Dick Tracy vs. Cueball 1946
Directed by
Gordon Douglas
Made by
RKO Radio Pictures
Dick Tracy vs. Cueball Plot Summary
Read the complete plot summary and ending explained for Dick Tracy vs. Cueball (1946). From turning points to emotional moments, uncover what really happened and why it matters.
Lester Abbott is aboard an ocean liner that has just docked, carrying diamonds he intends to sell to gem dealer Jules Sparkle. Before he can leave the ship, he is robbed and strangled by ex-con Harry ‘Cueball’ Lake, who was alerted to Abbott’s arrival by two accomplices, Simon Little and Mona Clyde, who work for Sparkle. Little and Clyde have arranged with crooked antiques dealer Percival Priceless to pay Cueball a few thousand dollars and then resell the stolen gems for a fortune, splitting the proceeds three ways.
After meeting with Little—who did not expect Cueball to murder Abbott and tries to back out of the deal—Cueball visits Filthy Flora, madam of the Dripping Dagger Bar. She lets him stay there in a hidden room where he will be safe from police, but she knows he has the diamonds and demands a large payment.
Detectives Dick Tracy and Pat Patton visit Sparkle’s establishment to question him. The detectives become suspicious of Little and Clyde. Tracy surreptitiously follows Clyde that evening, and sees her slip a note under the door of Priceless’s shop and walk away. After the note disappears under the door, Tracy gains entry and questions Priceless, who claims that Clyde is a customer seeking candlesticks. Unsatisfied, Tracy enlists his friend, the aged thespian Vitamin Flintheart to visit the shop the next day and observe any suspicious activity. Posing as a customer, Flintheart sees Clyde enter and leave, but is unable to overhear her conversation with Priceless, who learns from her that Little (whose intended role in the scheme was to recut the gems) is an unreliable partner.
Priceless goes to Cueball’s room to complete the transaction for the diamonds, not realizing that Tracy and Patton are tailing him. Cueball sees the detectives in the bar and becomes enraged. Suspecting Priceless of treachery, he strangles him.
Later, while Cueball is temporarily away, Flora searches his room for the diamonds. She finds and steals them, but Cueball has been watching her through a window. He confronts and strangles her.
Cueball’s method of strangling his victims with a braided leather hatband provides the police with a clue to his identity. Hoping to lure him out of hiding, Tracy allows his girlfriend Tess Trueheart to meet with Little and Clyde on the pretense of being a wealthy customer seeking diamonds. Before she can meet them she is kidnapped by Cueball, who discovers her identity and is about to strangle her when Tracy arrives on the scene. During the chase that ensues, Cueball runs onto a railroad track, where he gets his foot stuck under the track and is killed by a speeding locomotive.
Dick Tracy vs. Cueball Timeline
Follow the complete movie timeline of Dick Tracy vs. Cueball (1946) with every major event in chronological order. Great for understanding complex plots and story progression.
Abbott murdered aboard the docked liner
Lester Abbott arrives aboard the ocean liner that has just docked, planning to sell diamonds to Jules Sparkle. Cueball, alerted to Abbott's arrival by Little and Clyde, robs him and strangles him before he can depart. The murder seeds the elaborate plan to move the gems through Priceless and resell them for a fortune.
Plan to pay Cueball and resell the gems
Little and Clyde, who work for Sparkle, set up a deal with Percival Priceless to pay Cueball a few thousand dollars up front. They intend to recut and resell the stolen gems for a huge profit, splitting the proceeds three ways. This marks the formal kick-off of the diamond-heist scheme.
Little tries to back out of the deal
Little meets Cueball after the murder, hoping to back out of the arrangement. He did not expect Abbott to be killed, and his reluctance increases the tension. Cueball presses ahead with his demands for the diamonds.
Cueball hides at Filthy Flora's Bar
Cueball visits Filthy Flora, madam of the Dripping Dagger Bar, and Flora hides him in a secret room to keep him safe from the police. She knows he has the diamonds and demands a large payment in return for protection. The arrangement tightens as other players move pieces into place.
Detectives question Sparkle and surveil the suspects
Detectives Dick Tracy and Pat Patton visit Sparkle's establishment to question him about the missing gems. Their suspicions fall on Little and Clyde. Tracy follows Clyde that evening and sees her slip a note under the door of Priceless's shop before walking away.
Flintheart investigates Priceless's shop
Vitamin Flintheart visits Priceless's shop undercover as a customer to observe activity. He sees Clyde go in and out but cannot overhear their conversation. Priceless uses what he observes to conclude that Little is an unreliable partner.
Priceless confronts the diamonds deal
Priceless heads to Cueball's room to finalize the transaction, with Tracy and Patton tailing him secretly. Cueball spots the detectives in the bar and becomes enraged. Suspecting Priceless of treachery, he strangles Priceless.
Flora seizes the diamonds and murders again
While Cueball is away, Flora searches his room for the diamonds and finds them. She steals the gems, unaware that Cueball is watching her through a window. He confronts Flora and strangles her to keep the loot secure.
The hatband clue points to Cueball
Cueball's method of strangling with a braided leather hatband becomes a key clue for the police. Investigators piece together the killer's identity from this distinctive signature. The investigation tightens as the evidence accumulates.
Tess Trueheart is used to draw Cueball out
Tracy allows his girlfriend Tess Trueheart to appear as a wealthy diamond client to lure Cueball out of hiding. Tess is kidnapped by Cueball, who recognizes her identity and is about to strangle her when Tracy arrives on the scene. A tense confrontation follows as the trap is sprung.
The chase to the railroad ends Cueball
A high-tension pursuit culminates as Cueball escapes with Tess in tow. He runs onto the railroad tracks, attempting to flee. A speeding locomotive delivers his final, fatal end, bringing the case to a close.
Dick Tracy vs. Cueball Characters
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Dick Tracy (Morgan Conway)
The determined detective anchor, Tracy uses sharp instincts and methodical observation to unravel the diamonds' web. He pieces together disparate leads, outsmarts suspects, and coordinates with partners to trap Cueball. His persistence keeps the investigation focused amid shifting loyalties and danger.
Pat Patton (Lyle Latell)
Tracy's loyal partner, Patton provides steady support and practical insight. He helps tail Clyde, evaluates suspects, and maintains momentum when leads run thin. His reliability complements Tracy's analytical approach.
Mona Clyde (Rita Corday)
A secretary tied to Sparkle's operation, she moves within the diamond scheme, projecting charm while maneuvering to advance the criminals' plans. Her involvement complicates the investigators' efforts to distinguish allies from suspects.
Simon Little (Byron Foulger)
A partner in the gem scheme whose reliability wavers, he underestimates Tracy and Clyde's vigilance. His cut-and-paste approach to the plan signals a precarious balance between profit and exposure.
Percival Priceless (Douglas Walton)
An antique store owner who becomes a conduit for the gem trade, he navigates a web of trust and treachery while seeking to maximize profit. His shop serves as a crucial node where deals and deceptions intersect.
Filthy Flora (Esther Howard)
Owner of the Dripping Dagger Bar, she runs a hidden room where criminals lay low and diamonds circulate. Flora’s awareness of the diamonds' presence makes her a pivotal intermediary, though her loyalties remain ambiguous.
Cueball (Harry 'Cueball' Lake) (uncredited actor)
A ruthless ex-con and the film's killer, Cueball moves through the plot with deadly efficiency. His signature strangling method via a braided hatband becomes a distinctive clue that drives the investigation forward.
Jules Sparkle (Harry Cheshire)
A glamorous diamond dealer and front for the operation, Sparkle's establishment serves as a hub where information leaks and deals occur under his watchful eye.
Vitamin Flintheart (Ian Keith)
The aging theatrical actor turned advisor, Flintheart injects flamboyance into the investigation and helps Tracy observe Priceless's movements.
Tess Trueheart (Anne Jeffreys)
Tracy's girlfriend, she puts herself at risk by engaging with Little and Clyde to lure Cueball, underscoring the personal stakes of the case.
Dick Tracy vs. Cueball Settings
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Time period
1940s
The plot sits in a mid-20th-century urban crime milieu, echoing the detective serials of the era. Clues appear through notes, front businesses, and nightlife locales, creating a brisk, episodic rhythm. Public spaces like bars and shops serve as stages for twists, confrontations, and the pursuit of the culprit.
Location
Ocean liner, Sparkle's Establishment, Dripping Dagger Bar, Priceless's Antique Shop
The story unfolds across several urban locations anchored by a recently docked ocean liner where diamonds are first moved. The action then shifts to Sparkle's diamond operation and Filthy Flora's Dripping Dagger Bar, with Priceless's antique shop as another key hub where deals go down. Hidden rooms and secret exchanges punctuate the settings, while a tense city-wide chase ties the locations together.
Dick Tracy vs. Cueball Themes
Discover the main themes in Dick Tracy vs. Cueball (1946). Analyze the deeper meanings, emotional layers, and social commentary behind the film.
🕵️
Investigation
Detective work drives the narrative as Tracy and Patton chase leads and interrogate suspects. They recruit Vitamin Flintheart to observe Priceless's shop, adding a theatrical edge to the hunt. Clues accumulate through careful surveillance and strategic questioning, building toward a climactic confrontation.
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Greed
Stolen diamonds fuel nearly every player's motive, funneling the plot through front businesses and schemes. The plan unfolds via Little, Clyde, Priceless, and Flora, each chasing fortune at the gems' expense. The resulting betrayals expose the perils of unchecked greed and shifting loyalties.
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Fate and Justice
The net tightens as the detectives close in on Cueball and the other conspirators. The killer's braided-leather hatband method becomes a telling clue that threads through the investigation. The pursuit culminates on the railroad tracks, delivering a definitive resolution and a sense of justice.
Dick Tracy vs. Cueball Spoiler-Free Summary
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In a bustling metropolis where shadows stretch across neon‑lit boulevards and every alley whispers of secrets, a legend walks the thin line between law and legend. Dick Tracy is the city’s most tenacious sleuth, a crime‑crusader whose reputation for relentless determination is matched only by his flair for the dramatic. The world he inhabits feels simultaneously gritty and larger‑than‑life, a place where the ordinary collides with the absurd and justice is pursued with a swagger that borders on theatrical.
Beside him, his steadfast companion brings a different sort of resolve. Tess Trueheart—smart, daring, and unafraid to step into danger—offers more than affection; she becomes an indispensable partner in his investigations. Their relationship crackles with a blend of camaraderie and affection, each trusting the other’s instincts while navigating the perilous undercurrents of the city’s criminal landscape. Together they form a duo whose chemistry fuels both the methodical hunt and the occasional, reckless leap into the unknown.
Lurking beneath the city’s restless pulse is a chilling presence: a homicidal maniac whose very existence casts a pall over the streets. The threat feels personal, yet elusive, prompting Tracy to employ every ounce of his keen intuition and street‑wise savvy. The tone of the chase is taut, threaded with the classic pulp‑era dread that makes each clue feel like a winking nod to the genre’s golden age, while the stakes remain undeniably high.
As the investigation deepens, the city itself seems to lean in, offering hidden corners and whispered rumors that hint at the maniac’s next move. Tracy and Tess find themselves drawn into a tangled web of intrigue, where the line between hunter and hunted blurs, and the only certainty is that the pursuit will test the limits of their courage, wits, and their unbreakable bond.
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