Cosmo Jones, Crime Smasher (1943): cast, story & where to watch

Released in 1943, Cosmo Jones, Crime Smasher is a drama, crime, mystery and romance film directed by James Tinling, running about 62 minutes. “Radio's crack-brain criminologist stands headquarters on its head in his first raid on screen gangsters!” — that tagline sets the tone.

What it’s about. Cosmo Jones, a correspondence-school detective from a small town, comes to the big city to offer his services to the police. He happens by where a gangster is killed by an opposing gang. Socialite Phyllis Blake is running around with gang member Tom and the opposing gang plan on kidnapping her. Cosmo is with Sergeant Flanagan when the attempt is made in front of a night club, where a bystander is seriously wounded in the gun-battle. Police Chief Murphy blames Flanagan for the shooting and demotes him. Cosmo, with the aid of a porter, Eustace and Flanagan's fiancée, Susan, tries to find the killer. Phyllis is finally kidnapped and Cosmo decides the act was committed by one of the two gangs. He has her father place an ad in the newspaper that contact has been made with the kidnappers. Each gang thinks the other is pulling a double cross, and one gang wipes out the other.

Who’s in it. Cosmo Jones, Crime Smasher stars Frank Graham as Cosmo Jones, Edgar Kennedy as Police Chief Murphy, Gale Storm as Susan Fleming and Richard Cromwell as Sgt. Pat Flanagan, among others.

How it landed. With an audience score of 4.0/10, Cosmo Jones, Crime Smasher has proved divisive with audiences.

Where to watch. Streaming options change often. See the full, country-by-country breakdown on our where to watch Cosmo Jones, Crime Smasher page.

If you liked it. Fans of Cosmo Jones, Crime Smasher tend to enjoy The Shawshank Redemption, The Godfather, Schindler's List and The Godfather Part II.