This week’s mystery movie was the 1948 RKO picture “Fighting Father Dunne,” with Pat O’Brien, Darryl Hickman, Charles Kemper, Una O’Connor, Arthur Shields, Harry Shannon, Joe Sawyer, Anna Q. Nilsson, Donn Gift, Myrna Dell, Ruth Donnelly, Jim Nolan, Billy Cummings, Billy Gray, Eric Roberts, Gene Collins, Lester Matthews, Griff Barnett, Jason Robards (Sr.), and Rudy Whistler.

Executive producer Jack J. Gross. Screenplay by Martin Rackin and Frank Davis, story by William Rankin.

Photography by George E. Diskant, art direction by Albert S. D’Agostino and Walter E. Keller, special effects by Russell A. Cully, set decorations by Darrell Silvera and Adolph Kuri, makeup by Gordon Bau.

Music by Roy Webb, musical director C. Bakaleinikoff, edited by Frederic Kundtson, sound by Frank Sarver and Terry Kellum, assistant director John Pommer, dialogue director Eugene Busch.

Produced by Phil L. Ryan.

Directed by Ted Tetzlaff.

“Fighting Father Dunne” has never been commercially released on DVD. It was issued on VHS and occasionally airs on TCM.

I picked “Fighting Father Dunne” because of Billy Gray (see last week’s post on Noel Parenti and “The Dude Goes West”) and on the basis of a review in Showmen’s Trade Review (May 15, 1948), which said:

Audience slant: This film has strong appeal for everyone, with the possible exception of super-sophisticates and violently anti-religious persons. Pat O’Brien and supporting cast are excellent. Should score in virtually any run. Will benefit from strong word-of-mouth, plus appeal of O’Brien in this type of role.

Pat O’Brien does one of the best jobs of his long career as the beneficent priest, and his supporting cast is excellent. Outstanding among the talented group of children who enact the roles of Father Dunne’s charges are Darryl Hickman as the ne’er-do-well and Donn Gift as the saintly lad. The picture has a heart-warming quality that never becomes saccharine and yet will leave most audiences with a satisfied feeling in their hearts. The picture should score in virtually any run.

Unlike “The Dude Goes West,” “Fighting Father Dunne” was reviewed in the New York Times. T.M.P. did not approve of such goings-on (June 25, 1948):

We can all do with a bit of inspiration and, apparently, that was the premise the RKO studio went on in producing “Fighting Father Dunne,” which opened yesterday at the Victoria. But it is more likely that this film, because of its patronizing approach both to its principal character and the ruffians he befriends, will militate against rather than advance the noble interest of virtue as appropriately dramatic screen material.

In a way there is a parallel between the new film and the picture made some years ago about the late Father Flannagan and his building of Boys Town, but “Fighting Father Dunne” is too weighted with sentimentalism to be effective as drama. And all the performances, starting with Pat O’Brien as the good priest and going down the line are so deliberately calculated to wrench one’s heart that they are ineffectual. Father Dunne, whom the picture aspires to honor, is deserving of a more intelligent tribute than this misguided inspirational salute.

Father Peter J. Dunne (1870-1939) was orphaned at 12,  along with his brothers and sisters. His siblings were placed in a Catholic orphans home near Kansas City, but his age “did not allow of his being admitted,” according to the St. Louis Republic (June 14, 1903). He got a job at the orphanage, where he learned reading and basic math. After his hauling business failed (one team of horses died and the other team went to pay for use of their pasture), he became a night watchman at St. Louis University. After a year, he decided to become a priest and was sent to St. Benedict’s College in Atchison, Kans. He entered Kenrick Seminary in St. Louis, Mo., about 1898.  He was elevated to monsignor in 1927.

Note: A real-life Matt Davis (the name of Darryl Hickman’s character in the movie) who lived at Father Dunne’s home for newsboys at the time depicted in the film unsuccessfully sued RKO for $300,000 in 1948, saying that the movie falsely portrayed him as a juvenile delinquent who killed a police officer.

It’s been a while since I did a mystery lad in a newsboy cap. So here we are.

Update: This is George McDonald.

For Tuesday, we have two mystery women. And would you believe it? They do not approve of such goings-on.

Update: This is Dot Farley, left, and Anne O’Neal.

And here we have some ragamuffin mystery lads, temporarily deprived of their newsboy caps.

Update: This is Billy Cummings, left, and Donn Gift.

For “Hm Wednesday,” we have this mystery gent. At this point in the drama, he does not approve of such goings-on.

Update: This is Charles Kemper.

We also have this mysterious man of the cloth.

Update: This is Lester Matthews.

Finally, we have this mystery woman with a serious love of dots.

Update: This is Ruth Donnelly.

Brain Trust roll call: Howard Mandelbaum (mystery movie, Monday’s mystery cornetist and Tuesday’s disapproving ladies), B.J. Merholz (Tuesday’s disapproving lady No. 2).

For “Aha Thursday,” we will start with this mystery policeman, who has limited “Aha.”

Update: This is James Nolan.

Followed by a mystery gent with somewhat more “Aha.” Just ignore Back of the Head Priest. We’ll see him Friday.

Update: This is Jason Robards Sr. and Pat O’Brien as Back of the Head Priest.

And here’s a fellow who has some “Aha.”

Update: This is Frank Ferguson.

And finally, Mr. “Aha” himself…. Also Back of the Head Priest, who will appear Friday.

Update: This is Arthur Shields.

Brain Trust roll call: Howard Mandelbaum (Wednesday’s mystery guests), Sylvia E. (mystery movie, Tuesday’s mysterious disapproving women and Wednesday’s mystery guests) and Mary Mallory (mystery movie, Tuesday’s mysterious disapproving women and mysterious street urchins hiding under a sheet, and Wednesday’s mystery guests).

For Friday, we have a mystery woman who does not approve of such goings-on. Also Back of the Head Priest….

Update: This is Anna Q. Nilsson and Pat O’Brien as Back of the Head Priest.

Things look grim for this mystery newsboy….

Update: This is Darryl Hickman.

And this mystery lady definitely does not approve of such goings-on….

Update: This is Una O’Connor.

Here’s a better look at our two newsboys who were hiding under a bed sheet….

Update: This is Billy Cummings and Donn Gift.

Our leading man….

Update: This is Pat O’Brien.

And finally, our mystery lad who started the whole thing.

Update: This is Billy Gray.

Brain Trust roll call: Mary Mallory (Thursday’s mystery guests and Back of the Head Priest), Floyd Thursby (mystery movie, Thursday’s mystery newspaper circulation manager and mystery Ulsterman), Howard Mandelbaum (Tuesday’s mystery undercover lad No. 1 and Thursday’s mystery guests), Michael Ryerson (mystery movie, Wednesday’s mystery archbishop and polka-dot mystery woman, Thursday’s mystery guests and Back of the Head Priest), Charles Kjelland (Thursday’s mystery newspaper circulation manager), Blackwing Jenny (Thursday’s mystery Ulsterman), Thom and Megan (mystery movie, Tuesday’s disapproving lady No. 1, mystery undercover lads, Wednesday’s mystery archbishop, Thursday’s mystery guests and Back of the Head Priest), Sarah (mystery movie, Thursday’s mystery newspaper circulation manager and mystery Ulsterman), McDee (mystery movie and Back of the Head Priest), Sheila (mystery movie, Wednesday’s mystery archbishop and Thursday’s mystery guests), B.J. Merholz (mystery movie), Anne Papineau (mystery movie, Thursday’s mystery newspaper circulation manager and mystery Ulsterman), Gary (Thursday’s mystery Ulsterman), Sylvia E. (Tuesday’s mystery undercover lads, Thursday’s mystery guests and Back of the Head Priest).