Leave It to the Irish (Monogram) (1944)

ce ° * Ay a * “WA. ° * Ao Py. “<T: a. PUBL ICITY ‘Leave It to the Irish”’ Diverting Mystery Comedy (Review) In the field of mystery comedy, “Leave It to the Irish,” the Monogram picture which opened an engagement at the Eyer une theatre last night, is to be heartily recommended. As is customary in films of this type, murders are never allowed to become depressing, and the lively action assists in presenting the story on a plane of high*¥ ree -” good humor. James Dunn and Wanda McKay play featured roles as a pair of young lovers—the former as a private investigator, and the ravishing Wanda as the daughter of a detective on the police force. The two form an engaging pair as the central figures in the story, and their efforts are ably abetted by a cast which is uniformly excellent, including as it does such capable players as Jack LaRue, Dick Purcell, Arthur Loft, Vince Barnett, Barbara Woodell and Olaf Hytten. Starting with the murder of a | fur dealer, the story later produces | two additional corpses in the proprietor of a night club and a talkative waiter, and moves forward in an atmosphere of gangland doings, stolen furs and a disappearing shipment of liquor. An ingenious test | MYSTERY COMEDY | Dunn James are featured in the Monogram mys and Wanda McKay “Leave It to the which starts at theatre. One Column Scene Mat No. tery comedy film, Irish,” the o THE $ (Wanda McKay), daughter of Loft). night club, Terry is given a LaRue), owner of the club, as his senses to find the police to round up the gang and the dered Maleiti. | Davis | stock in Winnipeg, (Not for Publication) Terry Moran (James Dunn), by Mrs. Hamilton (Barbara Woodell) to solve the murder of her husband, a fur dealer. Terry is in love with Nora O’Brien Accompanying Mrs. Hamilton to the Black Swan from one of the waiters, directing her to a shabby hotel where pertinent information is promised. Later Terry and the woman go there, only to discover the corpse of the note-carrying waiter. then investigate Hamilton's warehouse after they find a bill of sale for a large quantity of liquor to Hamilton. There they discover stolen furs have been substituted for the liquor. Mrs. Hamilton, meantime, asks. Terry to drop the case, but he continues in spite of her request. Forcing entrance to Maletti's office, Terry finds the cate owner murdered, and is himself hit on the head. He regains Terry clears himself through a ballistic test, and manages Malletti murdered Hamilton because he and Gus, one of the gang, were double-crossing him, and that Gus, in turn, mur lis brought to the aid of ie sus pected hero, and winds up a film which is filled with humorous interludes. Veteran director William Beaudine has maintained a fast pace in the telling of the story, and production by Lindsley Parsons is unusually satisfactory. The original screenplay by Tim Ryan and Eddie contributed the success of the picture, and photography by Ira Morgan is very good. CHANCE Flying into Hollywood as the official hostess model for TWA several years ago, Wanda McKay vis ited a motion picture set, and was |——~ promptly invited to make the cam| era test which shortly afterward resulted in her entry into motion pictures. Miss McKay comes to the theatre on ewww eee eee YULITAUIT Usb csc sere aes “Leave It to the Irish,” Monograms | amusing mystery comedy in which | she is featured with James Dunn. PROOF (?) James Dunn is superstitious regarding only one thing-—whistling in a dressing room. On two occasions while he was appearing in Canada, visitors | whistled in his dressing room, and on both days he was hurt in accidents. That convinced him. Dunn, featured with Wanda McKay, comes to the theatre on in the rollicking Monogram mystery comedy, “Leave It to the Irish.” ODD JOB Before James Dunn became an actor. he filled for a time one of the oddest positiors in the entire vocational field: he was a traveling salesman, taking orders for “night owl” lunch wagons. Dunn cames CONLNE Re eee theatre on ........ in the leading male role of “Leave It to the Irish,’ Monogram’s diverting mystery comedy, in which he is featured with Wanda McKay. TORY private investigator, is hired detective Tim O’Brien (Arthur going-over by Maletti (Jack Mrs. Hamilton receives a note Terry and Nora accusing him of the murder. stolen furs. It is learned that importantly to | MYSTERY COMEDY ON LOCAL SCREEN James Dunn, Wanda McKay and Vince Barnett in a scene from the Monogram mystery comedy, “Leave It to the Irish,” which comes to the theatre on Two Column Scene Mat No. 20 Skill as Musician Gave Jack LaRue Acting Start It was Jack LaRue’s skill as a musician that was directly responsible for his career as an actor. It was solely this ability that brought him his first engagement on the stage. LaRue comes to the theatre on “Leave It to the Irish,” Monogram’s fast“moving mystery |comedy which features James Dunn* | and Wanda McKay. “Farewell to Arms.’ Later LaRue LaRue from his early boyhood | made his screen debut in “While | had. been accomplished performer | paris Sleeps,” and he has been in on mandolin and guitar, and when | motion pictures ever since. | Otis Skinner needed a guitarist for | Others appearing with Dunn and his production of “Blood and Sand,’ | miss McKay in “Leave It to the the young musician was signed for | frish” are Dick Purcell, Barbara the part. From this point LaRue’s Woodell, Arthur Loft, Vince Barstage career progressed rapidly, and/ nett and Olaf Hytten. The picture | not long afterward he was appear-| was directed by William Beaudine ing as Mae West’s leading man in| ynger the production supervision “Diamond Lil.” His subsequent | : : plays on New York’s Broadway in| Of Lindsley Parsons, and the origcluded “The Shanghai Gesture,” | inal screenplay was written by Tim “Crime,’ “The Last Mile’ and|}Ryan and Eddie Davis. | Chines Led Artists’ Motel” To Motion Picture Screen Four years ago Wanda McKay, one of the country’s most entrancing cover girls, turned her back on a career as a model, and literally flew into the Hollywood film scene. The distinctly beautiful Wanda comes to the theatre on , playing opposite Ja ames leading feminine role of the lively¥ eto the mystery comedy, ‘Leave i to the Irish.” It was as _Dunn in | the LaRue, Barbara Woodell, Barnett and Olaf Hytten. William “Miss American Avia| Beaudine directed for producer tion,” official hostess model for |Lindsley Parsons, and the original TWA Airlines, that Miss McKay | | screenplay was written by Tim Ryplaned into Hollywood in the course | ‘an and Eddie Davis. of a publicity tour of the United States, and a few days later she| | | was a visitor at a motion picture | SUSPICION studio. Officials who were struck | with her beauty promptly arranged a screen test, and this proved so successful that shortly afterward she made her first screen appearance in ‘$1,000 a Touchdown.” A grammar school student in her native city of Portland, Oregon, Wanda later went with her family | to Fort Worth, Texas, where she studied for a business career at the Polytechnic High School. But stenography was forgotten soon after her graduation, and she proceeded }to New York to become a model. Success came quickly. Not only was the blonde Miss McKay the sub| ject of cover illustrations on many national magazines, but she was se| lected as the model for the Chester| field Girl, and her likeness ap| peared on billboards troughout the country. Finally, at Birmingham, Alabama, she won the “Miss American Aviation” title which led to her association with TWA. The cast appearing with Miss McKay and Dunn in “Leave It to the Irish” includes Dick Purcell, Jack Vince | Arthur Loft and James in Dunn Monogram’s mystery comedy, “Leave It to the Irish,” which comes to the theatre on ........ One Column Scene Mat No. 1