This is a fairly low budget mystery film about a murdered dentist. It's pretty standard fare; the plot is pretty mechanical as it navigates the familiar trail of clues to the mystery's conclusion. Mystery fans may enjoy it, but otherwise the only element of note is an early co-starring performance by Rock Hudson. The title character, a Dashiell Hammett creation, is played by J. Scott Smart in his first and only credited film role; he died before the film was released.