The Lady from Nowhere (DVD)

A young woman on the run from the police breaks into the hotel room of private investigator John Conroy. The detective, on the trail of a counterfeit money ring, is so entranced by the girl's beauty that he hides her from the authorities. The next morning, Conroy is startled to find the pretty stranger gone without a trace. The elusive female soon begins appearing wherever the private eye goes, and before long a romance blossoms between the two. Little does Conroy realize that this femme fatale has been hired by the counterfeiting ring to lure him to his death.

This pre-Code thriller, based on a 1920 pulp magazine story, features stylish, moody direction by Hollywood workhorse Richard Thorpe. Beginning in the silent era as an actor, Thorpe had an over 40-year career, mostly spent at MGM. His filmography includes entries in the popular Tarzan and Thin Man series, the historical dramas Ivanhoe and The Prisoner of Zenda (both 1952), and the Elvis Presley vehicle Jailhouse Rock (1957). Leading lady Alice Day was the elder sister of silent screen siren Marceline Day. Character actor Mischa Auer, known for his supporting roles in My Man Godfrey (1936) and You Can't Take It with You (1938), has a memorable turn as a crazed hitman. The film was released in some markets as The Girl from Nowhere.

• mystery
• thriller