Whipsaw (1935).mp4

Hot jewels from London make their way to New York, where they are stolen by racketeer Ed Dexter (Harvey Stephens), who hides them with the help of his vivacious girlfriend, Vivian Palmer (Myrna Loy). Federal agent Ross McBride (Spencer Tracy) goes undercover to infiltrate Dexter's gang and, suspecting Vivian can lead him to the jewels, comes to her aid when she is chased by a rival gang. The two flee to the Midwest with both gangs in pursuit -- but Vivian is not as gullible as Ross thinks.





Brief Synopsis

In London, jewel collector Wadsworth purchases the famous Koronoff pearls for a sum of $500,000 from Monetta, who immediately assigns three bodyguards to escort Wadsworth and the uninsured jewels back to America. Despite the security, the pearls are stolen from Wadsworth by the Dexter mob amid the din of reporters covering the jewel sale at the New York customs office. Racketeer Ed Dexter and his accomplice, Harry Ames, are aided by the pretty Vivian Palmer, who is soon suspected of the theft when Chief Hughes of the Department of Justice links her to Wadsworth's minor automobile accident in Paris shortly before the theft. Assigned by Hughes to investigate the case, G-man Ross McBride poses as a fellow thug in order to win Palmer's confidence and infiltrate the mob. Hoping that she will lead him to Dexter, McBride stages a fake bust with another detective, who, for the benefit of Palmer, accuses McBride of being involved in the much-publicized jewel heist. McBride knocks the detective unconscious and uses the incident to convince Palmer that they must flee before the police come after them. McBride then drives Palmer to Kansas City. En route, Palmer and McBride realize that they are being followed, so they try to lose the men by driving to St. Louis instead. Meanwhile, rival mob leader "Doc" Evans and his man Steve Arnold, also after the Koronoff pearls, tail Palmer, hoping she will lead them to Dexter. Palmer, who does not know that Dexter has hidden the Koronoff pearls in the handle of her mirror, calls him and tells him that she has known McBride's true identity and his motives all along, but is willing to play along with his scheme in order to use him to keep Evans' men from approaching her. She also tells Dexter that she wants to go straight and part ways with the mob after splitting the take on the Koronoff job. Evans and Arnold trace Palmer's call to New Orleans, but they go there only to find that the jewels are with Palmer. Later, McBride and Palmer flee from St. Louis by car and find themselves stranded in a storm, forced to take refuge in the home of Will Dabson and his wife. When Mrs. Dabson goes into labor, McBride volunteers to brave the storm to fetch Dr. Williams. The doctor arrives in time for the delivery, and with the help of Palmer, who acts as midwife, they deliver twins. McBride and Palmer soon develop a romantic interest in one another and spend the night at the Dabsons. During the night, Palmer sneaks out to call Dexter and tell him that she is through with the racket and wants out. After McBride eavesdrops on Palmer's conversation, he reveals that he is a federal agent, and Palmer admits that she has known that all along. McBride, realizing that he has been "whipsawed" and softened by Palmer, calls his office to report that he is arresting her, but then tries to find a way out for her. When he kisses her, Palmer's mirror shatters, and the missing pearls fall out. Palmer tells McBride that she did not know the pearls were hidden in the mirror, but he does not believe her and insists on going through with the arrest. The next day, Evans and the Dexter mob show up, and Palmer, trying to protect McBride, lies and tells them that he is her husband. Palmer and McBride are given permission to leave, but the two only get as far as a diner when a shootout ensues. Following the gun battle, Palmer is jailed. She is released, though, when the police chief learns that she was used by the Dexter mob and Ames. McBride, who offered himself as a witness, turns in his shield for her, and they kiss.