a5c7b9f00b On their honeymoon,a young navy officer and his wife are having difficulties in finding a hotel room in Los Angeles until a lady lends them her suite. There, they receive a mysterious telephone call warning them of a murder that is about to be committed. After finding two dead women they hire two private detectives to help them. They learn that the third woman marked for death is the woman who lent them her hotel suite. She is the aerial artist at a circus and the other two women were her friends. The police arrive and arrest the navy officer and his wife, and two clowns who were attempting to kill the aerial performer. Homicide for Three (1948)<br/><br/>There is a seeming waste of talent here in a Republic (small studio) B-movie that isn't quite dramatic or funny enough to take off. So it sinks under the weight of its frivolous plot, which I think it more or less intended to do. What I mean is, it was a lighthearted movie that would have played with a heavier A-movie feature. By itself it's not enough.<br/><br/>But it's worth noticing the very real, honest presence of the main actress, a lively and natural Audrey Long (seen in "Born to Kill" in a similar but secondary role). You can almost watch the movie just for her ease and "American" cheerfulness. Her counterpart is stiff by comparison, and the supporting cast gets worse from there (including a supposed detective that is so wooden he's concrete, though he has a passing resemblance to Lon Chaney Jr.). There are attempts to spice it up, even including some perplexing overview shots of a circus (they couldn't afford to really set up a circus for a shoot).<br/><br/>Mostly we have a series of rooms of various kinds and some lightly entertaining twists as two hapless lovers get dragged further and further into a plot with some absurd coincidences. All in fun, but try "Born to Kill" first, or Long's other known film, "Desperate," both great 1947 noirs. Sprightly Republic programmer. The two leads (Douglas & Long) play engaging newly-weds as they try to solve a complex murder mystery swirling around them. There's quite a bit of innuendo as they try to get a few minutes alone before the navy man has to report back for duty. But roses, a bird, and a couple of murders keep interrupting their time. Long is particularly lively and engaging without going over the top. Fortunately, neither walks through his or her role, always a risk for a low-budget production. It's also a colorful supporting cast, especially rotund Dick Elliott as a stubborn drunk. I could have used more action, but happily director Blair keeps things moving. The mystery itself is not very involving despite the many teasers, so it's really up to the players to carry the load, which they do. All in all, it's a diverting and, at times, charming little farcical mystery.
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