JohnHowardReid Associate producer: Robert Lord. Executive producer: Hal B. Wallis. Copyright 8 March 1941 by Warner Brothers Pictures, Inc. A Warner Brothers-First National picture. New York opening at the Strand: 14 March 1941. U.S. release: 8 March 1941. Australian release: 12 June 1941. 10 reels. 8,699 feet. 96 minutes.SYNOPSIS: A mystery comedy of manners featuring a socialite who writes detective novels (under an assumed name) without the knowledge of his wife and more importantly, his mother-in-law.COMMENT: Errol Flynn made only four comedies in his entire movie career. This is the third—and a delightfully amusing, thoroughly entertaining and utterly enjoyable outing it is too! Although the comedy is fast and furious, the situations become so believable, the mystery itself turns into a fascinatingly suspenseful exercise. All the players approach their roles with exactly the right injections of carefree enthusiasm. Flynn is rippingly debonair. His scenes with waspish Lucile Watson (whom he was to battle again in his fourth and final comedy, "Never Say Goodbye") are laced with diverting barbs which he delivers (and avoids) with charming ease. Also good to see the alluring Brenda Marshall (actually more colorful and picturesque here than in her previous Flynn vehicle, The Sea Hawk), plus the ever-loyal Allen Jenkins. Co-star Ralph Bellamy, as always, provides some of the movie's principal pleasures. The script also provides delicious encounters with other appealing players, including Lee Patrick, Alan Hale, William Frawley, Grant Mitchell and sneeringly sinister Turhan Bey (whom we find so much more adept as a slippery villain than a cut-price romantic lead). Hard to believe that Lloyd Bacon is the director responsible for this vigorous ensemble playing. He also keeps the plot snapping along at scintillating speed, expertly making the most of the film's marvelous production values. In short, "Footsteps in the Dark" comes across as a most agreeably acted, lightly humorous, tongue-in-cheek, impeccably mounted entertainment dessert.

Rindiana "Zorro" detective style meets the "Thin Man" franchise in this unbelievably bland crime comedy with broad farcical humour that's not funny and a weak murder mystery that's not thrilling.Flynn vehicles are often silly, but seldom boring. This dud is both. Were it not for the last half hour which is, at least, a little speedier and for the still personable cast, this instantly forgettable by-product would be without any merit. It's evident Warner Bros. just wanted to make a fast buck!Even Alan Hale looks tired!3 out of 10 idiotic aliases

lordhack_99 By that I mean that the actors are pros, the cinematography is superior, the music is excellent, the opening scene under the credits is neat, the underlying idea is very good - and this mess is like watching someone trying to paint a landscape on a bucking horse. Jamming the mysterioso together with a domestic spat can be heavenly if done right - and I had just watched THE THIN MAN. After watching that film, and then this dog's dinner was painful. And I so wanted it to work!! But how can a film go off in three directions in 96 minutes and still bore us?To think that the screenwriters were blacklisted because they were Reds almost begs the idea that they ought to have been blacklisted for stirring up this junk.

jeff a hidden gem, shows the wide variety of skills errol flynn possessed but was not given credit for until much later. errol could really act, he had an excellent comedic touch and really makes this well written mystery a lot of fun. brenda marshall is her usual gorgeous self, shes a dream. the mystery is well crafted and this was good enough that they should have done a sequel. errol was type cast by the studio as a the prototype "super man" and "action hero", which he did better then anyone. what the studio prevented was errol doing comedy and other roles which he was marvelous at. the few comedy roles he was allowed to do in his career are superb. his star was brighter then most, but hidden by studio hacks were many of his varied talents.