Errol Flynn is recognized as the king of the swashbuckling film. He earned his salary playing Robin Hood, Captain Blood and others. He was an actor, and like most of them, wanted challenging roles. He lobbied the studio, for something different, and was rewarded with his role as Francis Warren. He shows his acting talent in this comedy.
Flynn plays financial consultant Francis Warren. He has a dual identity as a writer of mystery novels, with the pen name, F. X. Pettijohn. He works closely with the police; who don’t know his real name. Warren is aided by his chauffeur, Wilfred, (Allen Jenkins) in his nocturnal crime investigations. Jenkins gives a good comic performance acting as a foil for the police. Francis Warren enjoys his double life so much that he doesn’t tell his wife, Rita, (Brenda Marshall). He sneaks out while she is asleep. Her mother, Mrs. Archer, (Lucille Watson), suspects infidelity. There is a fine supporting performance by Lucille Watson. She was an actress for nearly forty years, and her screen roles were mostly the type in this movie. She is an example of how Hollywood used older actresses in effective supporting roles.
Francis Warren’s real life collides with his mystery writer career. This happens when a client is killed, who wanted Warren to help him get rid of diamonds. He questions a burlesque performer, Blondie White, (Lee Patrick). The actress charms as her character. She played many roles in her long career. She portrayed Sam Spade’s secretary, in The Maltese Falcon. She was in the same year, able to play in two movies involving detectives. One, Bogart’s Maltese Falcon, propels him to stardom. Footsteps in the Dark shows audiences Errol Flynn’s ability to do comedy.
Flynn’s character’s situation gets more complicated when Blondie White is murdered. His friend’s the police, led by Inspector C. W. Mason, (Alan Hale), immediately suspect Warren. Hale was good friends with Flynn offscreen. Their stories regarding Hollywood, while consuming massive amounts of alcohol, had to be entertaining and interesting. One of Hollywood’s best characters, as well as a decent actor, appears in this film, William Frawley. He plays Hopkins, a detective, in this film. He is more than happy to strong arm Warren/Pettyjohn into confessing to murder.
One of the things that make this movie work, is the script. It was written in part by John Wexley. He did a few scripts featuring James Cagney. One of them was Angels With Dirty Faces. This type of film gave him the background to help write this crime farce. Wexley’s most significant turn as a scribe might be Confessions of a Nazi Spy. This movie was the first attempt at showing the real threat of espionage in America. Wexley’s writing career, was later derailed when he was blacklisted.
This movie doesn’t have a true female lead, like many of Flynn’s films. Brenda Marshall does well as Rita, Francis Warren’s naive wife. Marshall never became an A list actress. She did marry a movie star. The same year that this film was released, she tied the knot with William Holden.
Footsteps in the Dark, is a crime farce. It also manages to look much like a screwball comedy. It doesn’t really matter. Errol Flynn did convince the studio that he had a broader acting range, than was thought. Footsteps in the Dark, will never be confused with Robin Hood. That doesn’t matter. Comedy is the hardest thing to pull off. Flynn has managed that, and has given his fans a few laughs.