Just perfect...

A waste of 90 minutes of my life

Excellent and certainly provocative... If nothing else, the film is a real conversation starter.

Story: It's very simple but honestly that is fine.

Ricardo Cortez (Phillips), Joan Woodbury (Geri), Iris Adrian (Vern Drake), George Pembroke (King), Herbert Rawlinson (warden), Pat Gleason (Bates), Ralf Harolde (Nick Ross), Jack Mulhall (Collins), Vince Barnett (drunk), Gavin Gordon (Reed), Harry Holman (Lanning), John Hamilton (district attorney), Arthur Gardner.Director: PHIL ROSEN. Screenplay: Henry Bancroft. Story: Leonard Fields, David Silverstein. Photography: Harry Neumann. Film editor: Martin G. Cohn. Art director: Frank Dexter. Music: Johnny Lange, Lew Porter. Associate producer: Frank King. Producer: Maurice King. Copyright 28 November 1941 by Monogram Pictures Corporation. No recorded New York opening. U.S. release: 28 November 1941. 8 reels. 71 minutes. SYNOPSIS: A convicted killer is murdered on his way to execution.COMMENT: It's indeed remarkable that a Monogram movie would even aspire to contribute to a list of the One Hundred Greatest Moments in the Cinema, but the first ten minutes of this film — gripping, enervating, horrifically fascinating — certainly belong in such a collection. Admittedly, once the premise is set, the story turns into a fairly routine if brightly characterized and reasonably suspenseful murder mystery. Director Rosen pulls all stops out for his introductory sequences, but is then content to coast along, leaving it to his adept players to keep interest perking. True, no-one could surpass Ralf Harolde's opening bid, but Joan Woodbury, Iris Adrian and ever-reliable Ricardo Cortez give it a game try.

I'm beginning to find that the poison dart must have been quite popular in early mystery films. This is at least the fourth such movie I've seen. This one involves one of these darts cheating the hangman. A convicted murderer is about to enter the death chamber when he collapses. There are news people and an array of characters in the room, so one of them must have done it. After that it's the usual stuff. There is the aggressive young female reporter who would rather be married than continue her career. She gets in a bit over he head, of course, and sets things on edge. This is better than most. The acting is fine, there are some famous character actors, and the movie has a sense of humor. You can tell the production value is pretty good. If you don't think too much you can sit back and enjoy this like a bad TV show.

An interesting whodunit set in a prison conference room. A convicted murderer is set for his execution in the electric chair and is given a chance for a last statement after remaining mum during his incarceration. Before he can reveal the name of who placed him in jeopardy he drops dead in front of a room full of reporters and law enforcers and experts. Now one of the witnesses is a murderer, but who? This low-budget thriller is effective in sustaining interest and offers some surprises. Directed by Phil Rosen for Monogram Studios. I KILLED THAT MAN stars strong B-picture stars like: Ricardo Cortez, Joan Woodbury, George Pembroke, Iris Adrian and John Hamilton.

This is a mystery with elements of comedy. It also has (minor) noir elements and a romantic touch.Ricardo Cortez is excellent in the lead. We begin as a man is about to be put to death in prison. The press and the law are there, as well as a few others who like to observe executions.Things do not go as planned. And Cortez tries to solve the mystery right on the spot. That doesn't work. His girlfriend, reporter Joan Woodbury, gets involved. Iris Adrian is, as always, effective as a moll.This sort of thing continued to be standard fare at Warner Brothers till the mid-forties. Interestingly, Monogram does it even better here. The list of players boasts only Cortez as a box-office name. But it's cast in a clever and entertaining manner and neatly directed by Phil Rosen.