The Case of the Black Parrot

The Case of the Black Parrot
Theatrical release poster
Directed by	Noel M. Smith
Screenplay by	Robert E. Kent
Produced by	William Jacobs
Starring	William Lundigan Maris Wrixon Eddie Foy, Jr. Paul Cavanagh Luli Deste Charles Waldron
Cinematography	Ted D. McCord
Edited by	Thomas Pratt
Music by	Bernhard Kaun
Production company	Warner Bros.
Distributed by	Warner Bros.
Release date	January 11, 1941 (1941-01-11)
Running time	60 minutes
Country	United States
Language	English

The Case of the Black Parrot is a 1941 American crime film directed by Noel M. Smith and written by Robert E. Kent. The film stars William Lundigan, Maris Wrixon, Eddie Foy, Jr., Paul Cavanagh, Luli Deste and Charles Waldron. The film was released by Warner Bros. on January 11, 1941.

Plot

Aboard a ship, newspaper reporter Jim Moore falls for passenger Sandy Vantine and meets her Uncle Paul, who is in possession of a small wooden chest that he believes could be a copy made by the mysterious Black Parrot, a notorious art forger. Scotland Yard inspector Colonel Piggott is also aboard, presumably on the Parrot's tail.

Jim proposes to Sandy and meets her relatives and family acquaintances. They include Madame de Charierre, the chest's rightful owner, whose maid Julia had been trying to retrieve it because a secret drawer contained compromising love letters. A police constable, Grady, arrives, so Jim gets in touch with Piggott as well. Paul and another guest quickly end up dead, Piggott quickly declaring that everyone in the house a suspect.

A second hidden compartment contains priceless diamonds. Jim and Sandy realize just in time that Piggott himself is the Black Parrot, after the jewels all along.

Cast

• William Lundigan as Jim Moore
• Maris Wrixon as Sandy Vantine
• Eddie Foy, Jr. as Tripod Daniels
• Paul Cavanagh as Max Armand
• Luli Deste as Madame de Charriere
• Charles Waldron as Paul Vantine
• Joseph Crehan as Grady
• Emory Parnell as Simmonds
• Phyllis Barry as Julia
• Cyril Thornton as Rogers
• Leyland Hodgson as Parks
• Ernie Stanton as Colonel Piggott
• Cliff Saum as Morel

Reception

T.S. of The New York Times said, "A talkative little puzzler is The Case of the Black Parrot, now at the Palace. It is complete with standard equipment—a priceless old cabinet with secret drawers, a be-ribboned packet of scented letters, veiled women bearing a double identity, muffled figures silhouetted at the library window as the clock chimes midnight, and a butler with a guilt complex (probably because all the scenarists are pointing the finger of suspicion at him, but that doesn't fool us any more). But somehow each moment of suspense is merely a prelude to long-winded deductions in the library. In short, The Case of the Black Parrott is on the verbose side, though there's no such bird in it."

External links

• The Case of the Black Parrot at IMDb