Dick Tracy vs. Cueball

Dick Tracy vs. Cueball

Year: 1946

Runtime: 62 mins

Language: English

Director: Gordon Douglas

CrimeThriller

HE’S TERRIFIC! Your Favorite Crime Crusader! A police detective uses his girlfriend to track down a homicidal maniac.

Warning: spoilers below!

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Timeline & Setting – Dick Tracy vs. Cueball (1946)

Explore the full timeline and setting of Dick Tracy vs. Cueball (1946). Follow every major event in chronological order and see how the environment shapes the story, characters, and dramatic tension.

Time period

1940s

The plot sits in a mid-20th-century urban crime milieu, echoing the detective serials of the era. Clues appear through notes, front businesses, and nightlife locales, creating a brisk, episodic rhythm. Public spaces like bars and shops serve as stages for twists, confrontations, and the pursuit of the culprit.

Location

Ocean liner, Sparkle's Establishment, Dripping Dagger Bar, Priceless's Antique Shop

The story unfolds across several urban locations anchored by a recently docked ocean liner where diamonds are first moved. The action then shifts to Sparkle's diamond operation and Filthy Flora's Dripping Dagger Bar, with Priceless's antique shop as another key hub where deals go down. Hidden rooms and secret exchanges punctuate the settings, while a tense city-wide chase ties the locations together.

🛳️ Ocean liner 🏬 Antique shop 🕯️ Dripping Dagger Bar

Last Updated: October 04, 2025 at 17:45

Main Characters – Dick Tracy vs. Cueball (1946)

Meet the key characters of Dick Tracy vs. Cueball (1946), with detailed profiles, motivations, and roles in the plot. Understand their emotional journeys and what they reveal about the film’s deeper themes.

Dick Tracy (Morgan Conway)

The determined detective anchor, Tracy uses sharp instincts and methodical observation to unravel the diamonds' web. He pieces together disparate leads, outsmarts suspects, and coordinates with partners to trap Cueball. His persistence keeps the investigation focused amid shifting loyalties and danger.

🔎 Detective 🧠 Clever 🕵️ Investigator

Pat Patton (Lyle Latell)

Tracy's loyal partner, Patton provides steady support and practical insight. He helps tail Clyde, evaluates suspects, and maintains momentum when leads run thin. His reliability complements Tracy's analytical approach.

🤝 Partner 🧭 Sidekick 🎯 Loyal

Mona Clyde (Rita Corday)

A secretary tied to Sparkle's operation, she moves within the diamond scheme, projecting charm while maneuvering to advance the criminals' plans. Her involvement complicates the investigators' efforts to distinguish allies from suspects.

💼 Secretary 🕵️‍♀️ Manipulator 🎭 Deceiver

Simon Little (Byron Foulger)

A partner in the gem scheme whose reliability wavers, he underestimates Tracy and Clyde's vigilance. His cut-and-paste approach to the plan signals a precarious balance between profit and exposure.

🧭 Schemer 💎 Diamond thief 🤝 Unreliable

Percival Priceless (Douglas Walton)

An antique store owner who becomes a conduit for the gem trade, he navigates a web of trust and treachery while seeking to maximize profit. His shop serves as a crucial node where deals and deceptions intersect.

🏬 Antique dealer 💰 Greed 🔒 Gatekeeper

Filthy Flora (Esther Howard)

Owner of the Dripping Dagger Bar, she runs a hidden room where criminals lay low and diamonds circulate. Flora’s awareness of the diamonds' presence makes her a pivotal intermediary, though her loyalties remain ambiguous.

🏨 Bar Owner 🕵️‍♀️ Cunning 💎 Opportunist

Cueball (Harry 'Cueball' Lake) (uncredited actor)

A ruthless ex-con and the film's killer, Cueball moves through the plot with deadly efficiency. His signature strangling method via a braided hatband becomes a distinctive clue that drives the investigation forward.

🗡️ Killer 🧩 Cunning ⚠️ Dangerous

Jules Sparkle (Harry Cheshire)

A glamorous diamond dealer and front for the operation, Sparkle's establishment serves as a hub where information leaks and deals occur under his watchful eye.

💼 Diamond dealer 🕴️ Frontman 🎭 Influence

Vitamin Flintheart (Ian Keith)

The aging theatrical actor turned advisor, Flintheart injects flamboyance into the investigation and helps Tracy observe Priceless's movements.

🧔 Veteran 🎭 Theatrical 🧠 Insight

Tess Trueheart (Anne Jeffreys)

Tracy's girlfriend, she puts herself at risk by engaging with Little and Clyde to lure Cueball, underscoring the personal stakes of the case.

❤️ Heroine 🕵️‍♀️ Risk-taker 🧭 Loyal

Last Updated: October 04, 2025 at 17:45

Major Themes – Dick Tracy vs. Cueball (1946)

Explore the central themes of Dick Tracy vs. Cueball (1946), from psychological, social, and emotional dimensions to philosophical messages. Understand what the film is really saying beneath the surface.

🕵️ Investigation

Detective work drives the narrative as Tracy and Patton chase leads and interrogate suspects. They recruit Vitamin Flintheart to observe Priceless's shop, adding a theatrical edge to the hunt. Clues accumulate through careful surveillance and strategic questioning, building toward a climactic confrontation.

💎 Greed

Stolen diamonds fuel nearly every player's motive, funneling the plot through front businesses and schemes. The plan unfolds via Little, Clyde, Priceless, and Flora, each chasing fortune at the gems' expense. The resulting betrayals expose the perils of unchecked greed and shifting loyalties.

⚖️ Fate and Justice

The net tightens as the detectives close in on Cueball and the other conspirators. The killer's braided-leather hatband method becomes a telling clue that threads through the investigation. The pursuit culminates on the railroad tracks, delivering a definitive resolution and a sense of justice.

Last Updated: October 04, 2025 at 17:45

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Dick Tracy vs. Cueball Summary

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Dick Tracy vs. Cueball Summary

Dick Tracy vs. Cueball Timeline

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Dick Tracy vs. Cueball Timeline

More About Dick Tracy vs. Cueball

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