Ronnie Jackson (Bob Hope) is a baby photographer who dreamed of being a noire detective like the detective who offices across the hall. He finds himself on death row for a murder he did not commit because of this silly dream. While praying for a call from the governor, he relates his story to the press in hopes of getting the truth out.
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His big opportunity to play detective comes by chance when he happens to be in the office across the hall. Enter the lovely, mysterious and tempting Baroness Carlotta Montay (Dorothy Lamour). A classic damsel in distress scenario is laid out before him and Jackson falls hard for the story. It seems that her husband has disappeared while on his way to take care of some official business. Carlotta pleads with Jackson to help her find him and tells that she is in grave danger. Jackson just can't resist this chance or a pretty face.
He begins his investigation and winds up at a dark, gloomy old mansion. There he comes across a man who supposedly is Carlotta's doctor. He relates that she is quite unstable and is imagining the whole thing. It seems that the Baron is really her uncle and he is quite present but also wheelchair bound. This sets fear into Jackson's bones and he becomes suspicious of Carlotta's motives and intentions. He intends to flee from the scene but creeps around to a window to notice that the baron is standing on his own two feet and a scheme is in the making. Someone in the room senses a watcher and closes the window shutters for security. Ronnie just so happens to have his latest invention, the keyhole camera, and he uses it to take a shot. The “Gardener“ aka henchman, Kismet (Peter Lorre), sees him and takes a shot at him with a knife. Jackson and Carlotta escape from the mansion and end up back at his photography office. Carlotta then gives him a map which he stashes in his water cooler cups. She leave the office and Ronnie begins to develop the film. When the process is complete he gets a knock on the head and the photo as well as the negatives are supposedly stolen.
He revisits them mansion to search for further clues and finds that it has been emptied with no trace left. As he drives along until he half wittedly ends up at an insane asylum where Carlotta is being held. There he meets Willie (Lon Chaney, JR.) who is a half wit himself. The only difference is Willie is not a patient but an intern and quite strong. He just so happens to be employed by the bad guys and he takes Jackson into custody. Jackson befriends Willie and gains his confidence. Another quick escape leads him and Carlotta to meet a business man who is involved with the questionable transaction. It appears he may have necessary information to save the day and takes off with Ronnie. The bad thing is that somebody bumps him off wile he is in Ronnie's car. It gets worse because Ronnie's car just so happens to be sitting in front of the police station. Guess who is accused…None other than Ronnie Jackson, baby photographer.
The review of this Movie prepared by Talea
