Crack-Up (1946 film)

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Crack-Up
Crack-Up movie poster
Directed by	Irving Reis
Produced by	Jack J. Gross
Written by	Fredric Brown (story Madman's Holiday) John Paxton Ben Bengal Ray Spencer
Starring	Pat O'Brien Claire Trevor Herbert Marshall Ray Collins
Distributed by	RKO Radio Pictures Inc.
Release date(s)	September 6, 1946 (U.S. release)
Running time	93 min.
Language	English
IMDb profile

Crack-Up is a 1946 film in the film noir style. The movie was directed by Irving Reis, remembered for directing many "Falcon" movies of the early 1940s (including The Falcon Takes Over based on Raymond Chandler's Farewell, My Lovely). Crack-Up is based on a story by mystery writer Fredric Brown. The 70-minute film was released by RKO Radio Pictures.

[edit] Plot

Spoiler warning: Plot and/or ending details follow.

An art critic and forgery expert George Steele (O'Brien) is arrested by the police as he tries to break into the Manhattan Museum. He tries to explain that he was in a train wreck and had to get back to the museum. The problem is that there have been no train wrecks in months. Then Steele, unsure himself what happened, tells his story, via flashback, of the bizarre events leading up to his arrest. Steele eventually realizes that he has been set up and that the crime also involves expensive art forgeries.