Illegal Traffic
Cast & Crew
Louis King
J. Carrol Naish
Mary Carlisle
Robert Preston
Judith Barrett
Pierre Watkin
Film Details
Technical Specs
Synopsis
Lewis Zomar runs a transportation agency that specializes in helping criminals evade the law. Determined to uncover who has been helping criminals escape, the police plant Charles Bent Martin, an undercover man, in Zomar's operation. Bent maintains his cover and stays in Zomar's good graces after successfully running an operation in which he flies a bank robber to Canada and is cleared of suspicion after one of his passengers, Silk Patterson, is arrested while he is driving. Bent falls in love with Carol Butler, daughter of Frank Butler, whose coffee shop and airstrip are run in cooperation with Zomar. Carol returns Bent's affection, and he offers to get her a job in the city. One night at dinner, Zomar invites Carol and Bent to his table with his girl friend, Marie Arden and, taking an interest in the beautiful Carol, gives her a job as his personal secretary. Carol is innocent of the true nature of Zomar's company. Marie is jealous of Carol, and Carol is jealous of Marie after Bent and Marie go out together one night, unaware that they are working a job. Bent and his chief formulate a plan to entrap Zomar when he assists a prison break. In accordance with his plan, Bent pretends to get drunk and pass out one night in a bar with Marie. She finds his F.B.I. Special Agent card in his wallet and informs Zomar. Zomar empties his safe, packs his bag, sends Marie to Canada, and kills his partner, Jiggers. That night Zomar forces Bent to go to the coffee shop and there shoots him, then makes Frank and Carol drive him away. Bent manages to fly the plane and follow the car, informing the police as to where the car is headed. Finally, he hurls grenades on the side of the road near the car and forces the car to stop. Zomar leaps out and runs across a field, but Bent guns him down from the air and crash lands. Bent recovers in the hospital, and while his policemen friends sign his cast, Carol promises to carve her initials in him so they will never come off.
Director
Louis King
Cast
J. Carrol Naish
Mary Carlisle
Robert Preston
Judith Barrett
Pierre Watkin
Larry Crabbe
George Mckay
Richard Denning
Phillip Warren
Sheila Darcy
Dolores Casey
Richard Stanley
John Hart
Regis Toomey
William B. Davidson
Joseph Crehan
Monte Blue
Archie Twitchell
Morgan Conway
Howard Mitchell
Jean Fenwick
John Locke
Andre P. Marsaudon
Albert Pollet
Pat West
Stanley Price
Dick Rush
Emory Parnell
Bob Ryan
Helaine Moler
Moselle Kimbler
Marie Burton
Paula De Cardo
Harriette Haddon
Ruth Rogers
Gloria Williams
Mike Pat Donovan
Crew
Stuart Anthony
Hans Dreier
Lewis Foster
A. E. Freudeman
John Goodman
George Hippard
Don Johnson
Harvey Johnston
William Lebaron
Harold Lewis
Boris Morros
Harry Scott
Henry Sharp
William C. Thomas
Adolph Zukor
Film Details
Technical Specs
Quotes
Trivia
Notes
Both the Film Daily and Daily Variety reviews credit Harold Lewis and Richard Olson with sound, although onscreen credits list Lewis and Don Johnson. Olson is not credited for other films, and his participation in this film is not confirmed. An article in Los Angeles Times about the production in February 1938 stated that the screenplay would be based on "actual gleanings from insurance company records." The article also announced John Howard, Lloyd Nolan and Lynne Overman as cast members and Harold Hurley as producer. A pre-release article in Hollywood Reporter included Dorothy Howe in the cast, but her participation in the final film is undetermined. According to copyright records, some scenes were filmed on location near Newton, CA.
