Jack Wilson (Lon Chaney Jr.) is a cop looking for a stolen ruby who decides to go undercover as Butch Curtain, a drunken bar owner. This marks the first time that Lon Chaney Jr. used his new stage name, reflecting a key moment in his career development.
Directed by Fred C. Newmeyer and written by Norman Springer, this movie was completed in August of 1935, but it didn’t reach theaters until 1943, when Astor Pictures acquired the rights and released it to capitalize on Chaney Jr.’s horror-movie popularity.
Why is Chaney in this, playing a romantic leading man? Because he’s dressed as a scarred-up pirate for most of it, which was probably a more comfortable role for him. Philip Ahn also appears; many decades later, he would play David Carradine’s master on Kung Fu.
It’s fine for the time, but Cganey Jr. was meant for better things.
You can watch this on YouTube.
