Babyface Morgan (Comedy, Crime, Romance, 1942)

Baby Face Morgan (1942), directed by Arthur Dreifuss, is a 63-minute B-movie from Producers Releasing Corporation (PRC). Set during World War II, when gangsters face hard times due to the war effort, mob lieutenant “Doc” Rogers (Robert Armstrong) seeks to revive the criminal empire of the late mob boss Big Mike Morgan. Learning of Morgan’s naive son, Edward “Baby Face” Morgan (Richard Cromwell), living in the country, Rogers brings him to Central City to front the Acme Protective Agency, a sham insurance company covering the mob’s protection racket. Edward, unaware of his father’s criminal past, believes he’s running a legitimate business. Rogers spreads a myth that “Baby Face” is a ruthless killer, boosting the gang’s reputation. Tensions rise when rival mobster Joe Torelli (Ralf Harolde) grows suspicious of the unseen “Baby Face” and the missing protection money, which Rogers hoards. Edward, a good-hearted rube, sells an insurance policy to Virginia Clark (Mary Carlisle), whose trucking company suffers from the mob’s sabotage. As Edward pays out claims for wrecked trucks, draining the gang’s funds, he falls for Virginia, leading to a comedic unraveling of Rogers’ scheme. When Torelli kidnaps Virginia, Edward must play the tough gangster to save her, resulting in a farcical showdown. The film mixes slapstick, mistaken identities, and light romance, with a fish-out-of-water premise akin to later films like Corky Romano.

Cast:Richard Cromwell as Edward “Baby Face” Morgan: A likable, naive soda jerk thrust into a criminal world.
Mary Carlisle as Virginia Clark: The headstrong trucking company owner and Edward’s love interest.
Robert Armstrong as “Doc” Rogers: The cunning mobster orchestrating the racket.
Chick Chandler as Oliver “Ollie” Harrison, Edward’s cousin and comic sidekick.
Ralf Harolde as Joe Torelli, the suspicious rival gangster.
Warren Hymer as “Wise Willie,” a dim-witted henchman.
Charles Judels as “Deacon” Davis, another mobster.
Vince Barnett as Lefty Lewis, a bumbling gangster.
Hal K. Dawson as J.B. Brown, a minor mob figure.
Kenneth Chryst as Pierce, a gang member.