a5c7b9f00b Private Investigator Terry Moran (<a href=">James Dunn), who is in love with Nora O'Brien (<a href=">Wanda McKay) the daughter of Police Detective Tim O'Brien (<a href=">Arthur Loft), is hired by Mrs. Hamilton to solve the murder of her husband, a fur dealer. Moran is beaten up by the henchmen of Maletti (<a href=">Jack La Rue), owner of the Black Swan Club and dealer in stolen goods and ordered to quit the case. Later, Terry and Nora search Hamilton's warehouse after they find a bill of sale for a large quantity of liquor, and discover that stolen furs have been substituted for the liquor. Forcing his way into Maletti's office, Terry discovers Maletti dead and he is hit over the head. He comes to to find the police accusing him of the murder.
LEAVE IT TO THE IRISH is one of hundreds of cheapie, hour-long productions put out by poverty row producers Monogram Pictures and directed by the notorious William Beaudine, nicknamed 'One Shot' due to his talent for never shooting a second tape. This one's a familiar detective story in which a private investigator goes up against a liquor smuggling operation, and it has a noticeably lighter touch than usual insofar as it tries to be funny throughout, even though it never really achieves that goal. The paucity of the budget is apparent from beginning to end.
This typically short (61 minutes) Monogram private detective movie stars James Dunn in a fast-talking role, directed by that legendary director of bad movies, "One Shot" William Beaudine.<br/><br/>Beaudine, like many another leading silent director, hid out in the Bs for the rest of his career, where he specialized in cranking 'em out fast and cheap -- he is reported to have said, when told that some studio executives wanted the rushes on a Bowery Boys picture "You mean there's someone who wants to see this c**p?" James Dunn had a decent career, hampered by a drinking problem and is best known for supporting Shirley Temple in a couple of her early features and atypically winning an Oscar for his role in A TREE GROWS IN BROOKLYN the year following this picture. But really, he had become typecast as a leading man when he was more suited for supporting roles, even when he had to get the parts in Poverty Row productions. Here he exercises his talents by speaking his lines very fast to indicate a gift of gab.<br/><br/>There's not much to be said about this movie except that it won't take up too much time and if it is never particularly good, it's short enough to sustain its length.