One of my favorites from 1934. A man is tricked into getting involved with a robbery. The movie is full of surprises and that makes for a lot of fun.
A man wakes up on a couch in a mansion after being blackjacked at his hotel. The calender says it’s 1938. Greyson the butler (Wilson Benge) says his name is Jerry Werrenden (John Miljan) and he’s the owner of the mansion. He’s been ill for four years. It doesn’t take him long to see through everything and he gets Greyson to admit he’s a character actor that was hired to play a butler. Jerry tells him to keep on playing the part.
The real mans’ wife Chloe (Shirley Grey) comes in and he decides to try some romance. She sticks a gun in his ribs. In walks Colton Drain, the real Jerry’s secretary. They realize he’s figured it out. The real Jerry is a flier and was reportedly last seen somewhere in France. The plot involves the theft of two hundred thousand dollars in bonds. They’re being dropped off by the trustee of the estate, Colonel Gordon Lewis. Jerry agrees. He hears the two discuss leaving for South America with the money. They did offer him ten grand to cooperate.
Lewis comes by and Jerry sees a signed picture of the real person and forges the signature on a receipt for the bonds. He puts them in the safe. No one knows the combination to get them back out. That night two crooks sneak in to rob the safe. When Jerry walks in they recognize him as master thief The Sparrow. He lets them take off before the cops get there.
When the cops arrive they believe it when Colton tells them Jerry is really The Sparrow. The cops says they’re taking Jerry and Chloe to headquarters.
To go further would spoil all the twists and turns that makes this a lot of fun. This is definitely worth seeking out.
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