This week’s mystery movie was the 1951 MGM film No Questions Asked, with Barry Sullivan, Arlene Dahl, George Murphy, Jean Hagen, Richard Anderson, Moroni Olsen and Dan Dayton.
Screenplay by Sidney Sheldon.
Based on a story by Berne Giler.
Photographed by Harold Lipstein.
Art direction by Cedric Gibbons and Paul Groesse.
Edited by Joseph Dervin.
Music by Leith Stevens.
Recording supervisor Douglas Shearer.
Set decorations by Edwin B. Willis and Arthur Krams.
Special effects by A. Arnold Gillespie and Warren Newcombe.
Women’s costumes by Helen Rose.
Hairstyles by Sydney Guilaroff.
Makeup by William Tuttle.
Produced by Nicholas Nayfack.
Directed by Harold F. Kress.
Further information on No Questions Asked is available from the AFI Catalog.
No Questions Asked is available on DVD from Critics’ Choice Video.
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Continuing the theme of Pride Month, I opted for another film of men in drag, though they only dress as women for a robbery. It’s a standard film noir – long on shadowy, moody atmosphere with a somewhat thin plot. It’s nice to see Jean Hagen and hear her actual voice rather than what we know from her role as Lina Lamont in Singin’ in the Rain.
I’m guessing The New York Times fobbed it off on one of the “alphabet critics” or if Bosley Crowther went, he disapproved. Of course, that’s almost a default position for New York Times film criticism of this era.
And that’s what we have: “alphabet critic” A.W. (Abe Weiler) on August 10, 1951:
Crime, which seems to be fascinating Hollywood as much as it does criminals, is having its day on the screen again in Metro’s No Questions Asked, which came to the Mayfair yesterday. The question naturally arises whether the studio this time has discovered something new in the way of depicting the vagaries of outlawry. Well, to be charitable about it, there are a few interesting gimmicks here and there, but, by and large, all that it adds up to is that crime does not pay.
Note: Whoever overhauled the Los Angeles Public Library’s website has dumbed it down immensely and made it virtually impossible to find anything. It seems to have been designed by Fisher-Price.
For Monday, we have two mysterious guests.
Update: This is William Reynolds, left, and William Phipps.
For “Tricky Tuesday,” we have two mysterious Back of the Head Guys.
Update: This is George Murphy, left, and Richard Anderson.
For “Hm Wednesday,” we have a mysterious fellow.
Update: This is Mauritz Hugo.
And a mysterious fellow with Back of the Head Guy.
Update: This is Moroni Olsen with Barry Sullivan as Back of the Head Guy.
Finally, a taxicab driver of mystery and his enigmatic passenger.
Update: This is William Reynolds, left, and Dan (Danny) Dayton.
For “Aha Thursday,” we have a mysterious fellow and Back of the Head Guy.
Update: This is George Murphy and Barry Sullivan as Back of the Head Guy.
Brain Trust roll call: Greg (mystery movie and Wednesday’s mysterious guests), Mary Mallory (Wednesday’s Back of the Head Guy) and Stacia (mystery movie and Monday’s and Wednesday’s mysterious guests).
For Friday, we have a mysterious woman and Back of the Head Guy.
Update: This is Mari Blanchard and Barry Sullivan as Back of the Head Guy.
And this mysterious woman and Back of the Head Guy.
Update: This is Jean Hagen with Barry Sullivan as Back of the Head Guy.
And finally, a mystery woman and our leading man.
Update: This is Barry Sullivan and Arlene Dahl.
Brain Trust roll call: Mary Mallory (mystery movie, Wednesday’s and Thursday’s mystery guests), B.J. Merholz (mystery movie and Thursday’s mystery guests), L.C. (mystery movie and mysterious cast), Sylvia (mystery movie and Tuesday’s, Wednesday’s and Thursdays mysterious guests), Funky PhD (mystery movie and Thursday’s mysterious guest), Mike Hawks, Wednesday’s and Thursday’s mysterious guests) and Sheila (mystery movie and Thursday’s mysterious guests).
ladailymirror.com 
Way too early but Tuesday’s BOTHG on screen left (shorter guy) has a jawline that looks like Edward G. Robinson.
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An excellent guess! But Barton Keyes is not with us this week.
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Would the tall guy on the right in Tuesday’s photo be Robert Mitchum?
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An excellent guess! But Eddie Coyle is otherwise occupied this week, avoiding dresser drawers.
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Is one of the BOTHGs Robert Taylor?
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Wednesday has Mauritz Hugo, Moroni Olsen and Danny Dayton in No questions Asked.
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Looks like Barry Sullivan as BOTH today.
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Wednesday is Mauritz Hugo in the moustache and Moroni Olsen advising back-of-the-head guy (who must be Barry Sullivan) so this is NO QUESTIONS ASKED (1951)
Monday are William Reynolds and William Phipps, and I’m pretty sure the cabbie is Danny Dayton because I recognize him from “Archie Bunker’s Place.”
I feel like I’ve seen this but I couldn’t find a copy of it to confirm. Saw a clip of Jean Hagen getting slapped though!
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NO QUESTIONS ASKED. Charles Ferguson and Cosmo Sardo both Tuesday, Mauritz Hugo, Sullivan BOTH and Moroni Olsen, and Robert Osterloh Wednesday, and George Murphy and Barry Sullivan today.
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Danny Dayton cabdriver Wednesday, Suzanne Ridgeway and Nan Leslie Monday.
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Questions, questions always questions, Senator! Interestingly, the back of the head guy was the key clue.
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No Questions Asked (1951) w/William Reynolds, Mauritz Hugo, Danny Dayton, William Phipps, George Murphy, Moroni Olsen, Barry Sullivan, Arlene Dahl, Jean Hagen, Richard Anderson, Dick Simmons, Mari Blanchard
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No Questions Asked 1951
Mondays “ladies” who aren’t ladies remain a mystery to me
Tues – maybe George Murphy and Richard Anderson?
Wed – BOTHG Barry Sullivan and (maybe) Moroni Olsen. Mauritz Hugo I think. Cab driver, I think is Danny Dayton with passenger William Reynolds (maybe)
Thur – George Murphy and BOTHG Barry Sullivan
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Shot in the dark on Monday’s team, based only on how close their names are in the cast list to Howland Chamberlain, who plays the getaway car driver (OS in this image).
Richard Bartlett and Robert Osterloh
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I think Thursday’s man on the left is George Murphy. The film might be “No Questions Asked.”
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Barry Sullivan, Mauritz Hugo, Moroni Olsen, George Murphy in NO QUESTIONS ASKED.
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‘No Questions Asked’, Moroni Olsen and George Murphy? I knew at the first photo that I’d seen this, but could not recall!
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Barry with Mari Blanchard, Jean Hagen, & Arlene Dahl.
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William Phipps and Wiliam Reynolds Monday, Sayre Dearing and John Eldridge uesday.
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Mari Blanchard, Barry Sullivan, Arlene Dahl and Jean Hagen.
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Friday –
Mari Blanchard and BOTHG Sullivan
Jean Hagen and BOTHG Sullivan
Arlene Dahl and reveal of Barry Sullivan
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