The Chance of a Lifetime

Oct 26, 1943

1h 5m

★ 6.2

ARRESTED FOR A MURDER HE DIDN'T COMMIT!

Overview

A mad scramble for stolen loot ensues after Boston Blackie has prisoners released for work in a wartime defence plant.

Genres

Crime

Mystery

Production Companies

Columbia Pictures

The Chance of a Lifetime Trailers

No Trailers found.

Cast

Horatio 'Boston Blackie' Black

Chester Morris

Dooley Watson

Erik Rolf

Mary Watson

Jeanne Bates

Insp. John Farraday

Richard Lane

The Runt

George E. Stone

Arthur Manleder

Lloyd Corrigan

Nails Blanton (Uncredited)

Douglas Fowley

Benny Hines (Uncredited)

Sid Melton

Policeman Joe (Uncredited)

Ray Teal

Edna Counihan (Uncredited)

Maude Eburne

Elwood "Tex" Stewart (Uncredited)

Arthur Hunnicutt

Jumbo Madigan (Uncredited)

Cy Kendall

After a rare gem is stolen from an exhibition at a posh hotel, Inspector Farraday decides to recruit former thief Boston Blackie to find the stone. Along with his assistant, "The Runt", Blackie focuses his investigation on the hotel manager, George Daley, and his sister, Eileen. Through disguises and ruses, Blackie and the Runt try to trick their way to discovering the thieves.

6.5

Trapped by Boston Blackie

May 13, 1948

Blackie is the natural suspect when an expensive pearl necklace is stolen while he is supposed to be guarding it.

5.5

Alias Boston Blackie

Apr 2, 1942

It is the Christmas Holidays and reformed thief, Boston Blackie goes to Castle Theater to pick up players who will perform for prisoners that are still in prison. He takes a girl with him who has a brother already in prison. She has visited the prison twice in the month, so is not suppose to visit again. However when the group is completed the girl is included as well as Inspector Farrady. One of the clowns in the show is kidnapped and replaced by a con who wants to get even with two ex-partners. Boston Blackie figures out that a con has replaced one of his clowns but is unable to stop him. Blackie's clothes are stolen and a murder is committed. Of course, the Inspector immediately suspects Blackie of being involved. Now it is Blackie's job to find the killer, exonerate himself and help the girl free her brother.

5.3

The Phantom Thief

May 2, 1946

Boston Blackie, in the 11th film of the Columbia series, indulges in some wit-trading with a squirmy spiritualist who deals in blackmail, murder and the occult. "Blackie" out to help his pal, "Runt," recover some jewels, finds himself involved in the homicides, and also finds himself as the prime suspect, and now has to find the real culprit in order to clear himself. So "Blackie,", a man of many talents and already a proved magician from cases past, shows he knows a little bit about dancing skeletons, walking phantoms and spiritualism himself, and holds a séance to unmask the murderer.

6.5

The Return of Boston Blackie

Aug 1, 1927

Just out of jail and vowing to go straight, former jewel thief Boston Blackie, undertakes the reformation of a pretty blonde who has stolen a necklace from a cabaret dancer. He learns that the jewel belongs to the mother of the blonde girl, and the blonde's philandering father gave it as a gift to the cabaret girl. Now, Blackie must find a way to return the necklace to the owner's safe without arousing the suspicions of the girl's family.

0.0

Missing Millions

Sep 17, 1922

A girl seeks revenge after a Wall Street broker had falsely accused her father and sent him unjustly to prison.

5.0

Boston Blackie Goes Hollywood

Nov 5, 1942

Blackie receives a call from a friend who asks him to retrieve some money from his apartment and deliver it to him in California. Performing this good deed, he is accused of theft, but is allowed to proceed to Hollywood to help the police find a lost diamond.

0.0

The Silk Lined Burglar

Mar 31, 1919

Gentleman crook Boston Blackie answers a want ad for an expert safecracker placed by Doris Macon, who claims a moral right to the safe's contents. She hires Blackie, and they break into the house where the safe is kept. Blackie blows up the safe just as owner Captain von Hoffmeier returns home. Doris disappears with papers from inside the safe, while Blackie takes phonograph records, which, when played with a special needle, reveal secrets that implicate von Hoffmeier as a German political spy.

6.0

Boston Blackie

May 6, 1923

Boston Blackie is a former prison inmate campaigning to outlaw Warden Benton's infamous "Water Cross" torture. Benton, however, is successful in his attempt to have Blackie arrested and returned to the prison, but his evil schemes are ultimately thwarted by Mary Carter, Blackie's girlfriend, who manages to alert the governor. Considered a lost film.

0.0

Crooked Alley

Nov 7, 1923

Reformed criminal Boston Blackie is outraged when a judge refuses to grant a pardon for a dying friend. He hires Norine, his now-dead friend's daughter, to get to the judge through his son Rudy. However, things don't work out quite as Blackie had planned.

6.0

Boston Blackie's Little Pal

Aug 26, 1918

While burgling a mansion, Blackie is interrupted by little Joey, who has been awakened from his slumbers. Blackie gently orders the kid to return to bed, but Joey refuses to do so unless Blackie helps him say his prayers. Thus is formed a strong friendship between Blackie and his "little pal," inspiring our raffish hero to rescue Joey's mother Rosemary Theby from a scandalous situation.

8.2

Memento

Oct 11, 2000

Leonard Shelby is tracking down the man who raped and murdered his wife. The difficulty of locating his wife's killer, however, is compounded by the fact that he suffers from a rare, untreatable form of short-term memory loss. Although he can recall details of life before his accident, Leonard cannot remember what happened fifteen minutes ago, where he's going, or why.

5.0

Anybody's Nightmare

Sep 28, 2001

Based on the true story of Shelia Bowler, accused of murdering her elderly aunt.