Nine Lives Are Not Enough (1941)

When I saw this the first time, years ago, I was struck by the performances of Howard Da Silva and Peter Whitney, whose work I knew from their later films.

And I was struck. Howard Da Silva is one of those actors I think can do no wrong. What a talent.

Peter Whitney is called "fearsome" in his mini-bio here at IMDb, but in "Nine Lives Are Not Enough" he is anything but. This is a difficult, very non-PC role, and it's hard to believe Whitney was just beginning his acting career.

Ronald Reagan's forte was not slapstick, and he seems a bit awkward in some of the knockabout scenes, but other times, as the slightly bashful guy, he is very good.

Again, since this is a Warner Brothers product, the cast is just great, again with so many superb talents who don't get credit, such as John Hamilton, who must have made 500 movies with no credit.

Hamilton's most famous role was as Perry White, editor at the Metropolis Daily Planet, and his most famous line was probably "Don't call me 'chief'!" Reagan's reporter, Matt Sawyer, continually calls Howard Da Silva's editor "chiefie," which is even funnier in the context of Hamilton's presence.

"Nine Lives" might not be great cinema, but it is great fun.