Jigsaw (1949)

Jigsaw is a 1949 American film noir crime drama directed by Fletcher Markle starring Franchot Tone, Jean Wallace and Marc Lawrence. The feature was produced by the Danziger Brothers, Edward J. Danziger and Harry Lee Danziger, from a screenplay by Vincent McConnor and Fletcher Markle, based on a story by John Roeburt.

Director – Fletcher Markle

Writers – Fletcher Markle (screen play by), Vincent McConnor (screen play by), John Roeburt (from an original story by)

Cast –
Franchot Tone as Howard Malloy
Jean Wallace as Barbara Whitfield
Myron McCormick as Charles Riggs
Marc Lawrence as Angelo Agostini
Winifred Lenihan as Mrs. Hartley
Doe Avedon as Caroline Riggs
Hedley Rainnie as Sigmund Kosterich
Walter Vaughan as District Attorney Walker
George Breen as Knuckles
Robert Gist as Tommy Quigley
Hester Sondergaard as Mrs. Borg
Luella Gear as Pet Shop Owner
Henry Fonda as Nightclub Waiter
Alexander Campbell as Pemberton
Robert Noe as Waldron
Alexander Lockwood as Nichols
Ken Smith as Wylie
Alan MacAteer as Museum Guard
Manuel Aparicio as Warehouse Guard
Brainerd Duffield as Butler

Watch “Jigsaw” (1949)

Plot

The title refers to a jigsaw puzzle and the story begins with the murder of a print shop owner that is quickly labeled a suicide. But newspaper columnist Charlie Riggs is convinced that it was a murder related to a white neo-fascist organization called the Crusaders and imparts this suspicion to Assistant District Attorney Howard Malloy. He also publishes this opinion in his column. Then Riggs himself is murdered, inducing Malloy to launch an investigation into the Crusaders. Because the group appears to be getting backing from organized crime, Malloy looks there, soon receiving unsolicited help from a crime boss called Angel, who recommends him for the position of special prosecutor.

Later, with further help from a prominent judge’s widow, Malloy is appointed. This is supposed to put him in the pocket of those behind the murders. But Malloy proceeds to investigate the artist who created the Crusaders recruiting poster. Seeing in the artist’s studio a painting of an attractive night club singer, Malloy then proceeds to investigate her. This leads to a series of revelations regarding all of these characters and ends with more people dead and wounded in a fiery exchange at the end.