The Worst Film Ever

This story has more twists and turns than a second-rate soap opera.

Great example of an old-fashioned, pure-at-heart escapist event movie that doesn't pretend to be anything that it's not and has boat loads of fun being its own ludicrous self.

The film never slows down or bores, plunging from one harrowing sequence to the next.

While "The Man Who Wouldn't Talk" has a story that is VERY hard to believe, it still is well worth seeing. It's a B-movie but despite that, it is very interesting and worth seeing. Plus, Lloyd Nolan (who did a lot of Bs) did a nice job here as did the director.The film begins with a man being murdered. Someone is arrested for the killing but soon the real killer comes forward and admits he did it. Despite this, the killer (Nolan) won't say who he is or why he did it. The rest of the film consists of investigators and the court ultimately figuring out who he is as well as his more than justifiable reasons to kill the man. The answers are very satisfying...provided you turn off that part of your brain that questions just how realistic the story happens to be. Yes, it is far-fetched but still quite nice.

Inexpensive but neatly joined suspense story of ex-soldier Lloyd Nolan, who confesses to the murder of the wealthy New Yorker Onslow Stevens and then refuses to say anything more, except to claim that his name is Joe Monday, an incognito he's drawn spontaneously from a wall calendar.The introductory scenes leave little doubt that Nolan did the deed. The rest of the movie explores the reasons why he did it and why he is refusing to reveal his identity. The unraveling is done in flashbacks during Nolan's murder trial.There's nothing exceptional in the director or the photography. And although the Germans are on the wrong side, the flashbacks take us to 1918 in France. It's just a rather nifty, up-tempo B movie with a well-written script and a fine, subdued performance by Lloyd Nolan. Also a few laughs from Mantan Moreland, who is no more humiliated by the role than John Ford's brother Francis was by his ridiculous parts..

Lloyd Nolan (Joe Monday) is put on trial for the murder of Onslow Stevens (Keller). As the title suggests, Nolan doesn't give much away, especially his true identity. Jean Rogers (Alice Stetson) identifies Nolan as her brother who was presumed dead from the 1st World War. However, he denies this. Just who is the mysterious Joe Monday? And why has he shot Stevens? Well, after a few poem recitals, I think we all know who Joe Monday is. And I found that to be a problem with the film. It deprives us of any sort of surprise – we all know who he is. The title of the film sets the audience up for some kind of mystery concerning a man who won't talk and what his true identity is. We have a man who won't talk, but no mystery as to who he is. Fail.The story as it unfurls isn't too bad, although everything about it is predictable. The cast are fine and Nolan leads the proceedings well. But, Rogers and her poems……oh dear me….. Here's a childhood poem that I remember – There was a man called Bill, who swallowed the atomic pill, his penis corroded, his arsehole exploded, and his balls ended up in Brazil. Now, that's a proper childhood poem - not the namby pamby nonsense spouted by Rogers.

Even by Fox's handsome standards, production values for this "B" from the Sol Wurtzel unit rate as commendably high. True, this unusual, compellingly off-beat murder/courtroom drama (partly scripted by Fox's ace Ellis-Logan team) is inclined to be a bit talky, but the acting is fine. Just look at that cast! The support players enjoy some real moments of glory here, particularly Irving Bacon as a swaggering raconteur, and Eric Blore mugging delightfully as a simpering servant.My only complaint is that director David Burton, or film editor Alex Troffey, have a disconcerting habit of jarringly cutting into a full-face close-up from a profiled two-shot. In other respects, however, the direction is most efficient and the photography commendably crisp.