Inside Job
Cast & Crew
Jean Yarbrough
Preston Foster
Ann Rutherford
Alan Curtis
Milburn Stone
Samuel S. Hinds
Film Details
Technical Specs
Synopsis
As the Christmas season begins, ex-convict Eddie Mitchell finds works in Mammouth department store as a mannequin in a street level window. There he is spotted by wealthy racketeer Bart Madden, who summons him to his swank apartment. Eddie, whose real name is Eddie Norton, had gone to jail for Madden because of a botched robbery and Madden now hopes to use Eddie's connection to the department store to organize another heist. Eddie is determined to go straight, but Madden insists that if Eddie refuses to help, he will reveal Eddie's criminal past to his employers. Concerned, Eddie goes home to his wife Claire Gray and confesses his past to her and admits that he was fired from his last job when his record was discovered. He asks Claire if she will help him commit the robbery, with the intent of keeping the money to free themselves from future blackmail. Although stunned by both his revelation and his request, Claire agrees to go along with her husband. The next day, Claire, who also works at Mammouth modeling clothes, runs into Madden and intentionally flirts with him and invites him to her fashion show. Later at home, Claire receives the very expensive dress she modeled for Madden and Eddie worries their plans are working too well. When Claire cannot cash her company paycheck, she takes the opportunity to meet Mammouth's treasurer, Mr. Winkle, who promises to clear up her problem if she will consent to a dinner date with him. Claire returns home with the company safe combination, which she had wheedled out of Winkle over dinner and Eddie regrets having gotten her involved in his scheme. The day before the planned robbery, Eddie hides out in the store waiting for it to close, while Claire goes to Madden's apartment to return the gown. Unknown to Eddie, Madden has had him followed by an associate, Freddie, who phones Madden to report that Eddie has remained in the building after hours. Madden, who had suspected Claire was involved with Eddie, realizes she is serving as a decoy to prevent him from discovering Eddie's premature attempt at the robbery. Meanwhile, Eddie breaks into Winkle's office and safe and takes $250,000 in bundles to a lavatory, where he throws it out a small window into the alley. While Madden and Freddie sit watching the entrance, Claire, disguised as a little old lady, goes down the alley and recovers the bundles without suspicion. The next day the police uncover Eddie's identity and record and suspect his involvement. When they also discover the receipt and delivery request of the dress from Madden to Claire and find out Claire is Eddie's wife, they are convinced that all three are implicated. Meanwhile, Eddie and Claire have rented a small flat as a hideout, and there Claire befriends a young neighbor, Skipper. Eddie, nervous about their being identified, grows alarmed when they discover that Skipper's father is a policeman and decides they must leave town immediately. He goes to a bar to arrange transportation out of town on Christmas with a trucker. Enthused by the large sum of money Eddie has paid him, the trucker talks freely of their plans and is overheard by one of Madden's cohorts, who reports to him. Madden, now knowing about Claire and Eddie's hideout, comes to their flat, but the couple refuse to let him in. When Madden shoots at the locked door, Skipper's father overhears, and rushing into the hall, has a brief shootout with Madden, during which both are wounded. Panicked, Eddie and Claire open the door and Madden stumbles in, demanding the money, but dies before he can get out of the building. As Eddie and Claire hasten to leave, they find Skipper standing worriedly over his father, and the couple feels compeled to help. They carry the wounded poilceman into his apartment and summon a doctor. When the police arrive, Eddie and Claire are arrested and eventually put on trial. Although the judge commends their actions in saving Skipper's father, they are nevertheless sentenced to prison terms for their participation in the robbery.
Director
Jean Yarbrough
Cast
Preston Foster
Ann Rutherford
Alan Curtis
Milburn Stone
Samuel S. Hinds
Joe Sawyer
Marc Lawrence
John Berkes
Jimmie Moss
Howard Freeman
William Trenk
Oliver Blake
Joan Fulton
Harry Brown
Joe Kirk
Chester Clute
Vera Marshe
Tom P. Dillon
Ralph Peters
Cy Kendall
Helen Boyce
Harry Cording
Eddie Acuff
Pat Mcvey
Billy Newell
Janet Shaw
Rex Lease
Ruby Dandridge
John Duncan
Jackie Jackson
Pat Alphin
Crew
George Bricker
Bernard B. Brown
Tod Browning
Charles Carroll
Carmen Dirigo
Garrett Fort
Russell A. Gausman
Maury Gertsman
Abraham Grossman
Russell Lawson
Otto Ludwig
Jack Otterson
Jack P. Pierce
Ronald K. Pierce
Ben Pivar
Frank Skinner
Leigh Smith
Richard Towers
Jerry Warner
Vera West
Jean Yarbrough
Film Details
Technical Specs
Quotes
Trivia
Notes
This film, which featured Tod Browning's last onscreen credit, was a remake of two earlier Universal films, both entitled Outside the Law and directed by Browning. The first version, released in 1920, starred Priscilla Dean and Wheeler Oakman, and the second version, released in 1930, starred Mary Nolan and Edward G. Robinson (see AFI Catalog of Feature Films, 1911-20; F1.3316 and AFI Catalog of Feature Films, 1921-30; F2.4085).
