Crime Takes a Holiday
Cast & Crew
Lewis D. Collins
Jack Holt
Marcia Ralston
Russell Hopton
Douglas Dumbrille
Arthur Hohl
Film Details
Technical Specs
Synopsis
District Attorney Walter Forbes begins an undercover investigation of the city's racketeers. Forbes's aide, Jerry Clayton, arranges for Walter to be bribed by the racketeers so that he can make contact with their leader, but Forbes' contact, Lt. Lee, is killed before the deal is closed. Ex-convict Homer Stone is quickly convicted of his murder. Walter tells Stone's daughter, Margaret, that he knows Stone is innocent, but he has agreed to the ruse in order to convince the gang that the investigation is over. Publisher J. J. Grant, the head of the racketeers, suspects as much, however, and so Walter sends two policemen to act as racketeers trying to muscle in on Grant's turf. Grant sends his henchmen, Joe, Louie and Pete, to stop the two men, and all five are arrested. In the police line-up, store owners are afraid to identify Grant's men for fear of retaliation. Meanwhile, Governor Bill Allen refuses to sign a stay of execution for Stone. Peggy threatens to take her story to the press unless Walter does something to save her father. Walter then asks her to repeat the scene in front of Howell, Grant's attorney, who has arrived to post bail for the trio of henchmen. Howell relates what Peggy said to Grant, who then has her abducted. Grant, who has been masquerading as the indignant leader of a citizen's reform group, meets with Walter, and inadvertantly reveals knowledge that only the head racketeer would know. On a subsequent visit, Walter plants a bugging device in Grant's telephone. During a conversation, Grant admits his part in Lt. Lee's murder. The confession is broadcast on the radio and hearing it, the gangsters release Peggy and leave town in a hurry. Meanwhile, the police arrest Grant. Peggy is reunited with her father and now has Jerry as her beau.
Director
Lewis D. Collins
Cast
Jack Holt
Marcia Ralston
Russell Hopton
Douglas Dumbrille
Arthur Hohl
Thomas Jackson
John Wray
William Pawley
Paul Fix
Harry Woods
Joe Crehan
George Anderson
Billie Van Every
Matty Fain
Hal Price
Hal Taliaferro
Crew
Film Details
Technical Specs
Quotes
Trivia
Notes
The working title for this film was Death Takes a Holiday, although it bears no relation to the 1934 Paramout film of the same title. According to a Hollywood Reporter news item, Marcia Ralston replaced Ann Sheridan after Sheridan became ill. The Variety review mentions that the film bears a "resemblance to the [1938] New York gubernatorial race between [incumbent Herbert] Lehman and [district attorney Thomas E.] Dewey."
