Hold That Woman! 1940

A determined boss of a skiptrace agency, Bill Lannigan, sets a challenging goal for his top agent, Jimmy Parker — he has just thirty days to become as successful as his rival, Miles Hanover, or face termination. Jimmy, along with his fiancée Mary Mulvaney, who is also the daughter of a police officer, embarks on a series of detective-style missions, one of which involves repossessing a radio from Lulu Driscoll (Rita La Roy), who has not kept up with her payments.

Unbeknownst to Jimmy, the radio contains hidden stolen jewels belonging to the famous movie star Connie Hill. These jewels have been concealed by villains involved in her jewel theft case. When Jimmy forces his way into Lulu’s hotel room to retrieve the radio, Lulu becomes upset and calls the police, resulting in both Jimmy and Mary being arrested and taken to jail.

Meanwhile, John Lawrence (William Hall), Hill’s manager, is suspicious that her fiancé, Steve Brady, may be involved in her jewel theft. Lawrence and Hill listen secretly to a conversation between Brady and a man named Duke Jurgens, discussing a lucrative share in the theft. Determined to recover the stolen jewels, Lawrence hires the skiptracing agency to intervene, assigning Miles Hanover, Jimmy’s rival, to handle the case.

After being released from jail, Jimmy impulsively decides to marry Mary. They invest in a new home, buying furniture from a widow selling her possessions cheaply, symbolizing a fresh start. Driven by a desire to retrieve the jewelry and clear his name, Jimmy sets off to find Lulu, but discovers she has already moved.

Meanwhile, Miles Hanover witnesses the kidnapping of Brady by Jurgens and his gang. The criminals head to Lulu’s new residence, searching for the jewels. Their plan is thwarted when they notice Hanover spying on them. The gang ties up Hanover and captures Lulu and Brady, locking them in the trunk of a stolen car. As Jurgens’ gang ransacks the house in pursuit of the jewels, Jimmy arrives just in time to confront them, retrieving the radio.

In a twist of events, as Jimmy stores the radio in his trunk, a bag of stolen jewels accidentally falls out. Recognizing the car parked outside as one on his list, Jimmy quickly seizes the opportunity by commandeering the vehicle and sending Mary home with their own car for safety. The gang chases after Jimmy in a high-stakes pursuit, but both vehicles are stopped by police. Interestingly, one of the police officers turns out to be Jimmy’s future father-in-law. With the stolen jewels recovered, Jimmy shows him the evidence, confident he will earn the reward money from the insurance company.

However, their triumph is short-lived. Upon returning home, Jimmy and Mary realize they have been double-crossed; the furniture, bought cheaply earlier, has been repossessed by skiptracers, highlighting how their efforts to start anew have been undermined. Their adventure underscores themes of deception, perseverance, and the unpredictable nature of solving a crime while trying to build a life together.