Parole, Inc.
Cast & Crew
Alfred Zeisler
Michael O'shea
Turhan Bey
Evelyn Ankers
Virginia Lee
Charles Bradstreet
Film Details
Technical Specs
Synopsis
As federal agent Richard Hendricks lies badly hurt in a hospital, he dictates a full report for the bureau chief on his last assignment: Richard is hired by the governor, attorney general Whitmore and police commissioner Hughes to go undercover as parole violator Richard Murdock in order to expose a corrupt parole board. The start of Richard's investigation coincides with the parole hearing of Harry Palmer, who was convicted of attempted murder. Parole board chairman Rolfe Holiday, who has a history of voting for the release of un-reformed criminals, allows Palmer's parole. Palmer's wife Glenda works as a waitress at The Pasttime Café, a nightclub owned by Jojo Dumont. Jojo operates an illegal punchboard racket with the help of Palmer's old gang and club manager Charley Newton. Two weeks before Palmer's release, Richard goes undercover as Murdock, but uses the alias "Rick Carson" to add authenticity to his act. He begins frequenting Jojo's club, and after Palmer returns, Duke Vigili, one of Jojo's henchmen, reveals his suspicions that Rick is a government agent. As Richard had expected, Jojo orders his room searched, and the men conclude that "Rick" is Richard Murdock, the man responsible for a successful bank heist the previous year. Now accepted into the gang, Richard gives Palmer an advance payment for arranging the parole of his partner in the heist, Monty Cooper, who was in prison with Palmer. Jojo's boyfriend, lawyer Barney Rodescu, who heads the parole racket, receives Palmer's parole payment and, assuming he has turned stool pigeon, orders his death. After Jojo's henchman, Blackie Olson, shoots Palmer dead, Richard offers to help Glenda find her husband's killer, and she identifies Rodescu as the secret head of the parole racket. Meanwhile, Rodescu has arranged for Cooper's parole and subsequent employment on a farm. After he discovers that the farm is Rodescu's hideout, Richard plants a sound recording device in the farmhouse. He also instructs Glenda to send telegraphs in Rodescu's name to the parole board, ordering them to the farm. Holiday and board member Titus Jones take the bait and arrive at the farm. Rodescu then traces the telegrams to Glenda and orders Newton to kill her, but she is rescued by commissioner Hughes. When Cooper arrives at the farm, he recognizes Richard as the government man who arrested him and Murdock. Richard is consequently beaten up and shot in the leg before the police arrive and rescue him, then arrest the gang. Back in the hospital, Richard is now recovered.
Director
Alfred Zeisler
Cast
Michael O'shea
Turhan Bey
Evelyn Ankers
Virginia Lee
Charles Bradstreet
Lyle Talbot
Michael Whalen
Charles Williams
James Cardwell
Paul Bryar
Noel Cravat
Charles Jordan
Edgar Dearing
Crew
Bartlett Carré
Jack Casey
Royal K. Cole
Bill Crosby
Constantin J. David
Marshall Edson
John D. Faure
Rudi Feld
Jane Gorton
Fred Kaifer
Anthony Z. Landi
Alexander Laszlo
Sherman L. Lowe
Sherman L. Lowe
Jacque Mapes
Charles Morris
Lucille Sothern
Gilbert Warrenton
Ben Winkler
Mack V. Wright
Terry Wright
Film Details
Technical Specs
Quotes
Trivia
Notes
The foreword to this film states that the story "endeavors to acquaint the public with the growing menace of unwisely given or fraudulently obtained paroles."
