The Woman Condemned (1934)

Very very predictable, including the post credit scene !!!

One of my all time favorites.

Good concept, poorly executed.

I like movies that are aware of what they are selling... without [any] greater aspirations than to make people laugh and that's it.

The Woman Condemned (1934) ** (out of 4)Newspaper reporter Jerry Beall (Richard Hemingway) gets caught up with the beauty of Barbara (Claudia Dell) that he pretty much forces himself into her life. It happens at a perfect time because Barbara is accused of murdering a woman but she claims that she is innocent so it's up to the reporter to prove it.THE WOMAN CONDEMNED is pretty much the standard "B" mystery that you'd expect from Poverty Row. The only thing really notable about it is the fact that it would turn out to be the final directorial job for Dorothy Davenport, better known and credited here as Mrs. Wallace Reid. Davenport had a number of acting credits in her career but she did direct seven movies as well.As far as this film goes, in all honesty it's a decent time-killer for fans of the genre but it's doubtful too many people will be having a good time with it. The plot is extremely thick for this type of film as it seems something new is being added every few minutes but I'm going to guess that this was done to try and make the film seem smarter than it actually was. The murder doesn't happen until the 35-minute mark, which leaves about half a hour to get it solved.Hemingway was pretty bland in the role of the reporter so he didn't add anything to the picture. You can spot Jason Robards, Sr. in a small role. Then you've got Dell who doesn't get much to do other than to constantly looked concerned over this or that. Lola Lane appears in a very brief role but she's certainly a highlight to the picture.THE WOMAN CONDEMNED really doesn't have too much going for it. The biggest bonus is that it's just 65-minutes long so if you have that to kill and enjoy the genre then you might want to check it out.

Dorothy Davenport's fifth film to direct, "The Woman Condemned" will give mystery fans something to ponder during its little over an hour running time. Previously, Davenport had helmed "The Road to Ruin" (1928), "Linda" (1929), "Sucker Money" (1933), and a remake of "The Road to Ruin" in 1934. When Davenport wasn't calling the shots, she racked up twenty screenwriting credits. Popular radio vocalist Jane Merrick vanishes after she announces her plans to take a vacation. Merrick's admirer, radio producer Jim Wallace, dreads the prospect that Consolidated Dairies will withdraw their sponsorship of her program permanently if she doesn't return. Losing this account will irreparably damage the radio station's finances. Wallace worries about Jane and fears the worst may have happened after her maid Sally refuses to divulge her whereabouts, so he resorts to a private detective agency to allay his fears. "There is something strange about the whole affair," Wallace tells the detective bureau chief, "she might even be in danger." The bureau chief explains that policy dictates a detective from another town must be assigned to the case so she won't be recognized. Eventually, the police nab a suspicious female prowler snooping around the balcony window at Jane's apartment after dark. The police take the woman to night court. Smart aleck crime reporter Jerry Beal is immediately infatuated with the dame, who has been identified as Barbara Hammond. He intervenes on her behalf. Not only does he explain to the judge that Barbara is his fiancée, but also that she is "a compulsive practical joker." The judge isn't impressed with Jerry's trumped up tale, and he decides to marry him to Barbara, then releases her into Beale's custody. When she objects that she isn't married, the judge weds them, because Beale had pulled a fast one the previous evening in the case of a drunken bum. The bum, we learn, was Beale's bootlegger and he couldn't get liquor with the guy in jail. Although Barbara assumes that Jerry can get the judge to annul their marriage, she schedules a dinner date later that week on Thursday. Afterward, Jerry drops by to see Jim and learns some of the facts about Jane's vanishing. Like the news hound that he is, Jerry wants to write the story, but Jim convinces to refrain from doing it. Jerry and Barbara dine out, but she refuses to tell him anything about her activities. Later, she goes back to Jane's apartment and sneaks inside where she eavesdrops on a discussion between Jane and an ethnic-speaking guy. For all practical purposes, this man is trying to shake down Jane and wants a stake from her. No sooner has the guy left Jane's apartment than Jane sees an armed killer. She spots him in the mirror and screams as he cuts loose with his revolver. She sprawls lifelessly to the floor, and then the lights go out. The next door neighbors hear the crash of the gunshot, and the husband investigates. Meantime, Barbara checks the body, then trips and loses her flashlight. The first thing that she picks up is a revolver, and the next door neighbor Henry C. Benham appears with his gun drawn. He orders Barbara to dispose of her firearm and he sends his wife, who ventures into the apartment moments later, and screams at the sight of Jane strewn on the floor. She calls the police, and they arrest Barbara. Jerry joins the police, but he cannot believe that Barbara could have killed her. Barbara refuses to give the cops any information. Now, more than ever, Jerry is set on clearing Barbara, and he plays do-it-yourself-gumshoe. His investigation leads him to a Dr. Wagner's private sanitarium. Jerry cannot believe his eyes when he sees who is on the surgeon's table, evidently undergoing an operation. Jerry persuades a reluctant Jim to come and see for himself. No sooner have Jerry and Jim sneaked into the sanitarium that Dr. Wagner gets the drop on them at gunpoint. Initially, he looks as if he is going to conduct an experiment on them when Jane's house maid, Sally walks in and recognizes Jim Wallace. Wagner orders his henchmen to remove their gags and bonds, and he explains to their satisfaction what has really happened. Naturally, Jim is relieved but amazed by this turn of events. Nevertheless, he doesn't understand what has happened.The revelations that follow would spoil the film for first-time viewers. "A Woman Condemned" has a slick ending that works out happily for everybody involved. You won't figure out the mystery unless you've seen a mystery similar to this one.

This z grade mystery ponders along at a creeping hour, seldom revealing anything to give the viewer any clues if what's happening other than a radio singer being murdered and the wrong woman being accused of the crime. Lola Lane is the singer who finishes her session, goes home, lies around in bed and tries to avoid those concerned about her. When she is shot dead, Claudia Dell, who was lurking around trying to get a scoop on her, is arrested for her murder, although it's very apparent that she's innocent. Whoever thought up this twisted story had no idea of how to engage their audience or put a story down on paper. Dell overacts to the point of melodrama, but Louise Beavers adds a touch of life to this dreary fiasco.

I enjoyed this movie because the plot was complex just like everyone said. Maybe I'm crazy but it pretty much made sense to me. A lot of people seemed confused about how a woman was murdered only to come back at the end. IT WAS HER TWIN SISTER WHO WAS MURDERED, NOT THE SINGER! While the singer, who was having a bit of cosmetic surgery (which she was embarrassed about and wanted to keep quiet), her twin sister was having troubles of her own and came to stay in the singer's apartment. Unfortunately the sister had a slimy boyfriend who shows up and kills her. Everyone thinks the missing singer was killed. At the end, the recovered singer pretends to be the murdered sister and shocks the killer into confessing.I liked the writing, though things could have been put together a bit more cohesive. What would have really helped would have been a couple of better known stars. A better cast, a bit more skillful direction, and a larger budget could have made this film something special. Still, it was interesting like it was despite the somewhat fuzzy print I watched. Unusual movie.