Memorable, crazy movie

Beautiful, moving film.

I cannot think of one single thing that I would change about this film. The acting is incomparable, the directing deft, and the writing poignantly brilliant.

The biggest problem with this movie is it’s a little better than you think it might be, which somehow makes it worse. As in, it takes itself a bit too seriously, which makes most of the movie feel kind of dull.

Asia, 1913: archaeologist John Prendergast (Clay Clement) is cursed after he kills a sacred monkey and absconds with a fortune in Indian national treasures and a Hindu woman, Chanda (Joyzelle Joyner). After two decades, the now wheelchair-bound Prendergast returns to the U.S. with Chanda to finally divide his wealth between the shareholders of his expedition. Inviting them to his home, he informs the investors of the fortune that awaits them, but warns them that in accepting their cut of the money they too will be cursed.An 'old dark house' thriller, House of Mystery aims for giggles as much as it does scares, but fails to deliver much of either. Prendergast's house lacks the creepy atmosphere necessary to raise goosebumps (it's far too well lit and hasn't nearly enough cobwebs or secret corridors), the instrument of death is a silly gorilla (unconvincingly played by a man in a crap ape costume), the attempts at frivolity are more irritating than amusing, and most of the characters are so obnoxious you'll be longing for them to fall foul of the curse.Even at just over an hour, the film quickly outstays its welcome. 3/10.

An archaeologist (Clement) offends the Hindu spirit of Khali whilst on the Sub-Continent, then returns to England with his ill-gotten gains peddling a ruse that the fortune he's amassed is tainted by debilitating visions of apes crushing his windpipe, in an attempt to put off suspicion and the investors in his expedition who've come to collect their dues.Comedy-thriller is nothing more than a haunted house romp, with Clement starring as the charlatan John Prendergast (aka Pren), fond of the liquor and the ladies, particularly his nubile house nurse Hillie which upsets his faithful Indian servant-woman Joy. Irving Bacon is quite amusing as the detective without a clue, while Sheehan does a pretty good Groucho Marx impersonation as Scotland Yard incognito.Mild slapstick and witty dialogue couple with some innovative camera angles and dolly tracking, unusual for 1934 cinematography leave an impression, but otherwise, there's little to entertain even at barely 62 minutes brief.

The film starts in Asia, in 1913, when John Prendergast (Clay Clement), an archaeologist, in a drunken rage, kills one of the temple monkeys. He has a curse put on him by the temple priests. They predict that he will steal jewels and go off with them but he and his descendents will be cursed. His insolence seals his fate. A giant ape is ordered to kill him but Chandra (Joyzelle) the exotic dancer that he is involved with helps him escape.Twenty years later they are found and the relatives of the original expedition meet at John Pren's house (he is now going by that name) to demand their share of the wealth. Pren tells them of the curse (2 English relations had been given their share - within a month they had been murdered) and stipulates that to claim their share they must stay in the house a week.The first night a seance is held and one of the ladies, Mrs. Carfax, (Dale Fuller) the hypochondriac, is murdered. It is very clear that an ape has killed her. Gabby Hayes makes a surprise appearance as one of the guests - one with gambling debts - he is the next one murdered. He is found in an ape suit which immediately throws everyone off the scent. "I'm going to the zoo" "Sit down, you're in one right now!!!"Joyzelle is the most interesting character in the film - she plays the inscrutable Chandra. Why she was billed as Laya Joy instead of Joyzelle may be the real mystery???? She didn't make many films and in most of them she was billed as "exotic dancer" but in "Just Imagine" (1930) she had a memorable part as twins, one good and one evil!!! In "House of Mystery" she had the second female lead - I admit that in a film of 62 minutes that is not something to boast about!!!Things are not what they seem. Mr. Pren is not the benevolent old gentleman confined to a wheelchair - he is very predatory and wants the money for himself. The guests find a note and are persuaded to go to the police station - all except Ella Browning (Verna Hillie). She is persuaded to stay in the house by Mr. Pren, who wants to send Chandra away and marry Ella. Chandra has other ideas.The film is okay. Everything is tidied up very quickly. It is like "The Mummy" meets "The Old Dark House".

Years ago fortune hunter ran a foul of an Indian cult. Now years later he calls together the backers of his trip to try and make amends and to make right what happened.Or so he says.Actually there's more going on here than meets the eye, not to mention a potentially murderous gorilla.This is a very good, completely unremarkable and completely forgettable movie that is probably destined to end up lost in your memory. I know I have a hell of a hard time remembering which movie this is every time I run across it in my movie collection. I have to put it on to see what it is and more times than not I'll leave it on. Its not one that I actively search out to watch, even though I've seen it numerous times.Should you get the chance, you might want to give it a try, just don't expect to remember it in the morning.