Key Witness ** (1947, John Beal, Trudy Marshall, Jimmy Lloyd, Helen Mowery, Barbara Read, Wilton Graff, Charles Trowbridge, Harry Hayden) – Classic Movie Review 13,687

John Beal stars in the 1947 American crime film noir Key Witness as an inventor who runs away from a murder, becomes a hobo, finds a body on the tracks and swaps identities, running into new trouble.

Director D Ross Lederman’s 1947 Columbia Pictures American black and white crime film noir Key Witness stars John Beal, Trudy Marshall and Jimmy Lloyd.

John Beal stars in the 1947 American crime film noir Key Witness as an amnesiac who wakens in a hospital room and begins to recall that he is Milton Higby, devoted husband, draughtsman and gadget inventor.

Milton finds himself drunk in the apartment of Sally Guthrie (Helen Mowery), whose ex-husband storms in and shoots her dead in a jealous rage. Milton tries to run away from the murder, becomes a hobo, finds a body on the tracks and swaps identities, running into new trouble.

In his hospital room Milton is visited by lawyer Albert Loring (Wilton Graff), who believes Milton is Arnold Ballin, estranged son of his rich client John Ballin (Charles Trowbridge). Ah-ha, so Arnold Ballin was the dead body and now Milton has to accept his new identity, however reluctantly.

This second feature-type film is likeable enough, recommended as a humble low-budget crime film noir, but it is also a frustrating experience because there are lots of missed chances among the other good stuff, some involving quality scenes. Appallingly, it ends with a comedic moment, totally at odds with the film’s almost consistently dark tone, one of its main strong points.

Edward Bock writes the preposterous, over-inventive screenplay, based on a story by J Donald Wilson. But then no one should complain about too much invention, especially in a film about an inventor. It runs only 67 minutes, and there is so much going on that there is no chance of getting bored. It is quite an entertaining mystery, artificial though it is, as artificial as some of Columbia Pictures’ cheap sets, though they are lit inventively by Philip Tannura, often disguising the cheapness. The studio exteriors really are quite bad. More, better, is expected of Columbia Pictures.

John Beal lacks star quality but brings valuable down-home appeal and conviction anyway. The cast is very B-movie, but that’s mostly okay, giving modest turns. Barbara Read makes the best of a rotten role as Milton’s over-demanding, nagging wife Martha Higby. Milton is a slight irritant as Milton’s cheery co-worker friend Larry, but Trudy Marshall has a slightly better time as his girl Marge Andrews. A bunch of contract players are rock solid in support: Wilton Graff as Albert Loring, Charles Trowbridge as John Ballin, Harry Hayden as Custer Bidwell.

Running time: October 9, 1947 (US).

John Beal (born James Alexander Bliedung, August 13, 1909 – April 26, 1997).

© Derek Winnert 2025 – Classic Movie Review 13,687

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