Federal Agent Alan O'Connor (Conrad Nagel) is sent to Hollywood to bust
a human traffic ring that smuggles Chinese into California, and for that
end he pretends to be an aspiring actor. At first though he doesn't seem
to find the first clue, until he meets up with girl reporter Bobbie
Reynolds (Eleanor Hunt) and her sidekick/photographer Speedy Calahan
(Vince Barnett), who tries to do a story on the Globe Studios, but
since they are all so publicity-shy - especially considering they are a
struggling film studio -, she figures there must be something fishy ...
and soon enough they learn of the studio's racket: The studio's bosses producer
Montie Brace (Crane Wilbur) and director Al Pirelli (Jack La Rue)
claim to make a film just off-shore with some Caucasian extras dressed as
Chinamen, but everyday the extras are sent home with a ferry while the
studio's own ship returns with a load of real Chinamen, who are easily
smuggled by customs, since everybody saw the boat leave with the same
number of Chinamen.
When Alan himself becomes an extra (and Chinaman) with the studio, he
can get the conclusive proof against Pirelli and Brace, but of course it
takes a few car chases and fist fights before he can put a stop to Globe
Studio's operations ... and in the end, Bobbie is revealed to be a fed as
well, and she and Alan have of course become a couple.
A short (53 minutes), fast-moving and entertaining B. Of course, the
actors could have been better, the story could have been more refined, the
budget could have been higher, and Vince Barnett's comic relief leaves a
lot to be desired, but on the whole, it's a slick enjoyable little
thriller, no more but certainly no less.
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