Lightning Strikes Twice (1934)

• 52%
• 1934
• Comedy
• Mystery
• Ben Holmes
• Ben Lyon
• Thelma Todd
• Pert Kelton

A crazed gunman fires a shot. As Officer Casey reports the assumed murder to headquarters, another shot is fired, causing Casey to fall. Police rush to the scene, led by Lieutenant Foster, who backs into a hole in the street. Both missing policemen are assumed murdered, but actually, they fell into a sewer system unharmed and can't get out. Next morning, the housekeeper Martha discovers the butler missing and blood-stained sheets on his bed and assumes he's been murdered. When her employer and his friend (Stee Brewster and Wally Richards) awaken, they discover that in their drunken stupor the night before, they crashed the car into the garage, and two injured passengers are in an upstairs bedroom: fan dancer Fay and her husband Gus, who had performed at the nightclub Steve and Wally attended; they're now faking injuries to see what they can get. Since the room was being prepared for Steve's fiancée and her father (Judy and naval Captain Hobart Nelson), who are expected to arrive shortly, Steve asks them to move. But Judy and Captain Nelson arrive and witness Steve carrying Fay, who complained of a sprained ankle, to another room. Judy breaks her engagement and they leave in a huff for a hotel. As Steve follows them to explain, his Aunt Jane Madison arrives. She interrupted her world travels to come to meet Judy and her father, and assumes they are Fay and Gus. When she gives Fay a diamond-studded bracelet as a wedding present, they continue the deception in the hope of stealing it. Meanwhile, reporter Marty Hicks notices Martha stuffing the butler's clothes into a drawer and notifies the police, who send Detective Dugan to investigate. Because Dugan gets no cooperation from Martha and Wally, he dons a butler's uniform so he can mingle with the guests. Steve then returns with the forgiving Judy and her father, confusing them and Dugan with two sets of Nelsons, until all is explained. But how will the two policemen be rescued? Who is the crazed man darting (mostly) undetected from room to room, and why did he fire the two shots? And where is the missing butler?