BOSTON BLACKIE BOOKED ON SUSPICION (director: Arthur Dreifuss; screenwriters: story by Malcolm Stuart Boylan/Paul Yawitz; cinematographer: George B. Meehan Jr.; editor: Richard Fantl; cast: Chester Morris (Boston Blackie), Lynn Merrick (Gloria Mannard), Steve Cochran (Jack Higgins), Lloyd Corrigan (Arthur Manleder), George M. Carleton (Wilfred Kittredge), Douglas Wood (Harmon), George E. Stone (The Runt), Richard Lane (Inspector Farraday), Frank Sully (Sgt. Matthews), George Meader (Porter Hadley), George Lloyd (Diz), Jack Rice (Obie, book clerk; Runtime: 66; MPAA Rating: NR; producer: Michael Kraike; Columbia Pictures; 1945)

Reviewed by Dennis Schwartz

Arthur Dreifuss (“Baby Face Morgan”/”Riot on Sunset Strip”/”The Quare Fellow”)directs this only fair entry in the long-running Boston Blackie series. In all its stupidity and unbelievable moments, it manages to get some laughs because of the pleasing lighthearted performances. It’s based on the story byMalcolm Stuart Boylan and is written by Paul Yawitz.

Eccentric millionaire Arthur Manleder (Lloyd Corrigan) buys the respectable rare book store owned by ailingrare book expert Wilfred Kittredge (George M. Carleton). When Kittredge is too sick to appear at an auction, Manleder’s pal, the reformed thief Boston Blackie (Chester Morris), volunteers to disguise himself as Kittredge to help the sale. The first edition of Charles Dickens’ Pickwick Papers is sold to book dealer Alexander Harmon (Douglas Wood) for $62,000, but turns out to be a forgery. We learn that the book was forged by Porter Hadley (George Meader), who is killed by his crime partner Gloria Mannard (Lynn Merrick), Kittredge’s book scholar assistant, when he tries to double-cross her and split with the money. Gloria is secretly married to ex-con Jack Higgins (Steve Cochran), a safecracker wanted for a parole violation, and desperately wants to run away with hubby and live off the stolen money. Inspector Farraday (Richard Lane) suspects Boston Blackie of the forgery and murder, but with the help of Blackie’s loyal assistant, The Runt (George E. Stone), things get straightened out as smoothly as spending an evening reading Dickens