Movie spotlight
Call a Messenger
A tough street kid attempts to rob a post office and is caught. In order to avoid reform school, he takes a job as a messenger with the post office. He finds that he likes it, and when his brother is released from prison, attempts to help his brother go straight. However, the two of them get mixed up with a local gangster, who has plans to start robbing post office branches and using the messenger and his brother to do it.
Insights
Plot Summary
A young lawyer, fresh out of law school, takes on a case defending a notorious gangster against charges of murder. Despite the overwhelming evidence against his client and the danger involved, the lawyer becomes determined to uncover the truth. He must navigate a dangerous underworld and expose corruption to clear his client's name, or face dire consequences himself.
Critical Reception
As a B-movie from the late 1930s, 'Call a Messenger' received modest reviews, typical for its production value and genre. Critics often noted its brisk pacing and straightforward crime narrative, but it was generally not considered a standout film. Audience reception was likely lukewarm, fitting the typical response to lower-budget studio productions of the era.
What Reviewers Say
Competent, if uninspired, crime drama.
Features a solid performance from its lead, but lacks originality.
A standard entry in the crime film genre of the era.
Google audience: Information on Google user reviews for 'Call a Messenger' is not readily available, as is common for films of this vintage and production scale.
Fun Fact
Despite its modest nature, 'Call a Messenger' was produced by Monogram Pictures, a studio known for its efficient production of low-budget features, often referred to as 'Poverty Row' films.
AI-generated overview · Verify ratings on official sources