Nick Carter, Master Detective
Brief Synopsis
Cast & Crew
Jacques Tourneur
Walter Pidgeon
Rita Johnson
Henry Hull
Stanley C. Ridges
Donald Meek
Film Details
Technical Specs
Synopsis
John Keller, the inventor of a revolutionary new plane, is joined on his flight to the Radex Airplane Factory in California by detective Nick Carter, who masquerades as Robert Chalmers, the new assistant to plant president Hiram Streeter. Once they are airbound, the pilot feigns motor trouble and lands the plane to rendezvous with a group of spies intent upon stealing Keller's plans. Nick foils their plot, however, and, guided by the flying expertise of stewardess Lou Farnsby, the plane and its contents safely reach California. At the Radex Plant, Streeter explains to Nick that top secret blue prints have been stolen, despite tight security. The future of the plant hinges upon the development of Keller's new high speed plane, and consequently, Streeter has sent for Nick Carter to investigate. Nick's list of suspects includes Lou, and he asks Streeter to reassign her to the infirmary. Nick is aided in his investigation by Bartholomew, a bothersome amateur sleuth who appoints himself the detective's assistant. When sabotage destroys the test flight of the new plane, Nick begins to suspect Keller until the inventor is murdered. Noticing that a string of accidents at the plant have coincided with the disappearance of the blue prints, Nick asks Lou to watch Dr. Frankton at the infirmary. When Nick catches one of Frankton's patients with photos of the plans taped underneath his bandages, Frankton realizes that he is about to be arrested and arranges for Lou to be taken hostage. Demanding safe passage from the plant, Frankton makes his getaway by boat. Nick and Streeter then trail him by plane and alert the harbor patrol of his location. After their plane is downed during a daring shootout at sea, Bartholomew and the harbor patrol arrive to rescue Nick and Streeter and arrest the spies.
Director
Jacques Tourneur
Cast
Walter Pidgeon
Rita Johnson
Henry Hull
Stanley C. Ridges
Donald Meek
Addison Richards
Henry Victor
Milburn Stone
Martin Kosleck
Frank Faylen
Sterling Holloway
Wally Maher
Edgar Dearing
Frank Faylen
Frank Ball
George Meeker
Richard Terry
Paul Ellis
William Newell
Charles Sherlock
Ernie Alexander
Andrew Tombes
Don Castle
Roger Moore
Lee Phelps
Don Brodie
Eddy Chandler
Richard Lane
Wilfred Lucas
Edward Hearn
Harry Tyler
Lee Prather
Harry Templeton
Edgar Dearing
Joe Mack
Gene Coogan
Billy Lally
Louis Arco
Crew
Luther Bradley
Jerry Brecher
Harold Buckley
Howard Campbell
Cedric Gibbons
Lucien Hubbard
Charles Lawton
Bertram Millhauser
Bertram Millhauser
Sandy Roth
Douglas Shearer
Elmo Vernon
Edward Ward
Edwin B. Willis
Film Details
Technical Specs
Quotes
Trivia
Notes
The working title of this picture was Nick Carter, and according to the Variety review, it was the first in a proposed series of films based on the adventures of the dime novel detective Nick Carter. According to modern sources, M-G-M bought the screen rights to all 1,100 of the Nick Carter stories in the 1930s, planning to release a series of films based on them. The series did not begin until 1939 however, with the production of this film. The series, which consisted of three films, each starring Walter Pidgeon as Nick Carter, were all based on original screenplays and not the Nick Carter stories. The 1940 film Sky Murder was the last in the series. For further information, consult the Series Index. M-G-M publicity materials contained in the AMPAS Library file on the film add that the picture was shot on location at the Lockheed Airplane Works in Burbank, CA, and that it marked Jacques Tourneur's debut as a feature film length director at M-G-M, although he previously had directed portions of A Tale of Two Cities and other films.
