MovieChat Forums > Dick Tracy Meets Gruesome (1947) Discussion > The Best One

The Best One

posted 17 years ago by flan99
7 replies | jump to latest

Far and away the best of the 1940s RKO Dick Tracy movies.

Karloff is excellent.

I like the way they had fun with Karloff, yet never overdid it. I like that these Tracy films try to capture the cartoon versions of these villains. They are both oddly humorous and frighteningly murderous. Though it's obvious that this particular film had the best budget of the series I admire the way the producers and directors made the most of what little they had.

Oh, and I like that no one is "throwing" bullets out of their guns.

Yadda yadda yadda <- this is my signature

[–] misspaddylee 17 years ago

I adore Karloff and this picture is a dandy, but I think "Dick Tracy's Dilemma" gives it a run for its money with its noirish use of shadows.

"It's as red as the Daily Worker and twice as sore."

[–] PeterBlues 14 years ago

i thought the shooting of the woman seemed a bit much. early on i thought karloff would have the hero role, i didn't know wether it was a crime flick or comedy, well i guess it was mixed, they seem to have alote jokes thrown in there.
"the drunken stiff"

stricter rules,
higher demands,
common words to use,
since you got in charge of plans,
sick and tired of all this,
why don't you join a group of sadists,
don't be in charge,
of people having times of hard,
why don't you just go away,
those not sick before is it by your ways,
sick and tired by your ways.

[–] drxcreatures 14 years ago

The quote tribute, to Karloff was cute.

http://www.cgonzales.net & http://www.drxcreatures.com

[–] DrScore 12 years ago

Though it's tough to top Karloff, I have to agree that "Dilemma" is the best of the serials. It's a little darker, and Jack Lambert is scary/sympathetic as Claw.

[–] 12 years ago

[deleted]

[–] greenbudgie 9 years ago

Of the three RKO Dick Tracy that I've seen, I like this the best. I've got it on DVD under the title 'Dick Tracey Meets Gruesome.' Boris Karloff is different in this one. It took me a time to get used to his type of contrasting character. Inventive plot.