Mystery Street (1950)

As the Cape Cod shoreline reveals a ghastly secret, the peaceful rhythm of the waves is disrupted when a bird watcher stumbles upon a skeleton on the beach. This chilling discovery propels Lt. Peter Morales and his ally, Det. Tim Sharkey, into a complex investigation where they are left with nothing but bones as their guide. With no clothes, jewelry, or immediate identifiers, they turn to the expertise of Harvard's forensic specialist, Dr. McAdoo. Dr. McAdoo, armed with his formidable knowledge, discerns that the victim is a blonde woman of about 24 years, her life abruptly ended three months prior. The absence of traditional clues doesn't deter him as he utilizes the skeletal remains to estimate the victim's height and, intriguingly, suggests she may have been a dancer from the distinctive shape of her foot. This leads the investigators to Vivian Heldon, a barmaid at the Grass Skirt, who had vanished at the same time the body was discarded. Vivian, tired of being snubbed by her wealthy, married lover, had last been seen leaving the bar with an intoxicated patron, Henry Shanway. In a bold move, she commandeers Shanway's car, abandoning him while she attempts to confront her unfaithful boyfriend on the Cape. The police initially pin their suspicions on the hapless Shanway, but as Dr. McAdoo continues to reveal secrets locked in the bones, they are guided away from the easy suspect and onto the trail of the real killer. Lt. Morales undertakes a race against time, following a path of breadcrumbs from bone to victim to killer, his every step shadowed by the chilling specter of the skeleton found on Mystery Street. Will his relentless pursuit of justice prevail, or will an innocent man pay the price for a crime he didn't commit?

Mystery Street is a crime movie featuring Ricardo Montalban.

Mystery Street is currently streaming on TCM.