csteidler Newspaper reporter Joan Woodbury sails up to her editor's desk. The editor is on the phone. "Get me the state prison," he says. Woodbury doesn't miss a beat: "Making a reservation so soon?" This is the kind of snappy dialog that makes this an enjoyable lightweight film.Plenty of movies from this era featured the crime-solving reporter. Many others starred the assistant district attorney tracking down a murderer. I Killed That Man has both—Woodbury as the reporter, and Ricardo Cortez as her boyfriend who also happens to be the assistant D.A. working on the case.Other familiar elements also abound: rival reporters envious of Woodbury's connections, the poison dart as murder weapon. George Breakston is entertaining as the D.A. office's receptionist and switchboard operator—besides reading crime non-fiction and proposing inspired solutions to this particular mystery, he offers knowing deductions based on Woodbury's appearance as she sits in his waiting area. (How did he know she got dressed in a hurry that morning? "You got your left stocking on inside out.") There's only one thing I really want to know after watching this picture: What card catalog numbering system did they use at their local library?

Red-Barracuda I Killed That Man is a fairly typical Poverty Row mystery film. It tells the tale of a man on his way to execution on Death Row who is suddenly killed by a poison dart by an unknown assailant while in a crowded room. The remaining film details the investigation into who is responsible.To be honest there's nothing new here. It delivers what anyone familiar with Poverty Row productions will have come to expect, i.e. not too many thrills, not too many sets and not too many surprises. The film does pick up pace towards the end but it takes it's time getting there unfortunately. I've seen another obscure film from director Phil Rosen – Man With Two Lives – and that one was quite a bit more entertaining in my opinion. Having said that I have seen a lot worse than I Killed That Man, it's not exactly a bad watch for a rainy weekend morning.

kidboots This entertaining mystery is a remake of "The Devil's Mate" (1933) starring the delectable Peggy Shannon. While she had the main role in the earlier version, in this film the emphasis shifts to the versatile Ricardo Cortez.A number of people from different walks of life gather to see the execution of Nicholas Ross (Ralf Harolde), but pandemonium breaks loose when he is murdered on his way to the chair!!! Just moments before, he has delivered a speech in which he is about to name his partner in crime. Anyone of the group could be guilty - but who??? Roger Phillips (Ricardo Cortez), from the DA's office, is on the spot and starts to solve it by requesting that everyone remove their clothes!!! Roth was killed by a poisoned dart and Phillips thinks whoever killed him may have the weapon hidden on his person. After interviewing each person, he is still no closer to solving the crime so a re-enactment takes place. Laning (Harry Holman), an elderly grocer from Roth's home town, fondly remembers Nick as a boy when "the only racket he knew about then was a tennis raquet". In a scheme to find the real killer Phillips places Laning under arrest.Phillip's girlfriend, Geri (Joan Woodbury), is running her own investigation and tracks down Verne Drake (a particularly lovely Iris Adrian) - she remembers a phone conversation Nick had that he was particularly keen on keeping quiet. She also remembers part of the number -1313. Reed (Gavin Gordon) is the person he was talking to and Verne confronts him about a loan of $5,000 that he owes her. When Verne takes him to town to get the money, she dies under suspicious circumstances. Honking the horn to scatter some pedestrians, she collapses at the wheel, poisoned by a dart hidden in the horn. Reed pleads innocent!!!!As the hunt for the murderer narrows the film employs a three way split screen as Phillips realises who the real murderer is!!! You always knew what to expect from Ralf Harolde - villainy, and the slimier the better. Although never a big star, in 1937, he was involved in a car accident that resulted in the death of his friend, Monroe Owsley (another actor who excelled in oily villains). He left films and when he returned, gaunt and with his hair completely white, it was shown that the stress of the accident had taken it's toll. George Breakston is memorable as the young crime reading receptionist. George Pembroke continues his portrayal of sinister types (he was extremely scary in "The Last Alarm" (1940) He plays Lowell King. John Hamilton, who became familiar as Perry White in the TV series Superman, plays the D.A.Recommended.

wes-connors On his way to receive a final toast - in the electric chair! - condemned Ralf Harold (as Nicholas Ross) pauses to let the assembled witnesses know he's going to give away the identity of a fellow criminal. But, just as he is about to reveal the crook's name, Mr. Harold is stricken by a deadly poison dart. District attorney Ricardo Cortez (as Roger Phillips) and attractive "Chronicle" reporter Joan Woodbury (as Geri Reynolds) sift through the suspects, banter romantically, and try to solve the murder. You've seen this kind of picture before, but the tired storyline in "I Killed That Man" is enlivened by its cast and crew.Director Phil Rosen and his star, Mr. Cortez, were silent screen veterans (they'd worked together) who found less success after the advent of talking motion pictures; but, their skills are clearly evident, as they make the most of this quickly produced, low-budget film. Today, Mr. Rosen is not well-remembered; but, he worked on some of the most important Hollywood films of the teens and twenties (many are lost). Cortez reached a popularity peak in 1926, after working on films with Greta Garbo and D.W. Griffith. The supporting cast does very well, and Ms. Woodbury is a thoroughly charming leading woman.****** I Killed That Man (11/28/41) Phil Rosen ~ Ricardo Cortez, Joan Woodbury, George Pembroke