Year: 1940
Runtime: 67 mins
Language: English
Director: Sam Newfield
A drama of bill collectors follows a skip‑tracer—a debt collector who repossesses late‑payment appliances—when he takes a tiny radio from a chronic deadbeat. He discovers a gang that stole diamonds from a Hollywood star has hidden the gems inside the radio, turning a routine repossession into a frantic chase as the thieves pursue him.
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A determined boss of a skiptrace agency, Bill Lannigan, sets a challenging goal for his top agent, Jimmy Parker — he has just thirty days to become as successful as his rival, Miles Hanover, or face termination. Jimmy, along with his fiancée Mary Mulvaney, who is also the daughter of a police officer, embarks on a series of detective-style missions, one of which involves repossessing a radio from Lulu Driscoll (Rita La Roy), who has not kept up with her payments.
Unbeknownst to Jimmy, the radio contains hidden stolen jewels belonging to the famous movie star Connie Hill. These jewels have been concealed by villains involved in her jewel theft case. When Jimmy forces his way into Lulu’s hotel room to retrieve the radio, Lulu becomes upset and calls the police, resulting in both Jimmy and Mary being arrested and taken to jail.
Meanwhile, John Lawrence (William Hall), Hill’s manager, is suspicious that her fiancé, Steve Brady, may be involved in her jewel theft. Lawrence and Hill listen secretly to a conversation between Brady and a man named Duke Jurgens, discussing a lucrative share in the theft. Determined to recover the stolen jewels, Lawrence hires the skiptracing agency to intervene, assigning Miles Hanover, Jimmy’s rival, to handle the case.
After being released from jail, Jimmy impulsively decides to marry Mary. They invest in a new home, buying furniture from a widow selling her possessions cheaply, symbolizing a fresh start. Driven by a desire to retrieve the jewelry and clear his name, Jimmy sets off to find Lulu, but discovers she has already moved.
Meanwhile, Miles Hanover witnesses the kidnapping of Brady by Jurgens and his gang. The criminals head to Lulu’s new residence, searching for the jewels. Their plan is thwarted when they notice Hanover spying on them. The gang ties up Hanover and captures Lulu and Brady, locking them in the trunk of a stolen car. As Jurgens’ gang ransacks the house in pursuit of the jewels, Jimmy arrives just in time to confront them, retrieving the radio.
In a twist of events, as Jimmy stores the radio in his trunk, a bag of stolen jewels accidentally falls out. Recognizing the car parked outside as one on his list, Jimmy quickly seizes the opportunity by commandeering the vehicle and sending Mary home with their own car for safety. The gang chases after Jimmy in a high-stakes pursuit, but both vehicles are stopped by police. Interestingly, one of the police officers turns out to be Jimmy’s future father-in-law. With the stolen jewels recovered, Jimmy shows him the evidence, confident he will earn the reward money from the insurance company.
However, their triumph is short-lived. Upon returning home, Jimmy and Mary realize they have been double-crossed; the furniture, bought cheaply earlier, has been repossessed by skiptracers, highlighting how their efforts to start anew have been undermined. Their adventure underscores themes of deception, perseverance, and the unpredictable nature of solving a crime while trying to build a life together.
Last updated: August 19, 2025 at 05:15
Explore frequently asked questions about Hold That Woman! (1940) with spoiler-rich answers covering the full plot summary, major story beats, character motivations, hidden details, and ending meaning. This movie summary FAQ helps explain confusing scenes, plot twists, and narrative decisions in clear, searchable detail.
Jimmy, a skiptracer for a debt collection agency, is ordered to repossess the radio because Lulu has failed to keep up with her payments. It's his job to recover unpaid appliances, and this routine repossession is one of several detective-style missions he undertakes to meet his boss's challenge of surpassing his rival Miles Hanover within thirty days.
The radio contained stolen jewels belonging to movie star Connie Hill. Villains involved in her jewel theft hid the gems inside the radio, which eventually ended up in Lulu Driscoll's possession as collateral for an unpaid debt. Jimmy had no idea the radio contained anything valuable when he repossessed it.
Connie Hill's manager John Lawrence became suspicious of her fiancé Steve Brady after overhearing a conversation between Brady and a man named Duke Jurgens discussing a lucrative share in the theft. This led Lawrence to hire the skiptracing agency to investigate Brady's involvement in the crime.
Earlier scenes establish Connie Hill's manager as observant and protective of her interests, which makes his suspicion of Brady believable.
After getting arrested with Mary during the repossession gone wrong, Jimmy decides to marry her impulsively upon his release. This decision reflects his desire for stability and starting fresh despite the chaos. They buy a house and furniture together, trying to build a new life while Jimmy continues his investigation to clear his name and recover the jewels.
Duke Jurgens and his gang are searching for the stolen jewels they hid in the radio. When they locate Lulu at her new residence, they kidnap her and Steve Brady (who was also there) to force them to reveal the jewels' location. The gang ties them up and locks them in the trunk of a stolen car while they ransack the house.
Jimmy arrives at Lulu's house during the gang's search. In the chaos, Jurgens gives him the radio to distract him, but the bag of stolen jewels accidentally falls out from the radio. Jimmy notices a stolen car outside, commandeers it, and the jewels fall out during the chase. When police stop both vehicles, Jimmy has the jewels and plans to claim the reward from the insurance company.
Jimmy and Mary bought furniture cheaply from a widow who was selling her possessions, thinking they'd found a fresh start. However, the furniture was purchased on credit, and when they failed to make payments, skiptracers repossessed it. This ironic twist shows how their own profession of repossessing goods has now come back to haunt them, delivering a comedic ending despite their success in recovering the jewels.
Early scenes establish that Jimmy works for a skiptracing agency that repossesses items from people who don't pay, making this ending a fitting ironic reversal.
Duke Jurgens and his gang kidnap Steve Brady because they suspect he knows the location of the stolen jewels. Although Brady was actually a suspect in the jewel theft himself, the criminals view him as a potential informant who might reveal where the gems were hidden. They take him to Lulu's house along with Lulu herself, locking both in a car trunk while they search for the jewels.
Miles Hanover, Jimmy's rival at the skiptracing agency, is assigned by John Lawrence to investigate the jewel theft case. While spying on the gang at Lulu's new residence, Hanover witnesses the kidnapping of Brady. The gang notices him watching and ties him up along with the other captives. He is later freed when Jimmy arrives and confronts the criminals.
Lulu calls the police after Jimmy forcefully enters her hotel room to repossess the radio. She becomes upset by his aggressive approach and the intrusion into her home. This results in both Jimmy and Mary being arrested and taken to jail, momentarily derailing Jimmy's investigation and creating a setback in his quest to meet his deadline.
Bill Lannigan, boss of Skip Tracers Ltd., gives Jimmy Parker thirty days to become as successful as his rival Miles Hanover or face termination. This deadline creates urgency and drives Jimmy to take on increasingly risky repossession jobs, including the one that leads him to discover the hidden jewels. The compressed timeline contributes to the film's fast-paced narrative.
Discover curated groups of movies connected by mood, themes, and story style. Browse collections built around emotion, atmosphere, and narrative focus to easily find films that match what you feel like watching right now.
Fast-paced chases and comedic misadventures born from a simple mistake.If you liked the fast-paced, lighthearted chase in Hold That Woman!, you'll enjoy these movies. Discover similar comedies and crime stories where a small mistake leads to big trouble, featuring energetic pacing, mischievous characters, and a focus on the chase rather than heavy drama. These films offer a fun, breezy viewing experience.
These narratives typically launch from a case of being in the wrong place at the wrong time or a minor mistake that escalates dramatically. The plot is a linear race against time, driven by a physical object (a MacGuffin) that everyone wants. Character goals are clear and simple, prioritizing fast-moving action and humorous situations over deep introspection.
This thread groups films that share a specific mix of crime genre elements with a comedic, non-threatening tone. The shared experience is one of a fun, breathless dash, where the thrill comes from the chase itself and the comedic mishaps along the way, rather than from genuine danger or emotional weight.
When a completely ordinary situation spirals into absurd and unpredictable trouble.Find movies similar to Hold That Woman! where a routine task leads to an unpredictable adventure. If you enjoyed seeing a simple repossession turn into a diamond chase, you'll like these stories of ordinary people thrust into extraordinary circumstances. These films blend relatable settings with comedic, fast-paced plots.
The narrative pattern begins with a protagonist engaged in a boring or frustrating routine. A single, seemingly minor event—often a misunderstanding or a chance discovery—serves as the catalyst, irrevocably shattering their normalcy. The journey is one of reactive adaptation, as the character is forced to navigate a bizarre and escalating situation they are utterly unprepared for.
Movies are grouped here based on the shared thematic core of mundane life colliding with the absurd. They deliver a specific comedic payoff: the thrill of seeing relatable problems balloon into wild adventures, all while maintaining a connection to the character's original, ordinary world.
Don't stop at just watching - explore Hold That Woman! in full detail. From the complete plot summary and scene-by-scene timeline to character breakdowns, thematic analysis, and a deep dive into the ending - every page helps you truly understand what Hold That Woman! is all about. Plus, discover what's next after the movie.
Track the full timeline of Hold That Woman! with every major event arranged chronologically. Perfect for decoding non-linear storytelling, flashbacks, or parallel narratives with a clear scene-by-scene breakdown.
Discover the characters, locations, and core themes that shape Hold That Woman!. Get insights into symbolic elements, setting significance, and deeper narrative meaning - ideal for thematic analysis and movie breakdowns.
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