Sent to prison for embezzlement, Richard Cromwell refuses to reveal where he's hidden the $100,000, sure he'll get an early parole and be able to go on the lamb with his lady love (Helen Mack) and live a decent life in hiding. He doesn't count on the diligent Lionel Atwill (who is hired by the bank Cromwell worked for to get the money back) following him everywhere he goes, and all the inevitable pressures that fall on him. All sorts of other crooked con-artists fall into his path during his journey until the finale where Cromwell must make the decision of where to go when Atwill pops up for one last showdown.
Short and to the point, this sometimes convoluted tale of desperation offers sympathy to the embezzler and his stalker, sort of a poor man's "You Only Live Once". The role of the girlfriend is built up from the usual long-suffering and fragile heroine to the only person who can provide a voice for Cromwell's conscience. Many familiar faces pop up in small character roles, most famously Marjorie Main as Cromwell and Mack's boarding house landlady who offers some kindness and her homemade apple pie (with cream) along with her homespun advice. Atwill, best known for playing some of Hollywood's most famous villains (mainly in horror movies but also in historical dramas as well), gives a very polished performance in that you never really know what side he is on until a surprise twist comes in at the end that will have you reeling.
Short and to the point, this sometimes convoluted tale of desperation offers sympathy to the embezzler and his stalker, sort of a poor man's "You Only Live Once". The role of the girlfriend is built up from the usual long-suffering and fragile heroine to the only person who can provide a voice for Cromwell's conscience. Many familiar faces pop up in small character roles, most famously Marjorie Main as Cromwell and Mack's boarding house landlady who offers some kindness and her homemade apple pie (with cream) along with her homespun advice. Atwill, best known for playing some of Hollywood's most famous villains (mainly in horror movies but also in historical dramas as well), gives a very polished performance in that you never really know what side he is on until a surprise twist comes in at the end that will have you reeling.