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.
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.