I’ll Sell My Life

2809. I’LL SELL MY LIFE (1941-usA). With MICHAEL WHALEN, ROSE HOBART, STANLEY FIELDS, JOAN WOODBURY, ROSCOE ATES. Two seemingly unrelated incidents open this thoroughly unique and fascinating murder mystery/thriller. First, a woman named Ruth Parmalee exits a car in front of the Club Sirocco, a posh nightspot. She is approached by another woman, who pumps four bullets into her. Next, a classified ad is placed in a newspaper called “The Friend In Need.” It is the oddest ad, and it reads: “I’ll buy your life. If you are interested apply Thursday, Alhambra Arms. Ask for A. Darnell.” Mordecai Breen is the good- hearted editor and publisher of the sheet, and he takes a personal inierest in the ad. He quickly learns that it was meant for female applicants only. One of them is a damsel-in-distress who calls herself Mary Jones. She is willing to sell her life for $20,000, explaining that she wants the money for her brother. He is a man with an unusual predicament-an artist who has lost his eyesight! She is “hired” for the job, and is summarily told that she is practically dead! By now several questions are begging to be answered. Who is “A. Darnell?” Who is “Mary Jones” and why is she so eager to be hired? Why was the ad placed? Will the successful applicant really be selling away her earthly existence? How will Breen fit into the scenario? Finally, how will the murder which opened the story relate to all of the above? 5ome of the answers are fairly simple and quickly revealed, others take more time in being explained. They are a bit more complex, and very shocking! 72 minutes. Crime Mystery Suspense