Manhattan Shakedown

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• 1937
• 0 hr 56 mins
• Drama

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• Watchlist

Jerry Tracy, a noted columnist and radio broadcaster, is convinced that prominent Park Avenue psychiatrist Andrew Stoner is a blackmailer. When Jerry's friend, Al Redman, becomes the latest victim, Jerry uses his broadcast to publicly accuse the doctor of blackmail and accuse Stoner's daughter Gloria of social climbing with playboy Hadley Brown. Although Jerry is certain that the doctor is using hypnosis to extract secrets from his patients, he is unable to prove that it is Stoner who is demanding payment from Redman in order to keep silent about the money the bank cashier had stolen and then replaced in order to pay for his sick wife's surgery. Redman has been instructed to make his payments at a brownstone in Greenwich Village, but because the blackmailer wears a mask, he is unable to identify him. Jerry's accusations anger Gloria, who threatens to kill the broadcaster. That night, Jerry goes to the brownstone where he becomes the target of Mike Orrell, a hired killer. When Orrell misses, Jerry tails him to a bar and asks him if Gloria hired him, but Orrell refuses to answer. To find out more information, Jerry visits Orrell's sister Peggy, who abhors her brother's profession and has asked Stoner to cure him. While talking to Peggy, a shot rings out and nearly misses the girl. Jerry then realizes that someone is trying to frame him for Peggy's shooting, thus provoking Orrell to revenge. Jerry and Peggy convince Orrell that someone has set them up, and that night, they return to the brownstone. As Jerry descends into the cellar, he comes face to face with the masked figure, who captures both him and Orrell. Freed by Peggy, who has followed them, Orrell and Jerry shoot it out with the masked man. In the ensuing hail of gunfire, Orrell and the blackmailer perish, leaving Jerry to unmask the figure, who is none other than Hadley Brown. Jerry then makes a public apology to Dr. Stoner and his daughter.