This week’s surprisingly difficult mystery movie has been the 1948 Warner Bros. picture “Smart Girls Don’t Talk,” with Virginia Mayo, Bruce Bennett, Robert Hutton, Tom D’Andrea, Richard Rober, Helen Wescott and Richard Benedict.
It was written by William Sackheim, photographed by Ted McCord, with art direction by Stanley Fleischer, dialogue direction by John Maxwell, set decoration by William Wallace, special effects by Robert Burks, makeup by Perc Westmore, orchestrations by Leonid Raab, music by David Buttolph and produced by Saul Elkins. The movie was directed by Richard Bare.
The DVD is available from Warner Archive for $21.99.
Oddly enough, “Smart Girls Don’t Talk” turned out to be one of the biggest stumpers I have ever had as a mystery movie. More than the silents or the foreign films.
According to the New York Times (March 14, 1948), the film was originally titled “Dames Don’t Talk,” but the production code forbid the use of “Dames” in a title. The New York Times also reported (Feb. 10, 1948) that the film was part of Warner Bros. plan to remake literary properties in its library “as vehicles for young players.” “Dames Don’t Talk” was originally intended as a remake of the 1937 Humphrey Bogart-Bette Davis movie “Marked Woman,” but was rewritten so heavily that Sackheim received the sole writing credit.
May 9, 1948: In an interview with Virginia Mayo for “Smart Girls Don’t Talk,” Los Angeles Times movie writer John L. Scott works in the angle of what the subject of the interview is eating. This was a tired, old bit in 19-effing-48 but nearly 70 years later, we find that third-tier feature writers don’t feel they have done their job unless they report that a star is “swigging a bottled water” or “tucking into a Cobb salad at the Polo Lounge.”
The film opened in Los Angeles as the second half of a double bill with “The Decision of Christopher Blake,” which although it received the better review has never been commercially released. Writing in the Dec. 18, 1948, Los Angeles Times, film critic Philip K. Scheuer said:
“Smart Girls Don’t Talk” could be a remake of any one of a dozen Warner underworld yarns, being about a socialite, Virginia Mayo; her student-doctor brother, Robert Hutton, and a racketeering gambler, Bruce Bennett. Everybody acts very high-toned, Miss Mayo even pronouncing it “enthusi-ism” and Mr. Bennett nonchalantly ordering a steak Chateaubriand and the right wine to go with it. He’s a bad man with a gun, though.
The New York Times apparently did not review “Smart Girls Don’t Talk” and gave only a passing negative mention to “The Decision of Christopher Blake.”
For Monday, we have a dapper mystery gent.
Update: This is Mike Lally.
And for Tuesday, we have a mystery woman.
Update: This is Helen Wescott.
For Wednesday, we have this mystery gent. In a trenchcoat. And a fedora. So clearly this is an English drawing room drama.
Update: This is Richard Benedict.
For Thursday, we have these armed mystery gentlemen of the law.
Update: This is Richard Rober, center, and George Magrill, right.
And for Friday, we have our mystery leading man, non-mysterious leading lady and Wednesday’s mystery chap.
Update: This is Bruce Bennett, Richard Benedict and Virginia Mayo.
Brain Trust roll call: Mike Hawks (mystery movie and mystery guests), Howard Mandelbaum (mystery movie and mystery guests), Sue Slutzky (Wednesday’s mystery guest) and Don Danard (Thursday’s mystery detective).
ladailymirror.com 
I want to say George Bancroft, but I know that’s wrong. He looks like a guy who doesn’t normally wear a mustache . . .
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Alas, I’m afraid not.
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Monday: John Gallaudet?
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Alas, I’m afraid not.
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G.P. Huntley, Jr.
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Alas, I’m afraid not.
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I want to say Alan Joslyn but surely by Tuesday there would be eight or nine correct answers if it were.
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Alas, I’m afraid not.
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For Tuesday, How about Dorothy Shay in ‘Coming Around the Mountain”?
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Oh that’s an interesting guess. But alas, I’m afraid not.
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Is it Margaret Lindsay for Tuesday?
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Alas, I’m afraid not.
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The singing Lady looks like Ruth Hussey.
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Alas, I’m afraid not.
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NO ORCHIDS FOR MISS BLANDISH.
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Alas, I’m afraid not.
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On Tuesday, Ruth Warrick?
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Interesting guess. But alas, I’m afraid not.
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Richard Benedict on wednesday, Richard Rober and George Magrill today make this SMART GIRLS DON’T TALK.
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Today’s gent looks like Dana Andrews, but maybe not…
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Alas, I’m afraid not.
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Monday maybe Clinton Sundberg.
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Alas, I’m afraid not.
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“Smart Girls Don’t Talk”
Monday: Mike Lally
Tuesday: Helen Westcott
Wednesday: Richard Benedict
Thursday: Richard Rober and George Magrill (right)
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Is Wednesday’s guest Richard Benedict?
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The police officer not in uniform looks like Richard Rober.
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Is Wednesday’s guy Steve Brodie?
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Alas, I’m afraid not.
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Mr. Benedict returns with Bruce Bennett and Virginia Mayo.
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Bruce Bennett, Richard Benedict, Virginia Mayo.
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Philo McCullough MOnday, Richard Benedcit Wednesday and today, Bruce Bennett, Virginia Mayo, and Benedict today, and SMART GIRLS DON’T TALK.
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Movie: Smart Girls Don’t Talk (1948) Monday’s guest: Tom D’Andrea (?) Tuesday: Helen Westcott Wed: Richard Benedict Thurs: Richard Rober Friday: Bruce Bennett (aka Herman Brix), Virginia Mayo, Richard Benedict
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Bruce Bennett and Virginia Mayo in “Smart Girls Don’t Talk”
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Friday is Bruce Bennett, Richard Benedict and Virginia Mayo in Smart Girls Don’t Talk… Warner Bros, 1948
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Friday is Virginia Mayo and Bruce Bennett.
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Smart Girls Don’t Talk
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It looks to be Smart Girls Don’t Talk w/ Virginia Mayo, Bruce Bennett, Helen Westcott, Robert Hutton, …
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Bruce Bennett and Virginia Mayo in “Smart Girls Don’t Talk”.
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