Lucky Jordan
Encyclopedia
Lucky Jordan is a 1942 film directed by Frank Tuttle
, starring Alan Ladd
in his first leading role, Helen Walker
in her film debut, and Sheldon Leonard
. A self-centered gangster tangles with Nazi spies.
Meanwhile, Lucky has been drafted. His lawyer, Ernest Higgins (Lloyd Corrigan
), tries to get him off by giving the orphaned Lucky a "mother" in alcoholic panhandler Annie (Mabel Paige
), but the draft board
is unconvinced, and he ends up in the army. To avoid work, Lucky lounges in the canteen, where he meets Jill Evans (Helen Walker). He gets found out and is thrown in the stockade, but escapes. To get out of camp, he steals the car and papers of an army engineer.
To his puzzlement, two thugs catch up to him on the road and try to rough him up. They leave when Jill drives up. Lucky takes Jill along with him against her will, and they become acquainted. She threatens to throw out Lucky's papers if he does not let her go. Since they are not his, he is unconcerned when she dumps them by the roadside.
When Lucky sneaks back into the city, he finds Slip occupying his office. Slip tells him about some foreigners who are paying him plenty of money to sabotage the American war effort. He even takes credit (and payment) for the burning of the SS Normandie
, even though he had nothing to do with it. It turns that the two goons Lucky encountered were after papers dealing with secret new tank armor.
The trio head back to look for the papers. When Lucky finds them, Slip pulls a gun on him. Fortunately, Lucky is able to knock Slip out; Jill persuades him not to kill the helpless Slip.
Still, for $50,000, Lucky is willing to pass along the papers. He phones Slip to arrange an exchange. Annie warns him that Slip has set up a trap, and offers to hide him at her place. Lucky is willing to try selling out his country again, but he is spotted by Slip's men. They follow him back to his hideout. While he is out, they beat Annie up, but she tells them nothing. When Lucky gets back, he checks out where he hid the papers; the thugs (who hid in the apartment) knock him out and take them.
From a slim clue, Lucky tracks the spy ring to Kilpatrick Gardens on Long Island
. He sneaks around and finds Slip and Kilpatrick (Miles Mander
) with the papers. He manages to grab them and race away. All the exits are locked and watched, but when a man who had been taking a public tour of the place demands from a guard the return of an umbrella he left behind, Lucky hides the papers and an explanatory note inside the rolled up umbrella.
Jill, having spotted Lucky, trails him to the gardens, and asks a guard for the use of the telephone to notify the authorities. Instead, he puts her through to Kilpatrick, who masquerades as an FBI agent. Totally deceived, she helps capture Lucky. Herr Kesselman (John Wengraf
), the leader of the spies, is disappointed when Lucky, under the mere threat of torture, quickly discloses where he supposedly hid the papers; Kesselman had thought that there were many similarities between Nazis and American gangsters. After most of the spies head off to search, Lucky manages to wrestle away the lone guard's gun. He tells Kesselman he is going to turn over the papers to the government out of new-found patriotism when real FBI agents arrive. Jill tells Lucky he will probably get a medal, but he actually ends up digging a ditch with other army prisoners under the watchful eye of his former drill sergeant (Charles Cane).
Frank Tuttle
Frank Tuttle was a Hollywood film director and writer who directed films from 1922 to 1959 ....
, starring Alan Ladd
Alan Ladd
-Early life:Ladd was born in Hot Springs, Arkansas. He was the only child of Ina Raleigh Ladd and Alan Ladd, Sr. He was of English ancestry. His father died when he was four, and his mother relocated to Oklahoma City where she married Jim Beavers, a housepainter...
in his first leading role, Helen Walker
Helen Walker
Not to be confused with the singer-actress Helen Roberts WalkerHelen Walker was an American movie actress of the 1940s and 1950s....
in her film debut, and Sheldon Leonard
Sheldon Leonard
Sheldon Leonard was a pioneering American film and television producer, director, writer, and actor.-Biography:...
. A self-centered gangster tangles with Nazi spies.
Plot
Gangster Lucky Jordan (Alan Ladd) narrowly escapes death at the hands of an assassin hired by his ambitious right hand man, Slip Moran (Sheldon Leonard); his decoy double Eddie is killed instead.Meanwhile, Lucky has been drafted. His lawyer, Ernest Higgins (Lloyd Corrigan
Lloyd Corrigan
Lloyd Corrigan was an American film actor, producer, screenwriter and director who began working in films in the 1920s...
), tries to get him off by giving the orphaned Lucky a "mother" in alcoholic panhandler Annie (Mabel Paige
Mabel Paige
Mabel Paige was an American film actress. She began acting at age 4 and went on to appear in over 50 films between 1914 and 1953...
), but the draft board
Draft board
Draft Board was a part of the Selective Service Act which registered and selected men of military age for conscription in the United States-Local Board:...
is unconvinced, and he ends up in the army. To avoid work, Lucky lounges in the canteen, where he meets Jill Evans (Helen Walker). He gets found out and is thrown in the stockade, but escapes. To get out of camp, he steals the car and papers of an army engineer.
To his puzzlement, two thugs catch up to him on the road and try to rough him up. They leave when Jill drives up. Lucky takes Jill along with him against her will, and they become acquainted. She threatens to throw out Lucky's papers if he does not let her go. Since they are not his, he is unconcerned when she dumps them by the roadside.
When Lucky sneaks back into the city, he finds Slip occupying his office. Slip tells him about some foreigners who are paying him plenty of money to sabotage the American war effort. He even takes credit (and payment) for the burning of the SS Normandie
SS Normandie
SS Normandie was an ocean liner built in Saint-Nazaire, France for the French Line Compagnie Générale Transatlantique. She entered service in 1935 as the largest and fastest passenger ship afloat; she is still the most powerful steam turbo-electric-propelled passenger ship ever built.Her novel...
, even though he had nothing to do with it. It turns that the two goons Lucky encountered were after papers dealing with secret new tank armor.
The trio head back to look for the papers. When Lucky finds them, Slip pulls a gun on him. Fortunately, Lucky is able to knock Slip out; Jill persuades him not to kill the helpless Slip.
Still, for $50,000, Lucky is willing to pass along the papers. He phones Slip to arrange an exchange. Annie warns him that Slip has set up a trap, and offers to hide him at her place. Lucky is willing to try selling out his country again, but he is spotted by Slip's men. They follow him back to his hideout. While he is out, they beat Annie up, but she tells them nothing. When Lucky gets back, he checks out where he hid the papers; the thugs (who hid in the apartment) knock him out and take them.
From a slim clue, Lucky tracks the spy ring to Kilpatrick Gardens on Long Island
Long Island
Long Island is an island located in the southeast part of the U.S. state of New York, just east of Manhattan. Stretching northeast into the Atlantic Ocean, Long Island contains four counties, two of which are boroughs of New York City , and two of which are mainly suburban...
. He sneaks around and finds Slip and Kilpatrick (Miles Mander
Miles Mander
Miles Mander , born Lionel Henry Mander , was a well-known and versatile English character actor of the early Hollywood cinema, also a film director and producer, and a playwright and novelist.-Early life:Miles Mander was the second son of Theodore Mander, builder of Wightwick Manor, of the prominent...
) with the papers. He manages to grab them and race away. All the exits are locked and watched, but when a man who had been taking a public tour of the place demands from a guard the return of an umbrella he left behind, Lucky hides the papers and an explanatory note inside the rolled up umbrella.
Jill, having spotted Lucky, trails him to the gardens, and asks a guard for the use of the telephone to notify the authorities. Instead, he puts her through to Kilpatrick, who masquerades as an FBI agent. Totally deceived, she helps capture Lucky. Herr Kesselman (John Wengraf
John Wengraf
John Wengraf was an Austrian actor.Wengraf emigrated to England in 1933 as the Nazis began their rise to power. Wengraf appeared unbilled in a couple of films, as well as in some of the first BBC live-television shows ever presented...
), the leader of the spies, is disappointed when Lucky, under the mere threat of torture, quickly discloses where he supposedly hid the papers; Kesselman had thought that there were many similarities between Nazis and American gangsters. After most of the spies head off to search, Lucky manages to wrestle away the lone guard's gun. He tells Kesselman he is going to turn over the papers to the government out of new-found patriotism when real FBI agents arrive. Jill tells Lucky he will probably get a medal, but he actually ends up digging a ditch with other army prisoners under the watchful eye of his former drill sergeant (Charles Cane).
Cast
- Alan Ladd as Lucky Jordan
- Helen Walker as Jill Evans
- Sheldon Leonard as Slip Moran
- Mabel PaigeMabel PaigeMabel Paige was an American film actress. She began acting at age 4 and went on to appear in over 50 films between 1914 and 1953...
as Annie - Marie McDonaldMarie McDonaldMarie McDonald was an American singer and actress known as "The Body Beautiful" and later nicknamed "The Body".- Early life :...
as Pearl, Lucky's secretary - Lloyd CorriganLloyd CorriganLloyd Corrigan was an American film actor, producer, screenwriter and director who began working in films in the 1920s...
as Ernest Higgins - Dave WillockDave WillockDave Willock was an American character actor. Willock appeared in 181 films and television shows from 1939 to 1989. He is probably most familiar to modern audiences from his performance as Baby Jane Hudson's father in the opening scenes of the cult classic What Ever Happened to Baby Jane?...
as Angelo Palacio - Russell Hoyt as Eddie
- John WengrafJohn WengrafJohn Wengraf was an Austrian actor.Wengraf emigrated to England in 1933 as the Nazis began their rise to power. Wengraf appeared unbilled in a couple of films, as well as in some of the first BBC live-television shows ever presented...
as Herr Kesselman - Miles ManderMiles ManderMiles Mander , born Lionel Henry Mander , was a well-known and versatile English character actor of the early Hollywood cinema, also a film director and producer, and a playwright and novelist.-Early life:Miles Mander was the second son of Theodore Mander, builder of Wightwick Manor, of the prominent...
as Kilpatrick - Clem BevansClem BevansClem Bevans was a character actor best remembered for playing eccentric, grumpy old men.Bevans had a very long career, starting in vaudeville in 1900 in an act with Grace Emmett. He progressed to burlesque, Broadway, and even light opera, before making his film debut at the age of 55 in Way Down...
as Gas station attendant - Anthony CarusoAnthony Caruso (actor)Anthony Caruso was an American character actor in over 100 American films, usually playing villains, including the First Season of Walt Disney's Zorro as Don Juan Ortega...
as Hired Gun / Gardener - Charles Cane as Sergeant
- George Meader as Little Man
- Virginia BrissacVirginia BrissacVirginia Brissac was an American stage and film actress. With her stern features, she often played schoolteachers and other authority figures....
as Little Man's Wife