delivered to shore. After he returns to Connie's, a retired sea captain, who is one of the regular denizens of the bar, claims to recognize Arno. Arno, however, does not reveal any information. Later, after giving Rhino knockout drops, Arno investigates the plumber's shop. There he discovers a trap door that leads to the water. The next morning, Banning informs Arno and Rhino that they will be pulling a job that night and orders them not to leave each other's sight. Through his regular contact, an organ grinder, Arno manages to send a message to the authorities, but Connie intercepts it. Rhino and Arno then meet the boss of the gang, who is revealed to be the old sea captain. Together the men row out to the ship and pick up a shipment of furs that have been baled together. They then row under the plumbing store and pass the bales up through the trap door. Tipped off by Connie, the police are waiting and arrest the gang. Later, Connie tells Arno that she had been trying to capture the murderers of her husband, the captain of a freighter, and suspected that Arno was not a criminal because "he danced too well for a dock rat."
Director
Seymour Friedman
Cast
Warner Baxter
Mary Beth Hughes
Mike Mazurki
Peggy Converse
Regis Toomey
Harry Shannon
James Flavin
Julian Rivero
Ken Christy
William Forrest
Alan Bridge
Paul Marion
Donald Kerr
Lee Phelps
George Lloyd
Ann Lawrence
Guy Beach
Crew
Film Details
Technical Specs
