Dorathen Better Late Then Never

Onlinewsma Absolutely Brilliant!

Afouotos Although it has its amusing moments, in eneral the plot does not convince.

Matylda Swan It is a whirlwind of delight --- attractive actors, stunning couture, spectacular sets and outrageous parties.

Scarecrow-88 After a good trio of RKO Val Lewton pictures, Karloff's career would kind of slide into less prestige B-movies and television. Here in "Dick Tracy Meets Gruesome", Karloff returns to the kind of heavies notable during his Warner Bros. or Universal Studios periods. He stars as a recently released crook who just so happens to literally stumble into a scientist's new experiment which renders humans "frozen" and helpless, with no movement. This new invention allows Karloff's Gruesome to initiate a series of bank robberies, using the chemical gas to subdue the clerks, security guards, bank employees, and clients in place mid movement while he and his associates rob joints in the city. Enter Dick Tracy (Ralph Byrd), on the case to help the police catch Gruesome and his gang, during his investigation the detective is led to a scientist named Dr. A. Tomic (Milton Parsons), which eventually puts him in the crosshairs of Gruesome. The movie includes Skelton Knaggs in goggle-eyed glasses assisting Karloff in an attempted capture of a comatose patient by disguising themselves as paramedics, Karloff shooting a potential female informant in cold blood as she walks down a quiet, empty street from the driver's seat of his car, Karloff and Tracy in a protracted shootout, Karloff collapsing in a street after stumbling upon the gas resulting in finding himself in a morgue (!), and Anne Gwyne (House of Frankenstein; she stars as Tracy's love interest) the only awake witness to an ongoing bank heist while everyone else is frozen by the gas. Dialogue heavy for sure, and the gas' effects are rather cheesy. Karloff handles the dastardly persona with kid gloves, bossing around those involved in his criminal activities, orchestrating the robberies and capable of the most heinous of acts if it means protecting himself from another trip to the slammer. Byrd is totally outshone by Karloff, and the less of him the better (which is kind of sad considering the movie is supposed to be his starring vehicle). Knaggs' soft voice and creepy eyes in those glasses (and diminutive size) is rather quite a contrast to Karloff's brutish antagonist. The cops are spinning their wheels for much of the running time, as the villains stay ahead of them. A set up in the hospital is what leads to Tracy getting the upper hand on the crooks. RKO seems to be imitating something you'd see from Warners in the 30s during the Cagney/Robinson/Bogie period of gangster shootouts…Karloff certainly wields a mean pistol. Another menace to add to Karloff's rogues gallery... The movie plays up an against-the-clock rush-time due to a pushy reporter who happens upon details of the case while Tracy and the cops are discussing everything at the station. As there is no honor among crooks, Karloff's team decide to try and turn on him, which is a big no-no.

LeonLouisRicci There's more wordplay than usual in the final entry in the Series. For better or worse we are given Names that evoke chuckles and sighs. But the Characters personified are more of that specialized Tracy Comic-Strip charm.Boris Karloff is decidedly "Gruesome", carries the show and steals every Scene He appears. Although Skelton Knaggs as "X-Ray" can't be ignored with a sinister voice and coke-bottle glasses. Ralph Byrd as Tracy pretty much just reacts to things happening around. He is straight laced and squared jawed dutiful.The other returning characters show up and go through Their standard routines. Not as good as the first one in the Series but it is an above average B-Movie thanks to Karloff and a clever gimmick. Fast paced and fun.

Tweekums When the eponymous Gruesome gets out of the slammer he meets up with fellow criminal and part time pianist 'Melody'. Melody explains that he has an idea for a job that will involve scientist Dr A. Tomic; Gruesome goes to meet the man but while snooping around his office he opens a container which releases a gas. He staggers out and it looks like he has died. He isn't dead though and wakes up in the police morgue! He escapes and comes up with a plan; he and his gang will use a refined form of the gas to rob a bank. When released the gas freezes everybody where they stand; the only witness is Dick Tracy's girlfriend who was in a phone box at the time. As the gang flee Melody shoots a policeman and soon Dick Tracy and the homicide squad are on their trail.This story is was rather fun if more than a little preposterous; not only does the gas instantly freeze people it also seems to negate the laws of physics concerning the conservation of momentum… moving people do not fall over and when they wake they move as if nothing has happened. This doesn't really matter as it isn't meant to be taken seriously. The names of the bad guys adds to the fun, not only do we have Gruesome and A. Tomic; there is also X-Ray, Dr. L. E. Thal and Dr Learned! The action is fun with Tracy getting into danger more than once… although nobody will doubt he will prevail; the only question is how he will do so and what will happen to the various bad guys. Ralph Byrd does a solid job as Dick Tracy but it is Boris Karloff who steals the show with his performance as Gruesome; playing the role straight rather than overplaying the part. Overall a fun way to pass an hour.

GManfred This is a surprisingly good effort in an otherwise routine series of second-billed features. The other entries in the Dick Tracy series are cartoonish and juvenile, but this one has a plot, good production values and better than competent acting. Hiring Boris Karloff was inspired casting as he adds immeasurable status to the film with his vivid portrayal of Gruesome.The most striking aspect of the production was the unusually absorbing screenplay of the type not often seen in a programmer - just swallow a bit and go with it, and it works. Last but not least, you can get a look at one of Hollywood's best looking females in Anne Gwynne. Not for nothing was she a WWII pin-up girl.If you come across this picture in your DVD set, don't skip it. It's worth watching.