Perry Kate Very very predictable, including the post credit scene !!!

RyothChatty ridiculous rating

Platicsco Good story, Not enough for a whole film

Frances Chung Through painfully honest and emotional moments, the movie becomes irresistibly relatable

zardoz-13 "Shadows of Sing Sing" director Phil Rosen's murder/mystery "I Killed That Man" boasts a provocative premise that the film doesn't live up to in the long run. Public officials, reporters, friends, and an Assistant District Attorney gather at the prison to witness the execution of a convicted murderer in the electric chair. The condemned killer, Nick Ross (Ralf Harolde of "Horror Island"), makes a public statement before his execution. According to Ross, the dastard who hired him to commit murder has double-crossed him by not helping him escape. Since the unknown man hasn't held up his end of the bargain for Ross, Ross plans to reveal the identity of the man who contracted him to commit murder. Before he can utter that name, a poison dart sinks into his neck, and he collapses stone dead beyond any chance of resuscitation before the room of witnesses. Obviously, this means that one of those witnesses pulled off the crime and killed Ross without alarming anybody else during the crime. Mind you, nobody has left the death chamber before the warden ushered Ross into the premises. Similarly, before anybody can leave the death chamber, Assistant District Attorney Roger Phillips (Ricardo Cortez of "The Walking Dead") intervenes and requests that the warden keep everybody confined until he has questioned them and arrested the guilty suspect. Initially, Phillips asks everybody remove their clothes. Naturally, this doesn't endear any of the witnesses to Phillips. Indeed, Phillips must be reminded that he must disrobe, too. Sadly, Rossen doesn't exploit this opportunity for comic relief. Afterward, Phillips quizzes each about what prompted them came to witness the execution. Ultimately, Phillips cannot make up his mind who killed Ross, but he finds a cigarette holder on the person of an older gentleman who knew Ross in his youth. Phillips suggests Lanning (Harry Holman of "Meet John Doe") is responsible for Ross' murder. The newspaper reporters disperse to type out their respective stories, while Phillips contemplates the mystery. Eventually, Phillips teams up with his girlfriend, reporter Geri Reynolds (Joan Woodbury of "Phantom Killer"), to trap the suspect that they initially least suspect. Rossen does wring considerable comic relief from the District Attorney's Office switchboard operator, T0mmy (George P. Breakston of "Oriental Evil"), who allows them to confirm the identity of the killer when they listen on a two-party telephone line. Once Phillips arrests Lanning, he remains off-screen. One of the suspects, Lowell King (George Pembroke of "Red Snow"), compliments Phillips on his sleuthing savvy but then has to convince the Assistant District Attorney that he isn't the guilty party. Phillips and his newspaper girlfriend think they have the drop on him when they trace a mysterious phone number to his home. Later, they learn that King's loyal butler, Thomas Gordon (Willy Castello of "Mad Youth"), had called Nick Ross from King's phone to place a wager on a horse. My chief complaint about "I Killed That Man" is that the resolution of the mystery isn't that compelling and it is rather complicated, too. You never get to see how the villain killed the condemned man without incriminating himself. Eventually, we are shown how he smuggled the poisoned dart into the room. Moreover, when he does demonstrate how easy it is to shoot the dart with a rubber band, it seems that somebody might have seen him. At least, when the culprit isn't exposed too early, although the film runs a mere 71 minutes. The big break that leads to his arrest occurs all because one of Geri's fellow reporters believes in female equality! Altogether, "I Killed That Man" is interesting, but it would have worked better had they reenacted the crime right after they catch the killer.

JohnHowardReid Ricardo Cortez (Phillips), Joan Woodbury (Geri), Iris Adrian (Vern Drake), George Pembroke (King), Herbert Rawlinson (warden), Pat Gleason (Bates), Ralf Harolde (Nick Ross), Jack Mulhall (Collins), Vince Barnett (drunk), Gavin Gordon (Reed), Harry Holman (Lanning), John Hamilton (district attorney), Arthur Gardner.Director: PHIL ROSEN. Screenplay: Henry Bancroft. Story: Leonard Fields, David Silverstein. Photography: Harry Neumann. Film editor: Martin G. Cohn. Art director: Frank Dexter. Music: Johnny Lange, Lew Porter. Associate producer: Frank King. Producer: Maurice King. Copyright 28 November 1941 by Monogram Pictures Corporation. No recorded New York opening. U.S. release: 28 November 1941. 8 reels. 71 minutes. SYNOPSIS: A convicted killer is murdered on his way to execution.COMMENT: It's indeed remarkable that a Monogram movie would even aspire to contribute to a list of the One Hundred Greatest Moments in the Cinema, but the first ten minutes of this film — gripping, enervating, horrifically fascinating — certainly belong in such a collection. Admittedly, once the premise is set, the story turns into a fairly routine if brightly characterized and reasonably suspenseful murder mystery. Director Rosen pulls all stops out for his introductory sequences, but is then content to coast along, leaving it to his adept players to keep interest perking. True, no-one could surpass Ralf Harolde's opening bid, but Joan Woodbury, Iris Adrian and ever-reliable Ricardo Cortez give it a game try.

wes-connors On his way to receive a final toast - in the electric chair! - condemned Ralf Harold (as Nicholas Ross) pauses to let the assembled witnesses know he's going to give away the identity of a fellow criminal. But, just as he is about to reveal the crook's name, Mr. Harold is stricken by a deadly poison dart. District attorney Ricardo Cortez (as Roger Phillips) and attractive "Chronicle" reporter Joan Woodbury (as Geri Reynolds) sift through the suspects, banter romantically, and try to solve the murder. You've seen this kind of picture before, but the tired storyline in "I Killed That Man" is enlivened by its cast and crew.Director Phil Rosen and his star, Mr. Cortez, were silent screen veterans (they'd worked together) who found less success after the advent of talking motion pictures; but, their skills are clearly evident, as they make the most of this quickly produced, low-budget film. Today, Mr. Rosen is not well-remembered; but, he worked on some of the most important Hollywood films of the teens and twenties (many are lost). Cortez reached a popularity peak in 1926, after working on films with Greta Garbo and D.W. Griffith. The supporting cast does very well, and Ms. Woodbury is a thoroughly charming leading woman.****** I Killed That Man (11/28/41) Phil Rosen ~ Ricardo Cortez, Joan Woodbury, George Pembroke

David (Handlinghandel) This is a mystery with elements of comedy. It also has (minor) noir elements and a romantic touch.Ricardo Cortez is excellent in the lead. We begin as a man is about to be put to death in prison. The press and the law are there, as well as a few others who like to observe executions.Things do not go as planned. And Cortez tries to solve the mystery right on the spot. That doesn't work. His girlfriend, reporter Joan Woodbury, gets involved. Iris Adrian is, as always, effective as a moll.This sort of thing continued to be standard fare at Warner Brothers till the mid-forties. Interestingly, Monogram does it even better here. The list of players boasts only Cortez as a box-office name. But it's cast in a clever and entertaining manner and neatly directed by Phil Rosen.