Meet the Wildcat (1940)

That was an excellent one.

The performances transcend the film's tropes, grounding it in characters that feel more complete than this subgenre often produces.

All of these films share one commonality, that being a kind of emotional center that humanizes a cast of monsters.

An old-fashioned movie made with new-fashioned finesse.

This is a pretty ordinary second feature about the cat and mouse game played between magazine photographer Margaret Lindsay and the suave Ralph Bellamy who may or may not be the wildcat, a notorious criminal on the run. The two, along with Bellamy's wisecracking sidekick (Allen Jenkins), ending up in all sorts of situations south of the border, down Mexico way. Short on serious plot and long on comic relief and action/adventure, this is one of those films that you could walk out of the room on and come back in 5-10 minutes later, only to find that you've really not missed anything. It's obvious that Bellamy and Lindsay are going to get through all of their ordeals with barely a scratch and find themselves kissing in the final clinch. It's a typical "battle of the sexes" comedy where the leading female character is written with such self satisfaction that she doesn't realize that she's the one unintentionally causing a ton of trouble. Without Jenkins present, I think I would have lost interest much faster. You won't really be bored, but I doubt that you'll be fully satisfied, either.

The same year (1940) they started their "Ellery Queen" series, Ralph Bellamy and Margaret Lindsay also co-starred in this Mexico-set comedy-mystery. She's a persistent reporter, of the "Torchy Blane" school, who suspects that he's the "Wildcat" - self-chosen nickname for a serial art thief. She sets out to trap him, but when she does, she's having second thoughts. Meanwhile, he plans to use her to escape - but what's his ultimate goal? The plot has one good surprise in the middle, so I won't say any more to avoid spoiling it. Though "Meet The Wildcat" is obviously little more than a quickly-made programmer, it's an enjoyable one at that, mainly because Margaret Lindsay has this spark and enthusiasm she gives even to a small project like this. Allen Jenkins also has some funny lines as a cab driver who assists Lindsay ("I've figured it out: the butler did it; only trouble is, there is no butler!"). But mainly the film is for Lindsay fans - like me. **1/2 out of 4.