Jack Mulhall (Detective Devlin), Phyllis Barrington (Ruth Frazer), Crauford Kent (Judge McLeod), Mischa Auer (Swami), Jimmy Burtis (Watkins), Phillips Smalley (Richard Lang), Louis Natheaux (Nick Genna), Fletcher Norton (Lefty Lewis), Gertrude Messenger (Betty Lang), Lillian West (Mrs Lang), Lloyd Ingraham (Frazer), Helen Foster (Vivian Rogers), Bess Flowers (Mary Browne), Russell Collar (Tommy Lang), Henry Hall (chief of police), Jack Cheatham (Kennedy), Allan Cavan (coroner).
Director: ARMAND SCHAEFER. Screenplay: Norton Parker. Adapted by Oliver Drake from a novel The Séance Mystery by Norton Parker. Photography: William Nobles. Film editor: Ethel Davey. Assistant director: William O'Connor. Sound recording: Earl Crain. Producer: Willis Kent. Produced at Talisman Studios.
Not copyrighted by Willis Kent Productions. No recorded New York opening. U.S. release: 22 February 1932. 65 minutes.
SYNOPSIS: Unpopular husband/father/businessman is murdered during a séance.
COMMENT: Despite a surprisingly fair quantity of good production values in the first half of this thriller, plus some admirable attempts by director Schaefer to add interest to the proceedings with some rather shaky dolly and pan shots, this turns out to be a rather humdrum mystery. (I almost wrote "mystery thriller", but the mystery is nowhere near "mysterious" and it is also decidedly light on "thrills'!)
Yes, action is not only decidedly minimal, but most fans will have no trouble arriving at the identity of the killer.
As usual, Mulhall makes a dull detective, while Miss Barrington has little to do.
In the support cast, only the lovely young siren so appealingly portrayed by Gertrude Messenger and the butler-in-disguise rendered by comparatively charismatic Fletcher Norton, really shine.
Director: ARMAND SCHAEFER. Screenplay: Norton Parker. Adapted by Oliver Drake from a novel The Séance Mystery by Norton Parker. Photography: William Nobles. Film editor: Ethel Davey. Assistant director: William O'Connor. Sound recording: Earl Crain. Producer: Willis Kent. Produced at Talisman Studios.
Not copyrighted by Willis Kent Productions. No recorded New York opening. U.S. release: 22 February 1932. 65 minutes.
SYNOPSIS: Unpopular husband/father/businessman is murdered during a séance.
COMMENT: Despite a surprisingly fair quantity of good production values in the first half of this thriller, plus some admirable attempts by director Schaefer to add interest to the proceedings with some rather shaky dolly and pan shots, this turns out to be a rather humdrum mystery. (I almost wrote "mystery thriller", but the mystery is nowhere near "mysterious" and it is also decidedly light on "thrills'!)
Yes, action is not only decidedly minimal, but most fans will have no trouble arriving at the identity of the killer.
As usual, Mulhall makes a dull detective, while Miss Barrington has little to do.
In the support cast, only the lovely young siren so appealingly portrayed by Gertrude Messenger and the butler-in-disguise rendered by comparatively charismatic Fletcher Norton, really shine.