This week’s mystery movie was the 1944 Twentieth Century-Fox film “Tampico,” with Edward G. Robinson, Lynn Bari, Victor McLaglen, Robert Bailey, Marc Lawrence, E.J. Ballantine, Mona Maris and Tonio Selwart.
Screenplay by Kenneth Gamet, Fred Niblo Jr. and Richard Macaulay. Original story and adaptation by Ladislas Fodor.
Photography by Charles Clarke, art direction by James Basevi and Albert Hogsett. Set decorations by Thomas Little and Al Orenbach. Edited by Robert Fritch. Costumes by Yvonne Wood. Makeup by Guy Pearce. Photographic effects by Fred Sersen. Dances staged by Geneva Sawyer. Sound by W.D. Flick and Roger Heman. Music by David Raksin. Musical direction by Emil Newman.
Produced by Robert Bassler. Directed by Lothar Mendes.
“Tampico” is available on DVD from Amazon. TCM lists it as “backorder.”
I received a request for a whodunit, and after sifting through all the well-known ones in the trades, I came up with “Tampico.” Edward G. Robinson is always worth watching, even in minor films and this is really a minor one. I can’t think of another movie in which Edward G. Robinson falls in love and gets married, though in his long career there were probably others.
This is a World War II yarn about loose lips sinking ships and is more of a spy story – who is spilling secrets to the enemy rather than who did it. Suspicion falls on Robinson’s wife, a woman picked up from a sunken ship, a nightclub entertainer with a mysterious past trying to get back to the U.S. The resolution? I won’t spoil it. Maybe it looked good on paper or in a short story. On film, not so much.
Let’s see which New York Times critic hated it….
That would be PPK (June 2, 1944):
“Tampico,” which opened at Loew’s State yesterday, has all the elements of good, suspenseful drama. But somehow as yard after yard unrolls it becomes increasingly evident that nothing unlooked for is going to come about.
For Monday, we have a mystery woman. Also Back of the Head Guy.
Update: This is Ann Corcoran. Back of the Head Guy may be Edward G. Robinson or a stand-in. I have my suspicions.
For Tuesday, we have another mysterious gent. And how about those lapels? Also the return of Back of the Head Guy.
Update: This is Tonio Selwart and Edward G. Robinson as Back of the Head Guy.
Also for Tuesday, we have this fun-loving couple.
Update: This is Robert Bailey and Mona Maris.
For “Aha Wednesday,” we have this mysterious gent. Would you believe it? He is telling Back of the Head Guy (who has the day off) that he does not approve of such goings-on.
Update: This is Nestor Paiva.
Brain Trust roll call: Sylvia E. (Back of the Head Guy), Mike Hawks (mystery movie and all mystery guests), Howard Mandelbaum (mystery movie and all mystery guests) and Thom and Megan (mystery movie and all mystery guests).
For “Aha Thursday,” we have this mysterious gent.
Update: This is Victor McLaglen.
Brain Trust roll call: L.C. (mystery movie and mystery cast), Floyd Thursby (mystery movie, Back of the Head Guy and Wednesday’s mystery officer), Howard Mandelbaum (Wednesday’s mystery officer), B.J. Merholz (mystery movie), Mike Hawks (Wednesday’s mystery officer), Sylvia E. (mystery movie and Monday’s and Tuesday’s mystery guests), Megan and Thom (Wednesday’s mystery officer) and Sheila (mystery movie and Wednesday’s mystery officer).
For Friday, we have this mysterious gent.
Update: This is Trevor Bardette.
We also have this mystery woman.
Update: This is Helen Brown.
And finally, Back of the Head Guy makes his appearance. Also our mysterious leading lady.
Update: This is Edward G. Robinson and Lynn Bari.
Brain Trust roll call: Mary Mallory (mystery movie and all mystery guests), Sue Slutzky (mystery movie and all mystery guests), Howard Mandelbaum (Thursday’s mysterious gent), David Inman (Thursday’s mystery gent), Mike Hawks (Thursday’s mystery gent), Anne Papineau (mystery movie, Tuesday’s mysterious fun-loving officer and Thursday’s mystery gent), Patrick (mystery movie, Back of the Head Guy and Thursday’s mystery gent), Megan and Thom (Thursday’s mystery gent), Sylvia E. (Thursday’s mystery gent and peering into the future for Friday’s guests) and Blackwing Jenny (mystery movie, Back of the Head Guy and Thursday’s mystery gent).
ladailymirror.com 
Carol Bruce.
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An excellent guess, but alas, I’m afraid not.
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Looks like Raymond Burr to me.
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Interesting guess, but our mystery film predates Ray by a few years.
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Jean Heather in NATIONAL BARN DANCE (1944).
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Just for fun, BOTHG looks like Claude Rains to me. Way too early to really guess, though.
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A great guess, but….
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Now he looks like Edward G. to me.
I bet Howard gets it today. He’s amazing at this.
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Ann Corcoran, Edward G. Robinson (back of head guy), Tonio Selwart, Robert Bailey and Mona Maris in TAMPICO.
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Just another guess for BOTHG — Edmond O’Brien?
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A good guess. But alas, I’m afraid not.
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TAMPICO (1944)
Monday: Ann Corcoran, Edward G. Robinson
Tuesday: Tonio Selwart, Robinson; Mona Maris, Robert Bailey
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Our movie is Tampico, with Ann Corcoran and Edward G. Robinson yesterday. For today, we have Tonio Selwart, Robert Bailey, and Mona Maris.
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YOU WERE NEVER LOVELIER. Lina Romay today and Xavier Cugat as the BOTH guy both days.
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A good guess! Right decade, but it’s another studio.
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Tampico (1944) w/Edward G. Robinson, Ann Corcoran, Bob Bailey (Johnny Dollar), Mona Maris, Victor McLagen, Lynn Bari…
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BOTHG is Edward G. Robinson and Mr. Wednesday is Nestor Paiva. The movie is “Tampico.”
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Nestor Paiva
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Tampico
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Nestor Paiva.
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As a veteran of watching a bazillion episodes of “The Millionaire,” I’m stuck on thinking BOTHG is Marvin Miller. Probably wrong.
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Michael Anthony it is not.
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I think the movie is “Tampico” 1944, but I’m torn because there’s another Edward G. film with navy personnel from about the same time period. I’m on the hunt to confirm and plug in names.
I KNEW Howard would get it yesterday!
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Today’s mystery guest is Nestor Paiva.
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Nestor Paiva for Wednesday, ‘Tampico’?
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Okay, locking in on “Tampico” 1944
BOTHG, Mr. Robinson, is all over the place, along with:
Ann Corcoran
Tonio Selwart
Robert Baily
Mona Maris
Not sure about the guy in the final image on Wednesday – still hunting.
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Don Defore in the Tuesday uniform?
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An interesting guess. But alas, I’m afraid not.
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Without Reservations, John Wayne et al?
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Right decade, but it’s another studio…
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TAMPICO. Ann Corcoran and Edward G. Robinson as BOTH guy Monday, E. J. Ballantine and EGR, Robert Bailey and Mona Maris Tuesday, Nestor Paiva Wednesday, and Victor McLaglen today.
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“Tampico”
Mon – Ann Corcoran
Tue – Tonio Selwart, Robert Bailey, Mona Maris
Wed – Nestor Paiva
Thu – Victor McLaglen
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Victor McLaglen.
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Victor McLaglen today, so this is maybe “Call Out the Marines”?
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Victor McLaglen.
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Aha! Victor McLaglen in Tampico. With Robert Bailey as one-half of the fun-loving couple.
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Thursday is Victor McLaglen; if BOTHG is Edward G. Robinson then this is probably Tampico from 1944.
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Today’s guest is Victor McLaglen.
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Thursday has Victor McLaughlin (nice way to disguise his face.)
So tomorrow will have a face front view of Mr Robinson, Lynn Bari and Marc Lawrence. Maybe Trevor Bardette.
Looking forward to seeing tomorrow’s breakdown.
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At least I can guess Vic McLaglen! All is not lost. Back of the head did look to me like Eddie Robinson on Monday-why didn’t I take a chance? “Tampico”(which I’ve never heard of before).
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Trevor Bardette; Helen Brown; Edward G. Robinson, Lynn Bari.
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Marc Lawrence, Helen Brown, EGR and Lynn Bari.
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Victor McLaglen and Eddie G in TAMPICO 1944. Saw this awhile ago
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Friday: Trevor Bardette, Helen Brown, Edward G. Robinson, and Lynn Bari
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Tampico. BOTH guy: Edward G. Robinson. Victor McLaglen as Thursday’s mysterious gent. Lynn Bari as the leading lady.
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Trevor Bardette, ?, E.G. Robinson and Lynn Bari.
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I know it isn’t, but Thursday’s guest looks a lot like Oliver Stone to me.
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In TIGER SHARK and its reworking, MANPOWER, Robinson falls in love and marries with tragic results.
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Thanks, Howard! I knew someone would have the answer.
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