Trapped by Boston Blackie (1948)

"When I was in stir, I heard these boys was going straight... Ain't it terrible what vicious gossip you hear about people?" That's what people are saying about "Blackie" (Chester Morris) and his pal "Runt" (George E. Stone) when they are naturally top of the list of suspects for "Insp.Faraday" (Richard Lane) and his dim-witted sergeant "Matthews" (Frank Sully). It's all the more complicated because our recently reformed pairing have only just taken over the running of a private investigation firm that was previously owned by a friend who suddenly lost control of his car on a dark and windy road. Their first job is to protect some valuable pearls, they get pinched, then found, then found again - somewhere else. Just what has dancing instructor "Igor" (Edward Norris) got to do with things, too? This is quite good fun with Morris and Stone spending quite a bit of it in fancy dress, a bit of drag and engaged in some daft fisticuffs as they hone in on the dastardly perpetrators. On that last front, it's not so very difficult to guess who they are - there are so many different cast members to choose from, but it's a quickly paced and enjoyable hour that is at the better end of the series.