THE CARIBBEAN MYSTERY (1945)

Two oil company geologists working on a Caribbean island are looking for a secret island in the middle of a swamp area that was rumored to have been used as a hiding place for pirate treasures. When they come across it, they're surprised to find it inhabited. The island's leader, Van den Berk (Roy Roberts), offers them rest, but instead has his associate Hartshorn take them off and shoot them. They become the latest in a string of men who have gone missing on the island over the past six months. The oil company calls in Smith (James Dunn), a private detective from Brooklyn (he calls himself a "flatfoot from Flatbush") who has a rather fast and loose way of operating that irritates the local police. In due time, he meets McCracken, the island’s governor; Gerald, McCracken’s son; Linda, the police commissioner's daughter, who is dating Gerald; Mrs. Gilbert, the manager of the hotel where Smith and his associate Gates are staying; and Marcel, the local doctor. It’s not long before people start getting menaced and/or killed, and eventually the action moves to the swamp where, in addition to the threat of Van den Berk, who has indeed found the pirate gold, there are alligators, snakes, and quicksand pits to contend with. 

This B-thriller is serviceable until the end when it actually gets fairly involving and exciting. I'm not a fan of James Dunn (though he did deserve his supporting actor Oscar for A Tree Grows in Brooklyn) and he's a bit lackluster here—and the more he tries to enliven his character, the more artificial he seems—but I eventually got used to him. It's a B-film but it was made by Fox so it's generally a notch above the norm. The cast seems second-string; Sheila Ryan, a very busy B-actress in the 40s, is second-billed as Mrs. Gilbert, but she only has one short scene. Of some note are Reed Hadley (as Marcel), Edward Ryan (no relation to Sheila, as Gerald), and Daral Hudson (the rather handsome bad guy Hartshorn). Production values are good and the identity of the chief bad guy (Van den Berk is doing someone else's bidding) was a bit surprising, revealed during an old-fashioned suspect gathering scene at the end. The story is based on a novel which also was the basis for Mr. Moto on Danger Island. Recommended. Pictured are Ryan and Dunn. [YouTube]