Self-important, over-dramatic, uninspired.

Please don't spend money on this.

The movie's neither hopeful in contrived ways, nor hopeless in different contrived ways. Somehow it manages to be wonderful

There are moments in this movie where the great movie it could've been peek out... They're fleeting, here, but they're worth savoring, and they happen often enough to make it worth your while.

Most of the other reviewers on this board seemed to have fun with this one, and there's no reason not to. I was reminded of Vincent Price's 1959 flick "House on Haunted Hill", but a more likely comparison could be made to another Jack Haley vehicle from 1944 - "One Body Too Many". That one also included an eccentric millionaire, but the stakes are even higher here for heirs of Jasper Whyte's (Charley Grapewin) five million dollar fortune. I always get a kick out of the timing involved in these 1930's era flicks - if the 'true' heir shows up before midnight, she gets the whole bundle, while the five other poor saps who would have gotten a million each are left holding the proverbial empty bag.The best thing to do here is sit back and relax as the characters go through their motions, because in the best Charlie Chan tradition, the murderer isn't revealed until right at the very end. You can take a stab at it of course, but these pictures always managed to confound anyone who really tried to stay focused and keep track of all the characters. My money would have been on Arthur Proctor (Arthur Hohl), just because he was the creepiest suspect with the most to lose. Hedda Hopper probably would have named him in her gossip column.I can't say for sure if I'd call it a continuity goof, but keep an eye on the utility pole that gets hit by the falling tree during the thunderstorm. It shows up later in the picture good as new!For a mystery flick that comes in at just over an hour, you can't go wrong with "One Frightened Night". I'd put it right up there with my other suggestions for a dark and stormy night movie marathon, just like the ones mentioned in my opening comments. If that weren't enough, this movie is the only one I've seen so far that contains the word 'prestidigitator', and that's got to be worth a bonus point!

"An aging eccentric millionaire gathers his heirs and informs them that he intends to give his fortune to his granddaughter, if she appears before midnight, otherwise the five of them will split the estate. Two women arrive claiming to be the long-lost granddaughter, which upsets all of the other relatives. When one of the women ends up dead, suspicion falls upon everyone who potentially would benefit form the elimination of the other heirs," according to the DVD sleeve's synopsis.For the umpteenth time, a group of interconnecting people gather at a spooky mansion, hope to collect a fortune, and become murder victims (or suspects) - it's a very familiar plot. But, "One Frightened Night" manages to always seem cleverer than it is. Director Christy Cabanne, who was often hired to keep thing moving, does just that, while managing to throw in some of the flair he more often neglected. It's nice to see an older actor, Charley Grapewin (as Jasper Wythe), taking the lead; and, the rest of the cast circumvents him well.***** One Frightened Night (1935) Christy Cabanne ~ Charley Grapewin, Mary Carlisle, Wallace Ford

I have to agree with Eric Miller; this film is a GEM! A neat intro, all-star cast (for 1935) and an interesting story by the Great Stuart Palmer make this a top-notch film! If you're a fan of "Old House" films, this is a MUST-see!There is a "goof" listed for this film: "A room which has been locked since 1915 contains up-to-date (1935) fixtures".Whoever said that didn't watch the film closely, because they are incorrect! The locked room HAS NO visible lights -- the old man uses a candle when he enters with his niece. The room they must be talking about is the "trophy room", complete with mummies, skulls, daggers and all sorts of "weird" things! (Two different rooms).Norm Vogel www.normsfilms.com

Jasper Whyte calls all of his associates and friends (few in number) to his house (on a night with plenty of rain, thunder, and lightning) to give away all of his estate before an inheritance tax would lessen the amount. One million dollars is to be given to relative Tom Dean, maid Elvira, Dr. Denham, lawyer Felix, and another relative, Laura Proctor (and her husband Arthur). When Felix arrives at the mansion, he brings a woman who claims to be Doris Waverly, Whyte's long lost granddaughter. Seeing his only true heir, Whyte decides to give all of his money to her, which obviously ticks off all the others. Things however become more complicated when another woman comes to the mansion claiming to be Doris Waverly (arriving with her vaudeville partner, the Great Lavelle- a magician). Whyte asks the two woman to confront each other, but the first Doris is found murdered in her room. Whyte and Dean send for the police in order to find out who the first woman was and who had her killed, and Doris (the second and real one) must be able to survive until midnight when she gets her inheritance. Very good "Old Dark House" type mystery, with a lot of similarities to The Cat and the Canary, with the young woman inheriting everything while all other members are shut out. Grapewin (as Whyte) and Ford (as Lavelle) play their roles to the hilt which helps the movie and the rest of the cast give adequate performances. Cabanne's direction and the rest of the production crew are able to maintain the mystery and suspense quite well, but its nothing to go ape over. Rating, 7.