In 1945, RKO revived the Dick Tracy series, with Morgan Conway chosen to portray the lead in a pair of feature films: Dick Tracy, Detective and Dick Tracy vs. Cueball. RKO's earliest publicity photos posed Conway in profile, hoping to imitate Gould's square-jawed caricatures that was prominent in the newspaper strip. Although Conway's screen Tracy did not resemble the newspaper print in the flesh, Conway's dramatic interpretation was faithful; he gave the role a humble, businesslike quality while keeping with police procedure. Morgan Conway is considered by many to be the best on screen Dick Tracy.
Although Conway's Tracy was praised by critics as the closest to Gould's original concept, the public seemed to prefer Ralph Byrd, who returned in the role for the final two RKO features. To them, Ralph Byrd was Dick Tracy. (Byrd even reprised the role for a series of low-budget television series in the mid-1950s.) Dick Tracy's Dilemma and Dick Tracy Meets Gruesome followed a similar formula of the films and serials prior: original concepts for villains that were not featured in the newspaper strip that proved a challenge as the detective followed the clues and tracked them down. The villains, always fleeing or attempting to set a trap for Dick Tracy, fell into a gruesome peril... just like the newspaper strip.
For the fourth and last film, Boris Karloff spices up the feature as the fearsome bad guy known as Gruesome. Film buffs and fans of blood and thunder crime melodramas seem to agree in unison that this was a series that should have kept going with more sequels. A darn shame.
All four movies had many of the visual features associated with film noir: dramatic, shadowy photographic compositions, with many exterior scenes filmed at night. In addition, RKO stocked the films with familiar faces, creating a true rogues' gallery of characters. Max Allan Collins, who took over the writing of the Dick Tracy strip from Chester Gould, has provided informative on-screen introductions for each film in a new, exclusive VCI release. Restored from archival elements using the highest standards, the new BluRay release is far superior in picture and sound than any prints released prior.
To explain: these four Dick Tracy movies fell into the public domain decades ago, so film prints vary in quality. DVD releases vary in quality, too. This was one of those series where upgrading was possible over the years but thanks to VCI, we now have a definitive upgrade that is worthy of purchasing. (A photograph of this specific BluRay is pictured above, and link at the bottom of this blog post, so you can make sure you get the correct one.)
DICK TRACY DETECTIVE (1945): Tracy, in his inimitable fashion, brings to justice a psychotic, scar-faced, thug known as “Splitface” who has been bumping off the members of a jury that once convicted him. After many intriguing and suspenseful situations, the criminal is tracked down by the master detective, Tracy, and his faithful side kick, Pat Patton. 62 minutes
DICK TRACY vs CUEBALL (1946): A braided cord is his only clue as Tracy (Conway) searches desperately for a gang of jewel thieves. Following a trail of murder, violence and robbery, Tracy tracks down the bald-headed leader known as “Cue Ball,” who has a penchant for strangling his victims. 63 minutes
DICK TRACY'S DILEMMA (1947): Tracy must track down a murdering fiend called “The Claw.” The tension builds to a shocking climax as Tracy solves one of his most difficult cases ever. Fun and exciting! 60 minutes
DICK TRACY MEETS GRUESOME (1947): Violence and armed conflict provides the background. Boris Karloff is great as the criminal, “Gruesome,” who can hold people in suspended animation with his nerve gas. 65 minutes
