This page hosted by Get your own Free Homepage
Bupp Filmology
Week Twenty-One

"Parole Fixer" 1940

MOVIE NAME: PAROLE FIXER
STUDIO: PARAMOUNT PICTURES
PRODUCER: WILLIAM LEBARON
DIRECTOR: ROBERT FLOREY
DATE: 1940
TYPE: GANGSTER,DRAMA
CAST:
WILLIAM HENRY as Scott Britton, VIRGINIA DALE as Enid Casserly, ROBERT PAIGE as Steve Eddson, GERTRUDE MICHAEL as Colette Menthe , RICHARD DENNING as Bruce Eaton, FAY HELM as Rita Mattison, ANTHONY QUINN as Francis "Big Boy" Bradmore, HARVEY STEPHENS as Bartley Handford,MARJORIE GATESON as Mrs. Thorton Casserly, CHARLOTTE WYNTERS as Nellie, JACK CARSON as George Mattison, PAUL McGRATH as Tyler Craden, SONNY BUPP as Bobby Mattison

SOURCE: AFI, Catalog of Feature Films 1931-1940
STORY: Attorney Tyler Craden dictates to his secretary Colette Menthe, a letter supposedly from the mother of convicted murderer Frances "Big Boy" Bradmore and encloses a phony lock of hair. The warden, believing the letter is since, releases Bradmore, who immediately begins to murder again. At the FBI training school, agents return every eighteen months. Agent George Mattison family includes his wife Rita, his sons Bob and Jim and the family cook. The FBI is called into the Bradmore case after he steals a batch of furs. Aware that parole board member Gustave Kalkus is in need of money, Craden blackmails him into supporting the parole of criminal Steve Eddson. He then petitions the court to parole for "a boy who never had a chance," capitalizing on the idle wealthy, philanthropic women on the board, especially Mrs. Thorton Casserly. Enid Casserly disagrees with her mother's activities. Enid is engaged to Bruce Eaton despite their class differences. George is shot in the back as he trails Bradmore. FBI agent Hoover calls Rita to console her grief, while other agents take care of the children. Eddson's parole hearing brings up, whether the $400 savings in prison costs is worth George Mattison's life, but Mrs Casserly's lawyer with the help of Kalks' board manipulations gets Eddson his release. Porter Randall, Mrs. Casserly's lawyer demands $75,000 as payment for Eddson's parole and agrees to meet with Craden and Eddson at a cabin hideaway. Craden suggests abducting Enid for ransom. Eddson hires Bradmore and "Slim" for the job. They abduct Enid and Bruce to make it look as if they eloped. The FBI make a scientific search of Enid's car and Eddson's room. To make Eddson suspect Bradmore of a double-cross the FBI sends a second ransom note. Craden and Eddson are caught when they return to the cabin. A plan to reform the parole system is enforced ad a plaque is raised to honor FBI agents, such as George Mattison.

Note:
Based on the book Persons in Hiding, by J. Edgar Hoover

Back