Women from Headquarters (1950)

60 mins | Drama | 1 May 1950

Director:

George Blair

Writer:

Gene Lewis

Cinematographer:

John MacBurnie

Editor:

Harold Minter

Production Designer:

James Sullivan

Production Company:

Republic Pictures Corp.
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HISTORY

The working title for this film was Unmasked. Onscreen credits include the following written dedication: "We gratefully acknowledge the assistance and cooperation of the Los Angeles Police Department. To the women who wear the badge of law enforcement we dedicate this picture." According to a news item in DV, dated 26 Sep 1949, Republic bought a magazine story entitled "Women from Headquarters" from Gene Lewis, although no other source mentions the story. HR production charts list Barbara Pepper in the cast, but her appearance in the released film has not been confirmed. ...

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The working title for this film was Unmasked. Onscreen credits include the following written dedication: "We gratefully acknowledge the assistance and cooperation of the Los Angeles Police Department. To the women who wear the badge of law enforcement we dedicate this picture." According to a news item in DV, dated 26 Sep 1949, Republic bought a magazine story entitled "Women from Headquarters" from Gene Lewis, although no other source mentions the story. HR production charts list Barbara Pepper in the cast, but her appearance in the released film has not been confirmed.

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SOURCE CITATIONS
SOURCE
DATE
PAGE
Box Office
13 May 1950
---
Daily Variety
26 Sep 1949
---
Daily Variety
5 May 1950
p. 3
Film Daily
14 Jun 1950
p. 15
Hollywood Reporter
14 Oct 1949
p. 11
Hollywood Reporter
21 Oct 1949
p. 11
Hollywood Reporter
5 May 1950
p. 3
Motion Picture Herald Product Digest
27 May 1950
p. 315
Variety
17 May 1950
p. 16
CAST
PRODUCTION CREDITS
NAME
PARENT COMPANY
PRODUCTION COMPANY
DISTRIBUTION COMPANY
NAME
CREDITED AS
CREDIT
DIRECTORS
Asst dir
PRODUCER
Assoc prod
WRITER
PHOTOGRAPHY
Dir of photog
Gaffer
Stills
ART DIRECTOR
Art dir
FILM EDITOR
Film ed
SET DECORATORS
Set dec
COSTUMES
Cost supv
MUSIC
R. Dale Butts
Mus
SOUND
T. A. Carman
Sd
VISUAL EFFECTS
MAKEUP
Makeup supv
Makeup
Hairstylist
PRODUCTION MISC
Scr supv
Whitey Lawrence
Grip
DETAILS
Alternate Title:
Unmasked
Release Date:
1 May 1950
Production Date:
mid -late Oct 1949
Copyright Info
Claimant
Date
Copyright Number
Republic Pictures Corp.
3 May 1950
LP107
Physical Properties:
Sound
RCA Sound System
Black and White
Duration(in mins):
60
Length(in feet):
5,402
Country:
United States
PCA No:
14401
Passed by NBR:
Yes
SYNOPSIS

After she finishes her shift as a carhop, Ruby Cain receives a ride home from her sweetheart, narcotics dealer Max Taylor. At Ruby's and Joyce's apartment, roommate Joyce Harper, an ex-army nurse, tells them that she has quit her job and will be looking for a new one. Later, at a bar, Max leaves Ruby alone while he speaks with his boss, bar owner Joe Calla, in the back room. When a drunken man harasses Ruby, two police officers are called to arrest him. Max notices the officers in the bar and decides to slip quietly through the back door, leaving Ruby without a ride home. When one of the officers, Sgt. Ann Rogers, realizes that Ruby is stranded, she gives her a lift home. At the apartment, Joyce mentions that she is looking for work, so Rogers encourages her to join up with the police force. Max learns of Joyce's new career and leaves town with Ruby, so Rogers files a missing persons report. A short time after Joyce has graduated from the police academy, a motorcycle officer named Gates stops her for a traffic violation. Gates mentions that he has been transferred to plainclothes detail, effective the next day. The next morning, when Joyce reports to work, she is paired with Gates. After Joyce takes part in a gambling house bust, Gates is impressed and asks her for a date. Later, Joe and bartender Sam Chase are charged with murder. Soon, Capt. Parr of the Narcotics Bureau assigns Joyce, who has become engaged to Gates, to find Bessie Collier, the wife of a suspected narcotics dealer. ...

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After she finishes her shift as a carhop, Ruby Cain receives a ride home from her sweetheart, narcotics dealer Max Taylor. At Ruby's and Joyce's apartment, roommate Joyce Harper, an ex-army nurse, tells them that she has quit her job and will be looking for a new one. Later, at a bar, Max leaves Ruby alone while he speaks with his boss, bar owner Joe Calla, in the back room. When a drunken man harasses Ruby, two police officers are called to arrest him. Max notices the officers in the bar and decides to slip quietly through the back door, leaving Ruby without a ride home. When one of the officers, Sgt. Ann Rogers, realizes that Ruby is stranded, she gives her a lift home. At the apartment, Joyce mentions that she is looking for work, so Rogers encourages her to join up with the police force. Max learns of Joyce's new career and leaves town with Ruby, so Rogers files a missing persons report. A short time after Joyce has graduated from the police academy, a motorcycle officer named Gates stops her for a traffic violation. Gates mentions that he has been transferred to plainclothes detail, effective the next day. The next morning, when Joyce reports to work, she is paired with Gates. After Joyce takes part in a gambling house bust, Gates is impressed and asks her for a date. Later, Joe and bartender Sam Chase are charged with murder. Soon, Capt. Parr of the Narcotics Bureau assigns Joyce, who has become engaged to Gates, to find Bessie Collier, the wife of a suspected narcotics dealer. Joyce tracks down the woman and is surprised to find Ruby living at Bessie's address. Ruby tells her that she and Max went to Chicago, and were married. Some time later, Ruby fell ill and Max gave her some pills to take. Ruby took the pills to the doctor, who told her that they contained illegal narcotics. Soon after, Max shot a man, and after the couple was forced to leave town, Ruby discovered that she was pregnant. After being caught and put in jail, Max learns of Ruby's pregnancy, but refuses to lead Parr to his supplier. Joyce decides to go undercover and, using the alias "Lola Dallas," arranges the purchase of $100,000 worth of dope from a dealer named Leo Pawley. Later, Max agrees to help the police and leads them to the home of Richard Cott. When Cott's butler sees Max, whom he knows to be incarcerated, he guesses that Max is working with the police and reaches for his gun. While another officer grabs the butler, Gates sneaks into a room filled with Cott's dope stockpile. Joyce follows him inside, and accidentally drops her flashlight, alerting the dealers, who grab Gates. After police backups arrive and arrest the dealers, Joyce and Gates kiss.

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Legend
Viewed by AFI
Partially Viewed
Offscreen Credit
Name Occurs Before Title
AFI Life Achievement Award

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