Nine Lives Are Not Enough (1941)

Nine Lives Are Not Enough (1941)

** 1/2 (out of 4)

Warner "B" mystery has a millionaire being found dead but it's unclear whether it's suicide or murder. A news reporter (Ronald Reagan) feels it's murder with a local crook behind it but his editor doesn't believe it but the victim's daughter (Joan Perry) does. Soon the two are working together to try and bring justice to her father. This is a fairly entertaining film that mixes the mysteries with the laughs very well, although in the end the story just isn't strong enough to fill the short 63-minute running time. The first forty-minutes are pretty fast paced and we get quite a few laughs with Reagan turning in a fine performance. It's nothing great or ground breaking but it suits the film just fine. Most of the comic relief comes from Peter Whitney who is wonderful in the role of Roy, a dimwitted fool who constantly gets himself in the middle of things. His comic timing is very good as is his way of playing the slow and stupid character. The rest of the cast are decent enough to help the film but none of them really stick out. I grew a little tired during the final act, which really isn't a good thing considering how short the movie is. Fans of "B" movies will want to check this out but others might want to avoid.