The Lone Wolf Takes a Chance

The Lone Wolf Takes a Chance

Year: 1941

Runtime: 74 mins

Language: English

Director: Sidney Salkow

Mystery

Mad ADVENTURE! Gay INTRIGUE! A reformed jewel thief fights to clear his name when he’s framed for murder.

Warning: spoilers below!

Haven’t seen The Lone Wolf Takes a Chance yet? This summary contains major spoilers. Bookmark the page, watch the movie, and come back for the full breakdown. If you're ready, scroll on and relive the story!

Timeline – The Lone Wolf Takes a Chance (1941)

Trace every key event in The Lone Wolf Takes a Chance (1941) with our detailed, chronological timeline. Perfect for unpacking nonlinear stories, spotting hidden connections, and understanding how each scene builds toward the film’s climax. Whether you're revisiting or decoding for the first time, this timeline gives you the full picture.

1

Cat leads Lanyard to a bank trap

Michael Lanyard and his valet Jamison spot a cat wearing a pearl necklace and decide to follow it. They track the cat to a bank, where a trap springs and bars trap them inside. Inspector Crane vows to finally nail his nemesis and bets Lanyard two months' salary that he can't stay out of trouble for 24 hours.

New York City bank
2

Crane doubles down on the bet

Crane is certain the arrest will soon come, even without the cat's distraction. He wagers Lanyard two months' salary that he cannot stay out of trouble for 24 hours. The cat's appearance shatters Crane's easy victory and stirs the broader chase.

New York City
3

Hotel scene and Baker's trap

Lanyard is staying in the same hotel as Gloria Foster, and Johnny Baker receives a telegram claiming Foster has information about his invention. The telegram leads to a trap: two men capture Baker in the hall while Wallace, a former private detective with him, tries to intervene. Wallace is shot and falls to his death, taking Lanyard's shade pull cord with him.

Hotel corridor and Gloria Foster's suite
4

Discarded telegram sparks chase

Lanyard spots the discarded telegram and escapes the hotel, while Jamison tails the criminals to keep track of them. Crane arrives and, missing Lanyard's shade pull cord, suspects him in Wallace's murder. The chase moves from the hotel into the city as the pieces begin to move.

Hotel vicinity to city streets
5

Newsreel reveals Baker's perilous plan

Lanyard visits Foster again and learns she holds information crucial to Baker’s invention. A newsreel reveals that Baker’s ‘burglar-proof’ government mail car will carry currency engraving plates on its maiden trip, and that Baker is the only person who knows the combination. Foster’s involvement becomes a key piece of the criminals’ plan.

Hotel lounge / cinema
6

The station pursuit begins

Jamison tail-catches the criminals to the station, and Frank Jordan and Johnny (in a stretcher) board the train carrying the mail car. Lanyard orders Jamison to join them, and Lanyard and Foster race to the next station to intercept. The cross-country chase is underway.

Train station
7

Baker guarded; Foster's fate unsettled

Inside the criminals' compartment, Lanyard finds Baker bound and gagged and Evelyn Jordan guarding him while 'Dr.' Hilton appears. The train’s atmosphere grows tense as the conductor receives Crane’s message to hold Lanyard and Jamison. Dr. Tupman presents a gravely ill patient, a misdirection that buys the crooks time while they decide Foster’s fate.

Criminals' compartment on the train
8

Criminals push forward; Foster is taken

The thieves force Baker to open the mail car, and Crane takes custody of Lanyard and Jamison, hoping Foster can exonerate him. Evelyn Jordan answers Crane’s knock and the crooks depart with Foster. Lanyard and Jamison manage to escape and continue the pursuit.

Train; moving toward next destination
9

Ambulance chase and rescue at the abandoned house

Lanyard and Jamison steal a taxi and chase the criminals’ ambulance, but their efforts end in a ditch. They press on on foot and hear a scream from an abandoned house, where they rescue Foster. Lanyard then sends Foster and Jamison to the authorities while he keeps pursuing the criminals.

New York area; abandoned house
10

Crane closes in; lair discovery

Crane arrives with Sheriff Haggerty and takes Lanyard into custody, but Lanyard escapes. He discovers a secret door to the crooks' lair and is knocked out as the criminals flee with the currency plates. Jamison sabotages the ambulance, and Tupman hides the plates by lowering them down a well; the chase goes on.

Crooks' lair / outside the ambulance
11

The hunt for the combination takes a turn

With the combination still unseen, Lanyard spots a possible solution through a newsreel at a theatre. Enlarged footage reveals Baker’s final code, enabling Lanyard to plan a daring interception. The plan uses the information learned from the reel to approach the train on new terms.

Theatre (newsreel) in the city
12

Stop, plane, and final rescue in Gary, Indiana

Lanyard arranges a chartered airplane to overtake the stalled train and sets a stop signal. He boards the car just as police close in, rescuing Baker before the car’s gas trap goes off. The criminals are captured and Lanyard’s adventure ends with the case resolved.

Gary, Indiana; on the train

Last Updated: October 09, 2025 at 12:30

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The Lone Wolf Takes a Chance Summary

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Characters, Settings & Themes in The Lone Wolf Takes a Chance

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