Joe Palooka in Triple Cross

Joe Palooka in Triple Cross is a 1951 American film. It was part of the Joe Palooka series and was directed by Reginald Le Borg.^[1]

Joe Palooka in Triple Cross
Theatrical poster
Directed by	Reginald LeBorg
Screenplay by	Jan Jeffery
Story by	B.F. Melzer
Based on	Joe Palooka by Ham Fisher
Produced by	Hal E. Chester
Starring	Joe Kirkwood, Jr. James Gleason Cathy Downs John Emery Steve Brodie
Cinematography	William A. Sickner
Music by	Darrell Calker
Production company	Monogram Pictures
Distributed by	United Artists
Release date	1951 (1951)
Running time	60 minutes
Country	United States
Language	English

Plot

After the champ, Joe Palooka, his wife Anne and trainer Knobby stop for gas, they pick up three hitchhikers who turn out to be fugitives from the law. Their leader is the Professor and his top henchman is Dutch, who is disguised as a woman.

While holding Ann hostage, the Professor orders Joe to lose his next fight on purpose while Knobby places a $100,000 bet on his foe. Dutch, carrying a gun, sits ringside, again dressed as a woman, to make sure Joe does what he's told.

Knocked out of the ring, Joe lands at Dutch's feet and exposes his true identity. While cops and security deal with that, Joe jumps back into the ring and flattens his opponent. He is winner and still champion.^[2]

Cast

• Joe Kirkwood, Jr. as Joe Palooka
• Cathy Downs as Anne
• James Gleason as Knobby
• John Emery as the Professor
• Steve Brodie as Dutch

Retrospective appraisal

Film historian Wheeler W. Dixon calls the film “a credible, if minor addition” to the Palooka film series^[3]

Director Reginald LeBorg, on completing Joe Palooka and the Triple Cross, his final Palooka picture: “[I]t was becoming almost as much of a trap as the horror movies.”^[4]