MURDER WITH PICTURES (1936) Lew Ayres, Gail Patrick & Paul Kelly | Crime, Drama, Film-noir | B&W

Murder with Pictures is a 1936 American crime-mystery film based on a story by George Harmon Coxe. The film was directed by Charles Barton, the screenplay was written by Jack Moffitt and Sidney Salkow. Lew Ayres starred as Kent Murdock, Gail Patrick starred as Meg Archer; Paul Kelly and Benny Baker also appeared in the film. The film was released September 25, 1936.

SYNOPSIS
After gangster Nate Girard (Onslow Stevens) is acquitted of the murder of Arch Cusick, his lawyer Stanley Redfield (Ernest Cossart) invites the press to a party at his apartment during which he is killed. At the party newspaper photographer Kent Murdock (Lew Ayres) meets Meg Archer (Gail Patrick) who later escapes to Ayres' apartment in the same building after Redfield is killed. The police suspect Archer is responsible for the murder, but are unable to find her, even though she is hiding in Murdock's shower. Later during the police investigation at Redfield's apartment Murdock finds fellow newspaperman's cap which has a photographic plate hidden inside which can identify the murderer.

Suspected crime boss Nate Girard beats a murder rap, and newspaper photographer Kent Murdock is on the story. Girard and lawyer Redfield throw a party for the news men where Murdock romances a mystery woman who confronted Girard in front of him, but Murdock's fiance Hester shows up. After they return to his apartment, have a fight, and she leaves, the mystery woman slips in and begs for his help. Police Inspector Bacon and the cops show up, looking for the mystery woman; Murdock hides her. Murdock goes with the cops to discuss the murder the woman is suspected of. Bacon explains (in flashback) how some photographers were setting up a shot with Girard and Redfield. When the flashbulbs popped, Redfield keeled over dead and the woman, Meg Archer, fled while the newsmen ran out to phone their papers. The newsmen (who were rounded up later as thoroughly as possible) are taken into police custody, except for Murdock (who wasn't at the scene), who is given a cap on the sly by rival McGoogin. Although evidence suggests Meg is guilty, Murdock returns to his apartment and pledges to help her. She drugs his drink, but in the middle of the night, someone breaks in, knocks her out, and ransacks Murdock's photography equipment. They awaken in the morning and Murdock finds a photo plate in the cap McGoogin gave him. It's a picture taken by one of the photographers from behind Redfield and probably shows the killer preparing to murder him. Girard arrives and tries to bribe Murdock. The cops arrive, with McGoogin, and McGoogin pockets the photo plate. Girard threatens Murdock and Meg, implying that he staged Meg's father's suicide; they have to get the photo plate back and try to clear Meg's name - and get out of his engagement to Hester. The story becomes more and more convoluted, with the shooting of McGoogin and then Meg, the arrival of the brother of the man Girard was on trial for killing, and Murdock's decision to confront Girard on his own terms.

CAST & CREW
Lew Ayres as Kent Murdock
Gail Patrick as Meg Archer
Paul Kelly as I.B. McGoogin
Benny Baker as Phil Doane
Ernest Cossart as Stanley Redfield
Onslow Stevens as Nate Girard
Joyce Compton as Hester Boone
Anthony Nace as Joe Cusick
Joe Sawyer as Inspector Tom Bacon
Don Rowan as Siki
Frank Sheridan as Police Chief
Irving Bacon as Det. Keogh
Purnell Pratt as Editor

Directed by Charles Barton
Written by George Harmon Coxe (writer), Jack Moffitt (writer), Sidney Salkow (writer)
Produced by Edward F. Cline
Cinematography Ted Tetzlaff
Edited by James E. Smith
Distributed by Paramount Pictures
Release date September 25, 1936
Running time 69 minutes
Country United States
Language English