City of Missing Girls (1941)

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Directed by Elmer Clifton and co-written by George Rosener, City of Missing Girls is a low-budget crime drama that blends traditional mystery with early exploitation themes. Produced by Producers Releasing Corporation, the film tackles taboo subjects like prostitution and corruption—though heavily veiled to comply with the Hays Code.

Plot Summary
Young women are vanishing across the city, and the trail leads to a shady drama school that may be a front for a prostitution ring. Captain McVeigh (H.B. Warner), a veteran police officer, teams up with Assistant District Attorney James Horton (John Archer) and a nosy reporter Nora Page (Astrid Allwyn) to investigate. As they dig deeper, they uncover a web of deceit involving nightclub owners, corrupt officials, and vulnerable showgirls. The film builds toward a tense confrontation and courtroom resolution.

Cast Highlights

  • H.B. Warner as Captain McVeigh
  • Astrid Allwyn as Nora Page
  • John Archer as James Horton
  • Sarah Padden as Mrs. Randolph
  • Philip Van Zandt as King Peterson
  • George Rosener as Officer Dugan
  • Gale Storm as Mary Phillips — in her third film role, before becoming a TV icon in My Little Margie
  • Kathryn Crawford, Walter Long, and Danny Webb in supporting roles

Behind-the-Scenes Trivia

  • This was the final film of George Rosener, who also co-wrote the screenplay
  • The film aired on WNBT (Channel 1) in New York as early as August 5, 1944, making it one of the earliest crime dramas shown on American television
  • It was later paired with Reefer Madness (1936) in double bills across Canada in 1948, reflecting its exploitation appeal
  • Though the subject matter hints at vice and trafficking, the film never explicitly shows these elements due to censorship—relying instead on implication and coded dialogue

Legacy
City of Missing Girls is more curiosity than classic, but it stands out for its daring subject matter and early depiction of systemic exploitation. It’s a snapshot of how 1940s filmmakers navigated censorship while still trying to tell socially relevant stories.

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