Dick Tracy vs. Cueball (1946)

Directed by Gordon M. Douglas, Dick Tracy vs. Cueball is the second of four RKO Pictures films based on Chester Gould’s iconic comic strip detective. Released in late 1946, this 62-minute crime thriller stars Morgan Conway in his final outing as Dick Tracy, facing off against a brutal ex-con with a penchant for strangulation and stolen gems.

Plot Summary
The story kicks off with a diamond courier murdered aboard a ship by the hulking bald villain Cueball (Dick Wessel), who strangles his victims with a length of rope. Cueball is tipped off by two accomplices—Simon Little and Mona Clyde—who work for a crooked gem dealer. The stolen diamonds are meant to be fenced through Percival Priceless, an antiques dealer with a flair for deception. As Tracy investigates, he enlists the help of his eccentric friend Vitamin Flintheart (Ian Keith), who poses as a customer to spy on Priceless. The trail leads to the seedy Dripping Dagger Bar, run by Filthy Flora, where Cueball hides out. The film builds to a tense showdown as Tracy closes in on the killer.

Cast Highlights

• Morgan Conway as Dick Tracy
• Anne Jeffreys as Tess Trueheart
• Dick Wessel as Cueball
• Ian Keith as Vitamin Flintheart — doing a spot-on parody of John Barrymore
• Esther Howard, Lyle Latell, and Skelton Knaggs in supporting roles

Behind-the-Scenes Trivia

• This was Morgan Conway’s second and final appearance as Dick Tracy. Despite box office success, theater owners preferred Ralph Byrd, who had played Tracy in earlier serials
• The film was re-released in 1966 as part of a double bill with Dick Tracy Meets Gruesome
• Cueball’s character received an “introducing” credit, highlighting Dick Wessel’s breakout role
• The opening credits feature static images of comic strip characters like Flattop, Shaky, and Breathless Mahoney, though only Vitamin Flintheart appears in the film