Jigsaw (1949 film)
{{Short description|1949 film noir by Fletcher Markle}}
{{Use American English|date=January 2025}}
{{Infobox film
| name = Jigsaw
| image = Jigsaw (1949 film) poster.jpg
| caption = Theatrical release poster
| alt =
| director = Fletcher Markle
| producer = Edward J. Danziger
Harry Lee Danziger
| screenplay = Fletcher Markle
Vincent McConnor
| story = John Roeburt
| starring = Franchot Tone
Jean Wallace
Marc Lawrence
| music = Robert W. Stringer
| cinematography = Don Malkames
| editing = Robert Matthews
| studio = Tower Pictures
| distributor = United Artists
| released = {{film date|1949|3|11|United States|1949|5|28|New York City}}
| runtime = 72 minutes
| country = United States
| language = English
| budget = $400,000[https://archive.org/stream/variety173-1949-02#page/n125/mode/2up Variety February 1949]
| gross =
}}
Jigsaw is a 1949 American film noir crime drama directed by Fletcher Markle starring Franchot Tone, Jean Wallace and Marc Lawrence. The feature was produced by the Danziger Brothers, Edward J. Danziger and Harry Lee Danziger from a screenplay by Vincent McConnor and Fletcher Markle, which was based on a story by John Roeburt.{{IMDb title|id=0041523|title=Jigsaw}}.
The film features cameo appearances by Marlene Dietrich, Henry Fonda, John Garfield, Burgess Meredith, Marsha Hunt, Doe Avedon, Everett Sloane, newspaper columnist Leonard Lyons and the film's director, Fletcher Markle.
Plot
The murder of a print shop owner is quickly labeled a suicide. However, newspaper columnist Charlie Riggs is convinced that it was a murder related to a white neofascist organization called the Crusaders and relays this suspicion to assistant district attorney Howard Malloy. Riggs also publishes his opinion in his column.
Riggs is murdered, inducing Malloy to launch an investigation into the Crusaders. The group appears to be backed by organized crime, and Malloy receives unsolicited help from a crime boss named Angel, who recommends him for the position of special prosecutor.
Later, with further help from a prominent judge's widow, Malloy is appointed, and the criminals think that he is in their pocket. However, Malloy proceeds to investigate the artist who created the Crusaders' recruiting poster and sees a painting of an attractive night club singer, so Malloy investigates her. After a series of revelations, a fiery exchange takes place.
Cast
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- Franchot Tone as Howard Malloy
- Jean Wallace as Barbara Whitfield
- Myron McCormick as Charles Riggs
- Marc Lawrence as Angelo Agostini
- Winifred Lenihan as Mrs. Hartley
- Doe Avedon as Caroline Riggs
- Hedley Rainnie as Sigmund Kosterich
- Walter Vaughan as District Attorney Walker
- George Breen as Knuckles
- Robert Gist as Tommy Quigley
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- Hester Sondergaard as Mrs. Borg
- Luella Gear as Pet Shop Owner
- Henry Fonda as Nightclub Waiter
- Alexander Campbell as Pemberton
- Robert Noe as Waldron
- Alexander Lockwood as Nichols
- Ken Smith as Wylie
- Alan MacAteer as Museum Guard
- Manuel Aparicio as Warehouse Guard
- Brainerd Duffield as Butler
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Reception
In a contemporary review for The New York Times, critic Bosley Crowther wrote: "It is sluggishly directed by Fletcher Markle, who also co-authored the script, and almost indifferently played, where good playing would do the most for it, by Franchot Tone in the principal role ... An irresistible temptation to get a few recognizable stars to play bit roles in the picture was accepted unfortunately. John Garfield is seen as a loafer, Henry Fonda as a waiter in a club, Burgess Meredith as a bartender, Marcia Hunt as a secretary and such. This tomfooling doesn't help the picture. It gives the whole thing a faintly prankish look."[https://movies.nytimes.com/movie/review?res=9A07E2D9103CE23BBC4850DFB3668382659EDE Crowther, Bosley]. The New York Times, film review, May 30, 1949. Accessed: July 12, 2013.
Critic Philip K. Scheuer of the Los Angeles Times wrote: "'Jigsaw,' produced by Franchot Tone and associates in New York in attempted semidocumentary style, strikes me as a dilettante effort at movie making. The boys seem to have gotten hold of a camera and decided to play around with it. This is too bad, because they also chose a serious subject—the spreading of racial intolerance—and then muddled it up almost hopelessly."{{Cite news |last=Scheuer |first=Philip K. |date=1949-03-30 |title='Jigsaw' Gives Serious Subject Odd Treatment |work=Los Angeles Times |page=15}}
References
{{reflist}}
External links
{{Commons category}}
{{wikiquote}}
- {{IMDb title|id=0041523|title=Jigsaw}}
- {{TCMDb title|id=79765|title=Jigsaw}}
- {{Internet Archive film|id=Jigsaw_|name=Jigsaw}}
- [http://www.dvdbeaver.com/film2/DVDReviews47/jigsaw.htm Jigsaw] informational site and DVD review at DVD Beaver (includes images)
- {{YouTube|3EgyBMrMySg|Jigsaw complete film}}
{{The Danzigers}}
Category:1949 crime drama films
Category:American black-and-white films
Category:American crime drama films
Category:1949 directorial debut films
Category:1940s English-language films