Show Them No Mercy! (1935) Plot Summary Explained

The Martin family stumbled upon the kidnappers' hideout while seeking shelter from a storm. When Tobey and his men returned with the ransom money, they discovered Joe, Loretta, and their baby were already inside the house. Rather than risk the Martins going to the police or alerting others to their location, the gang decided to keep them as hostages to prevent them from revealing the hideout.

Foreshadowing: Earlier, the house appeared abandoned but was stocked with fresh food and clothing, showing it was an established criminals' hideout.

• kidnappers
• hostage
• martin family
• hideout
• storm

The FBI advised the Hansen family to pay the $200,000 ransom with marked bills. When the kidnappers tested one of the bills at a gas station, police were immediately alerted and pursued Pitch and Buzz. Meanwhile, the Martins' dog had picked up a marked bill and ran off, leading a farmer to discover it and connect the money trail to the hideout.

Foreshadowing: The FBI's decision to use marked bills was made early in the film when they advised the Hansen family.

• fbi
• marked bills
• ransom
• tracking
• police

The dog discovered one of the marked ransom bills and carried it out of the hideout. This triggered Pitch to shoot the dog in frustration. The injured dog was found by a farmer who took it to a veterinarian, and the marked bill near the dog provided the crucial evidence that allowed the FBI to close in on the hideout.

Foreshadowing: The dog picking up the bill happened shortly after the radio confirmed every ransom bill was marked.

• dog
• marked bill
• evidence
• fbi
• bravery medal

Tobey initially wanted to let the Martins leave quietly to avoid attracting attention. He hoped the family would leave without realizing who they were dealing with. Once the Martins recognized the men as kidnappers, keeping them alive as hostages served a practical purpose, they could be used as leverage or insurance if the police closed in.

Foreshadowing: Tobey's decision to let them stay overnight showed he preferred avoiding unnecessary violence that could draw police attention.

• tobey
• hostage
• martin family
• kill
• mercy

Pitch returned to the hideout after the police chase and double-crossed Tobey, killing him. He then broke into the room where the Martins were held, planning to kill them. Joe fought Pitch, and while they struggled, Loretta grabbed a gun and shot Pitch just before he could kill Joe. The police arrived moments later.

Foreshadowing: Pitch had already shown himself to be the most violent and impatient of the gang, planning to kill Loretta and Trudy earlier in the story.

• pitch
• tobey
• loretta
• shoot
• killed

Tobey was killed by Pitch when Pitch double-crossed him at the hideout. Pitch was shot and killed by Loretta during the final confrontation. Buzz was shot dead by police during the gas station chase. Gimp was spotted by police while trying to buy a streetcar ticket and was killed.

Foreshadowing: After the radio confirmed the marked bills, the gang decided to scatter, setting up each man's individual fate.

• tobey
• pitch
• buzz
• gimp
• kidnappers
• killed

The radio broadcast confirmed that every bill of the $200,000 ransom was marked by the FBI. This confirmed the kidnappers were being tracked and created urgency for them to flee. It also directly led to the dog picking up a marked bill and running off, which became the key clue linking the criminals to the hideout.

Foreshadowing: Earlier, the FBI had specifically advised using marked bills to trace the money.

• radio
• marked bills
• fbi
• broadcast
• tracking

The family survived through a combination of luck and quick thinking. When Pitch broke into their room intending to kill them, Joe physically fought Pitch, giving Loretta time to grab a gun and shoot Pitch. The police had already been closing in due to the marked bills and arrived shortly after to rescue them.

Foreshadowing: Throughout the film, Tobey repeatedly prevented Pitch from killing the family, buying them time until the final confrontation.

• joe
• loretta
• trudy
• survived
• rescued

The kidnappers suspected the money might be marked after the FBI's involvement in the case. Tobey took Joe Martin into town with one of the bills to test if it would be accepted, while holding Loretta and Trudy hostage as insurance. This test ultimately led to Buzz and Pitch being pursued by police.

Foreshadowing: The gang's suspicion about marked bills was confirmed when the radio broadcast detailed the markings on every bill.

• ransom
• marked money
• test
• town
• spending

Pitch killed Tobey as part of a double-cross. After the gang scattered following the gas station chase, Pitch returned to the hideout and promised to help Tobey get a fake passport. Instead, Pitch killed Tobey to take full control and escape with whatever money remained, showing his completely untrustworthy and violent nature.

Foreshadowing: Pitch had already shown himself to be impatient and violent, frequently arguing with Tobey's more cautious approach.

• pitch
• tobey
• kill
• double cross
• passport