The Carter Case on AllMovie

The Carter Case was the second and last Republic film based on the popular radio series Mister District Attorney. Like the first entry, this one is played mostly for laughs, with Radio's Mister District Attorney. James Ellison replacing Dennis O'Keefe as feckless assistant DA P. Cadwallader Jones. The publisher of a tony fashion magazine is murdered, requiring Jones to sift through a colorful array of suspects. He is helped (?) along by snoopy girl reporter Terry Parker (Virginia Gilmore), who by default is the brightest character in the picture. Once the mystery has been solved, the film devolves into a Mack Sennett-style slapstick chase, which on its own merits is quite good. Unique among mystery movies, The Carter Case offers a "surprise" killer who for once is really a surprise-in fact, the unmasking of the murderer is downright incredible!