Young Chick Brian (Eric Linden) is an ambitious reporter, but
unfortunately the big scoops he comes up with tend to backfire. So
when he and his girlfriend Mary (Doroothy Jordan) - daughter of police
inspector Agnew (Purnell Pratt) who disapproves of him by the way -
stumble over a double murder, even get a clear view of the culprits, Fred
(Bruce Cabot) and Louise (Phyllis Clare), and find enough
evidence at the scene of the crime to have them arrested, Chick sees that
as an opportunity too good to be missed: He removes the evidence against
Fred and Louise and leaves it in Mary's care, plants evidence that leads
to himself, and behaves mighty suspicious, once the police arrives.
Why does he do that ?
To write a story about a man on the run, as first person account, and
get his big scoop after all, and at the proper time he knows Mary would
produce the evidence and prove him innocent (how he could ever think that
this scoop would not backfire is left at anyone's guess).
At first the plan seems to work but good. The police suspect him, hunt
him, then even capture him (in Mary's room no less), and endless hours of
interrogation follow ... but Chick won't talk, so the cops make a case
against him and he is sent to court.
Only in court does Chick claim that there is evidence that would
relieve him of the charges and he would be able to produce it the very
next day ... unfortunately that is also printed in the papers, and when
Fred, the real killer, reads it, he puts 2 and 2 together, figures that
Mary must have the evidence, and when she wants to bring the evidence to
Chick, he just snatches her purse ... and suddenly Chick sees himself
confronted with a waterproof case against him, and his feeble story about
his big scoop doesn't sound plausible even to him - and through all
that, he event ries to keep Mary's name out of the case ...
Eventually, Chick is condemned to death, but before the verdict can be
executed, Fred and his moll Louise have a fall-out, she even calls the
police, and Fred ttries to make a daring escape he is shot, and Louise's
testimony is enough to free Chick, who finally figures himself to be a
full-fledged reporter.
The whole premise of this film is so far-fetched it's almlost
ridiculous, and the ending leaves a lot to be desired ... but apart from
that, The Roadhouse Murder is actually an entertaining fast-paced
little thriller that's easily likeable and totally watchable.
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