Fingers at the Window (1942)

In the ominous shadow of an axe murderer's reign, Chicago trembles, its streets echoing with a chilling silence. Amidst this terror, six individuals have met a gruesome fate, each killed by an axe-wielding lunatic caught in the act. As the city cowers, an unemployed actor, Oliver Duffy, finds himself drawn into this deadly dance. One evening, he spots a menacing figure trailing Edwina Brown, an oblivious woman whose naivety is as solid as a brick. Acting on impulse, Duffy ensures her safe passage home and begins a vigilant watch over her. As the sinister figure dares a second attempt on Edwina's life, Duffy intercepts the lunatic, who also clutches an axe and spews madness. Staring into the face of this baffling phenomena, Duffy pieces together a chilling theory - a single malevolent mastermind is pulling the strings, hypnotizing innocent people into becoming cold-blooded murderers. The notion seems outlandish, even to the skeptical Edwina, whose past association with a stage musician in Paris looms suspiciously in Duffy's suspicions. When a local newspaper announces a hefty $25,000 reward for any information leading to the capture of the killer, Duffy steels his resolve. He embarks on a perilous journey to unravel the truth, win the reward, and above all, protect Edwina from becoming the next victim. The essence of this 1942 thriller, 'Fingers at the Window', lies in the chilling uncertainty, the hunt for a cunning puppeteer in a city held captive by fear.

Fingers at the Window is a mystery movie featuring Lew Ayres and directed by Charles Lederer.

Fingers at the Window is currently streaming on DIRECTV.