Rubber Racketeers
Brief Synopsis
Cast & Crew
Harold Young
Ricardo Cortez
Rochelle Hudson
Bill Henry
Barbara Read
John Abbott
Film Details
Technical Specs
Synopsis
One night while driving home, ex-convict Gilin collides with defense workers Bill Barry and Mary Dale. Bill's tires are destroyed, and when the insurance company is unable to replace them, Gilin's girl friend Nikki convinces him to exchange Bill's car for the car of Gilin's Chinese servant Tom, who has enlisted in the Army. With government restrictions on rubber in place due to the war, Gilin goes into business stealing and re-selling good tires, then sells tires retreaded with cheap synthetic rubber to used-car lots. When one of Gilin's retreads blows out and causes the death of Mary's brother, Bill and his co-workers are outraged and become determined to find the culprit behind the shoddy tires. Gilin worries that his scheme will be discovered after Bill traces a tire to his lot. Nikki is pressured by Gilin to accept a date with Bill, but pretends not to be able to reach him, then secretly warns Mary of Gilin's murderous intentions. However, Bill goes to see Nikki, intending to ask her about the tire, and falls right into Gilin's trap. Gilin knocks Bill out and plans to kill him with Tom's help, but Tom refuses to participate when he learns that Gilin has been short-changing the war effort for his own gain. Gilin shoots Tom and escapes with Nikki to his warehouse. With his last breath, Tom awakens Bill and tells him to follow Gilin. Bill calls his co-workers and the police, and they raid the warehouse en masse. During the mêlée, Gilin is shot by one of his own thugs, who is appalled that Gilin would kill Tom, a soldier.
Director
Harold Young
Cast
Ricardo Cortez
Rochelle Hudson
Bill Henry
Barbara Read
John Abbott
Dick Rich
Dewey Robinson
Sam Edwards
Kam Tong
Milburn Stone
Pat Gleason
Alex Callam
Alan Hale Jr.
Dick Hogan
Marjorie Manners
Crew
Henry Blankfort
David Chudnow
Jack Dennis
Frank Dexter Sr.
Arthur Gardner
Glen Glenn
Franklin King
Herman King
Maurice King
L. Wm. O'connell
Mack V. Wright
Film Details
Technical Specs
Quotes
Trivia
Notes
The working titles of this film were Tire Gangster and Hot Rubber. According to a Hollywood Reporter news item, both Monogram and Twentieth Century-Fox initially registered the title Hot Rubber, and both stories dealt with tire racketeers. The Fox film was never made, however.
