Very disappointing...

Highly Overrated But Still Good

The film makes a home in your brain and the only cure is to see it again.

This is a gorgeous movie made by a gorgeous spirit.

By the extremely humble talkie standards of director George B. Andy Hardy Seitz, this murder mystery is a remarkable achievement. Seitz was well regarded in silent days and was one of less than thirty Hollywood directors (out of several hundred) who made a totally successful transition to sound. He could not only shoot fast, but he could be inventive when he wanted to be (which was not often) and he could always draw at least passable acting from his cast. On same occasions, such as this, he could even elicit superlative performances. As has been noted by other critics, this is easily Regis Toomey's best role of the more than three hundred movies and TV eps in which he appeared. It's also Constance Collier's sound debut. (She appeared in seven silent pictures if you count Intolerance in which she can't be spotted). And what a debut! She has a colorful role and she plays it to the limit. As noted above, only Regis Toomey (!) is more impressive! The rest of the players, led by Ricardo Cortez and Virginia Bruce, provide more than adequate support, but, as noted above, acting honors belong to Toomey and Collier. The movie was produced by none other than Lucien Hubbard, one of my favorites. Money was no object to Hubbard, who kept adding scenes (which he wrote himself), sets and players. That's why this movie – intended as a "B" release – has such a wonderfully rich look about it.

Indomitable Constance Collier made her talkie debut at age 57 in this 1935 film for MGM and gets third billing behind Ricardo Cortez and Virginia Bruce. She hadn't made a film since 1922 when she co-starred with Ivor Novello and Gladys Cooper in THE BOHEMIAN GIRL.Collier's talkie debut starts out slowly, but she takes over the second half of the film when she (a famous recluse) leaves the house to solve a murder that implicates for nephew (Cortez) and his fiancée (Bruce). She's just plain marvelous.When a sleazy, abusive producer (Bradley Page) gets shot, the cops immediately zero in on the most obvious (and innocent) suspects and ignore all logic. As usual, there are many suspects involved with the dead guy, and everyone had a reason to kill him.Co-stars include Betty Furness as Page's fiancée, Isabel Jewell as a nightclub singer, Edward Brophy and Paul Hurst as cops, Ivan Simpson as the beleaguered butler, Regis Toomey as a reporter, Arthur Byron as Furness' father, Samuel S. Hinds as the lawyer, Bert Roach as a detective, and Bernard Siegel as Ehrhardt.Collier is a delight as the imposing dowager who hasn't left the house in 20 years (after her heart was broken). She spends her time playing the organ and playing cribbage with the butler. But when the law seems to be zeroing in on her nephew she takes to the streets, calling for her car to be made ready. The butler answers "but madam, the chauffeur has been dead for years." Collier would continue to appear regularly in films until 1949. Among her notable films are STAGE DOOR, THE PERILS OF PAULINE, ROPE, KITTY, and A DAMSEL IN DISTRESS.

Cought the film on TCM last week and found it quite enjoyable. The film seemed well cast and stylishly played. It certainly seemed like an "A" production to me. Constance Collier, in an Edna Mae Oliver type of role, is excellent. I was not familiar with her work and she does have an imposing presence. One problem was with the climax in which a good deal of action seems to go on in the dark. This, to me, became somewhat confusing. I wonder if this was an effect of watching it on the small screen?

This is a neat little murder mystery/comedy with noted Shakespearean actress Constance Collier absolutely delightful while making her sound film debut. She plays a rich recluse who hadn't left her apartment for twenty years, but does so when her nephew (Ricardo Cortez) and his actress fiancée (Virginia Bruce) are prime suspects in the murder of Bradley Page, with whom Cortez had fought earlier. Collier didn't like the the idea of Cortez marrying a penniless actress, but changes her mind after she meets Bruce, and sets about to solve the murder by setting a trap for the murderer. I loved the banter between Collier and twinkle-eyed Edward Brophy, playing the detective in charge of the investigation. Their comedy and that of her butler, Ivan Simpson had me chuckling throughout. Also a plus in the film were the presence of Betty Furness and Isabel Jewell, both looking young and beautiful. And I felt good about being able to guess who the murderer was from the clues given. The film is worth seeing, especially for murder mystery buffs.I noticed one problem with the credits: Bradley Page's onscreen name is spelled "Haworth," but when his murder is reported in the newspaper, it is spelled "Hayworth," which is the way it always was pronounced.