Paularoc Humphrey Campbell is a private detective working for a small agency specializing in missing persons cases. In his latest case, he tracks down a missing heiress and then calls his boss, Oscar Flack, and tells him that he won't be bringing the heiress, Louise, home because he and Louise just got married and they're going on a honeymoon. Oscar tells Humphrey that an important case has come up - a rancher in Nevada's adult son has gone missing. Oscar convinces Humphrey to investigate and on their way to Reno, Humphrey and Louise stop at a bank and end up in the middle of a bank holdup led by one Red Harris. Then in Reno, Oscar convinces Humphrey to take the case even though Humphrey is disinclined to do so because the FBI are involved but Oscar sweetens the deal by promising Louise a fur coat. The whole plot becomes increasingly complicated with a slew of suspects. Chester Morris plays Humphrey as a wise cracking, fast talking character just like his more famous Boston Blackie character. And what an entertaining character it is. My favorite scene is when the milk drinking Humphrey orders a glass of milk from bartender Jack Norton. Norton's reaction to this request is a hoot especially since Norton is most famous for his bit roles playing a drunk although in real life Norton was a teetotaler. The whole movie is fun throughout. Jean Parker does a very nice job as the feisty Louise and she and Morris have a great chemistry together. It was also fun spotting some favorite character actors such as Dick Purcell, George J. Lewis, and Milburn Stone. Available at Internet Archives and YouTube, this movie is well worth seeking out.

bkoganbing In one of the first Pine-Thomas B films from Paramount Chester Morris and Jean Parker play a bargain basement version of Nick and Nora Charles in No Hands On The Clock. I'm thinking this might have been something that Bill Pine and Bill Thomas had in mind for a series, but Morris's next film was his first Boston Blackie.Morris is a detective specializing in missing persons cases and is hired to find the missing son of a ranch owner who enjoys the casinos in Reno and all they have to offer. Several murders later we find who's been responsible for a small crime wave including a fake kidnapping of the missing son in question.Dick Purcell has a nice role along with Astrid Allwyn as a known gangster whom the cops and the FBI think is responsible for all of this. Allwyn plays a very wise moll to Purcell, their scenes with Morris and Parker have some real bite.This definitely could have been a series had Morris not already signed for Boston Blackie.

kidboots In this movie produced by the "Two Dollar" Bills - William Pine and William Thomas, the always reliable Chester Morris played Detective Humphrey Campbell. Campbell was a creation of crime novelist Geoffrey Holmes who was to have his biggest writing success with "Build My Gallows High", which was turned into the film noir classic "Out of the Past".The title comes from a saying "death is timeless" and is depicted by a handless clock that is a feature of the Reno Mortuary. Stopping off to cash a cheque on his honeymoon (he has just married the heiress he had been assigned to find), Humphrey Campbell from a Missing Person's agency and his bride Louise (Jean Parker) find themselves in the middle of a hold up conducted by a thuggish red headed gangster (Dick Purcell). Once at the honeymoon destination - Reno!!! Humphrey's boss wants to send him on another case - a rancher wants him to find his missing son, Hal, who was last seen with a certain red head!!! The red head doesn't have much information to impart, an account of her being murdered.This is a terrific if complicated little mystery which should have been the start of a series. Chester Morris and Jean Parker had great chemistry, there were elements of the Thin Man. Who knows why a series didn't eventuate - probably because the same year saw the start of Morris's Boston Blackie for which he became best remembered and Jean Parker soon had her own (very short) series as Detective Kitty O'Day with definite emphasis on the slapstick.The Red Harris gang suddenly come back into the picture, they are very much interested in Humphrey, worried that he has identified them to the police as the bank robbers. They also seem to be connected to the kidnapping and Humphrey is beginning to wonder if Hal has been kidnapped at all!! By the end of the movie there have been several murders and also like the Thin Man the suspects gather nervously in a room waiting, or daring, Humphrey to unravel the complex mystery and offer his deductions. As usual with these tight little "who done its" there are a wealth of character performances. Grant Withers looking every bit of his 35 years, unfortunately, as one of the victims, he only has a small scene. Astrid Alwyn had developed from chilly other woman roles of the 30s to a decorative character actress in the 40s. Here she was admittedly a gangsters moll but she still exuded a "good gal" aura. Rose Hobart did have a few films of note in the early 30s but returned to the stage only returning to Hollywood in the 40s in usually stern faced women roles. Keye Luke had already finished his most famous movie association - as Charlie Chan's No. 1 son. After 1942 he had another continuing role in the Dr. Kildare series.

Alex da Silva Detective Humphrey (Chester Morris) is newly married to Louise (Jean Parker) and is assigned a task to find a missing man in Reno. So the story begins.................and good luck following what happens! This film is played as a comedy which can be a bit irritating at times. For instance, Humphrey and Louise shouting at each other in the shower scene that also includes a comedy policeman routine. We also have a scene where Oscar (George Watts) and Louise carry on a conversation with Humphrey standing in the way of them both and it is overdone. The quality of the film isn't very good and this ruins the overall experience as we have to sit through moments of complete darkness. What on earth is happening? This is doubly frustrating as the film starts at quite a good pace and then gets faster while introducing various new characters. And you have no idea why they are in the film. And then you get thrown into moments of darkness so you end up thinking "who the hell are these people in this scene that I can't see and where on earth is this story going now?" Chester Morris and Jean Parker are both likable in the main roles - a sort of "Thin Man" team - and the film is resolved in that familiar gather everyone together routine to announce the killer but by that stage you won't have a clue as to what is happening and who is who. The film is over-complicated. Shame that it is also poor quality.