Police Rookie / Marked Men

Police Rookie (1940; 66 minutes): Racketeers have overrun the city by killing anyone who stands in their way. A veteran police inspector who threatens their domination is murdered. His son, Steve Hannigan, vows revenge and becomes a cop. As he penetrates the layers of corruption surrounding the criminal syndicate, he discovers that their organization is far more powerful than he ever imagined.

The first official release from PRC, Police Rookie (aka, I Take This Oath) was directed by Sam Newfield, who would go on to direct more features for the company than anyone else. Gordon Jones, the film's muscular, driven star, is better known for his role as the Green Hornet in the Universal serial (1940) and "Mike the Cop" in "The Abbott and Costello Show" (1952).

Marked Men (1940; 71 minutes): Fingered for a crime he didn't commit and facing 10 years in the state penitentiary, Bill Carver escapes imprisonment and finds shelter in a small Arizona town. When the gang that framed him shows up, he sees his chance for revenge. Offering to guide the crooks out of the desert, Carver gambles his own life in a winner-takes-all game of survival. With their water supply dwindling, Bill leads the men on a death march, hoping to draw a confession out of the criminals and clear his name.

• mystery
• thriller