The League of Frightened Men (1937 film)

The League of Frightened Men is a 1937 mystery film based on the second Nero Wolfe novel by Rex Stout. Directed by Alfred E. Green, the Columbia Pictures film stars Walter Connolly as Nero Wolfe, a role played by Edward Arnold in the previous years Meet Nero Wolfe. The role of Wolfes assistant Archie Goodwin was reprised by Lionel Stander.

Wolfe arranges for all of Hibbards surviving Harvard pals to gather at his residence. All agree to, except for taxi driver Pitney Scott Victor Kilian. Wolfe later learns that the two friends of Hibbards were experiencing financial difficulties. Meanwhile, Wolfes partner Archie Goodwin Lionel Stander is sent to guard Chapins house. Chapin is also invited to join the meeting at Wolfes house. Just as he arrives, Dr. Burton Kenneth Hunter is shot by a hidden assailant. Wolfe, seeing the direction the shot came from, vouches for Chapins innocence. Some time later, both Goodwin and Wolfe are captured by Mark, who despises them for initially accusing Chapin of the wrongdoing.They manage to break free and Inspector Cramer Edward McNamara promptly arrests Mark for unlawful kidnapping. Wolfe suddenly cracks the case, after much thought into it. He concludes that Chapin had indeed sent those letters, but they were just meant to frighten the receivers. Instead, the actual murderer of the men is found to be one of Hibbards friends, banker Ferdinand Bowen Walter Kingsford. Bowen was the one who told Wolfe about the two men being in debt. In actuality, Bowen had stolen their money and made up the tale himself, as a spotcheck on the mens backgrounds showed. ........

Source: Wikipedia