Boasting one of the largest casts ever assembled for a "B" movie, "Pacific Blackout" certainly holds the viewer's attention from first to last, despite its disappointingly slack direction from Ralph Murphy who manages to make a potentially exciting, edge-of-the-seat murder mystery just one of those things that audiences used to be trained to come late for. In addition to its incredibly diverse cast, and its inventively unusual story, the movie was most engagingly photographed by Theodor Sparkuhl. Of the players, Robert Preston turns in his usual engaging performance as the harassed hero, and he gets some great support from Martha O'Driscoll and Eva Gabor. Alas, like many of the great pictures in Paramount's library, this movie seems to have disappeared and is not currently available on DVD.
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JohnHowardReid9 July 2015
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happytrigger-64-39051730 November 2020Pacific Blackout was directed by Ralph Murphy who shot mostly B movies (Never Trust a Gambler, with Dane Clarke) and tvs. Robert Preston is on the run for a crime he hasn't committed, he's helpt by delicious Martha O'Driscoll who falls in love with him, they make an energic team and move in fast paced rhythm. Shadowy photography and smart camera movements by Theodor Sparkuhl maintain that non stop action. There is also an unexpected sequence during a blackout exercise. The entire casting is perfect. Pacific Blackout is a very nice surprise.
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Kittyman7 September 2019Pacific Blackout (1941) is a little known Paramount pre-World War II espionage movie containing strong comedy elements, and set in Seattle. It does not seem to have had a studio DVD release, but can be found on the internet. Although a B picture, it, like the Mr. Moto series, is well worth watching.
It's three weaknesses are a rather obvious villain, the astounding number of coincidences which prevent falsely convicted Robert Preston from escaping the downtown area, and the strange willingness of Martha O'Driscoll to attach herself to a stranger (handsome though he may be) whom she initially believes a murderer.
It's strengths are fourfold.
It presents an interesting civil defense exercise in anticipation of, and response to, a Japanese bombing raid. That involves both pre-raid blackout and post-raid triage of supposed victims. After Pearl Harbor, these west coast fears and exercises accelerated.
It has no dead spots and moves along at a nice pace.
It's special effects are well done, considering its modest budget, and when it was made.
It's actors do a good job. Standouts include the perpetually hungry Martha O'Driscoll, Mary Treen, J. Edward Bromberg, Spencer Charters, and Clem Bevans. Martha O'Driscoll was a wholesomely beautiful blonde who made thirty-nine movies by the age of twenty-five, then married a rich industrialist and retired. (Smart girl.) Here she looks and acts a bit like a ditzy, but much smarter, version of My Friend Irma (1949)--who Marie Wilson memorably portrayed. Mary Treen was a horse-faced comedian, who livened up most of the pictures she was in. Here she portrays Martha's switchboard co-worker and friend who is drawn into the plot through frantic phoned appeals from Martha. J. Edward Bromberg was a short, squat character actor who had his career and life destroyed by the hearings of the House Committee of Un-American Activities in 1950. Here he plays a surprisingly philosophical down-in-the-luck magician. Forced to live as a pickpocket, he becomes an unlikely ally. Spencer Charters was a beat-up looking character actor. He basically appeared in two hundred and twenty-five films as a blue-collar worker or minor official. Here he plays a suspicious, but confused garage watchmen. He confronts Robert and Martha, and suspects they are up to something, but can't figure out what. And he never does, do to a funny, distracting phone call from Mary. Finally, Clem Bevans, who cornered the market on benevolent old codgers, plays the munitions plant's kindly night watchman. He offers to share his dinner with Martha, then watches with amazement as she wolfs down most of it.
In summary, if you remember and like any of the actors, or other pictures, I mentioned, I believe you'll also find Pacific Blackout enjoyable. -
mark.waltz21 November 2020Convoluted and silly, this war film is enjoyable for it's absurdities as it pairs future music man Robert Preston with obscure 40's ingenue Martha O'Driscoll. Framed for murder, Preston is on his way to prison when he manages to escape to prove his innocence. He teams up with O'Driscoll oh actually seems enthralled by the opportunity to be involved in some intrigue at probably one of the most inopportuned times.
Preston's declaration of innocence is only possible if he can locate key trial witness Eva Gabor (!) who is being threatened by enemy agents if she doesn't post false witness against him. O'Driscoll is threatened with losing her job if she doesn't return to work, but she is willing to stand by him, having fallen in love with him at first sight. With the help of operator pal Mary Treen, O'Driscoll and Preston weasel in on the real killers, learning how to fool blackout workers along the way.
This sets the viewer onto a merry chase along with Preston and O'Driscoll as they become involved in blackout drills that show the preparations for a real blackout in a big city. The two leads manage to make the absurdities of the story acceptable, and the sight of the young Eva Gabor years before she became a huge celebrity is very amusing. It's fast moving and intriguing, featuring a fun cast of familiar character actors and plenty of humor among the action and romance.