The League of Frightened Men

1937

1h 11m

IMDb RATING

6.0/10

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Mystery

Crime

Nero Wolfe agrees to investigate a series of murders that seem to be tied in with a past Harvard hazing prank that went awry.

Directors

Alfred E. Green

Writers

Guy Endore(screenplay by)

Rex Stout(novel by)

Edward Chodorov(screenplay by)

Stars

Walter Connolly

Lionel Stander

Eduardo Ciannelli

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Top cast

Nero Wolfe

Archie Goodwin

Paul Chapin

Evelyn Hibbard

Pitney Scott

Agnes Burton

Ferdinand E. Bowen

Nicholas Cabot

Andrew Hibbard

Dora Chapin

Mark Chapin

Alexander Drummond

Insp. Cramer

Dr. Loring A. "Burt" Burton

Charles Irwin

Augustus Farrell

Jameson Thomas

Michael Ayers

Directors

Alfred E. Green

Writers

Guy Endore(screenplay by)

Rex Stout(novel by)

Edward Chodorov(screenplay by)

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Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

Walter Connolly is really only competent in this rather lightweight crime thriller. His "Nero Wolfe" character is called upon to investigate the killings of some Harvard alumni many years after a hazing incident at the frat house went spectacularly wrong; leaving one poor fresher crippled. Now I've only read one or two of Rex Stout's books featuring this legendary, self-indulgent, detective and I can't say I ever really engaged with his character, or that of his sidekick "Archie" (Lionel Stander in this) and that didn't exactly help me appreciate this pretty formulaic, lacklustre even, drama that is pretty much a join the dots affair. Eduardo Ciannelli does his best to liven things up, but really it is the screenplay that lacks punch. The ending, when it comes, is almost as routine as if we were ending a chapter of a book before reading the next one - no real sense of suspense, jeopardy or even interest. The production is basic at best and well, nah, sorry - maybe one for "Wolfe" fans, but of little merit otherwise.

Geronimo196720 Jun, 2022