A Shriek in the Night (1933) User Reviews

Decent little murder-mystery

[Coventry · 6/10 · 19 October 2005]

The film literally starts off with a shriek in the night when a man falls to his death from the penthouse of an apartment building. What appeared to be suicide turns out an act of murder and, much more than the local police force, two competing journalists start looking for the murderer. This is a rather curious film because it's not really the plot which interests you…but only the characters. The actual search for the murderer's identity and his whole motivation is mediocre, but the dialogues between the two journalists are very wit and cleverly written. They constantly try to overtrump each other, which results in scenes that are both funny and emotional. The supportive characters are very enchanting as well, particularly the hysterical housemaid (Lillian Harmer) and the overly shy police-assistant Wilfred. "A Shriek in the Night" might not be the most memorable murder-mystery of the 1930's, but it's definitely worth a look in case you're a fan of classic, primitive cinema.

Suicide or Murder?

[lugonian · 6/10 · 24 October 2003]

A SHRIEK IN THE NIGHT (Allied Pictures, 1933), directed by Albert Ray, reunites Ginger Rogers and Lyle Talbot of THE THIRTEENTH GUEST (Monogram, 1932), in another mystery thriller.

Following the opening credits, the story begins at night with a view of an apartment building (obviously a miniature model) followed by the sound of a scream, an overhead view of a man's body (obviously a dummy) falling down from the penthouse above and landing on the sidewalk below. The incident immediately draws a crowd which awakens a janitor (Harvey Clark), whose residence is in the basement level, to be awaken from the noise to soon come outside to hark the identity of the body as "Mr. Harker!" Enter the police: Inspector Russell (Purnell B. Pratt), whose philosophy is, "I'm an inspector and I can say anything I want," and his assistant, the dim-witted Wilfred (Alfred Hoyt), who arrive at the scene of the crime at 921 Lake Street to investigate whether the death of the penthouse millionaire to be suicide or murder. Russell and Wilfred soon encounter a young girl named Patricia Morgan (Ginger Rogers), acting as Harker's secretary but in reality is a reporter for the Morning News out to get a story following a hunch regarding Harker's association with a racketeer named Josephus Martini (Maurice Black). Also there to out-scoop Pat is Ted Rand (Lyle Talbot) of the Daily Express, who becomes responsible for Pat's getting fired by Perkins, her editor (Clarence Wilson) for accidentally telephoning her own story to Ted, believing him on the extension to be the rewrite man from her paper. Hoping to redeem herself and solve Harker's murder, Pat continues to investigate, only to encounter more killings before she herself becomes the murder victim by nearly being placed in a blazing incinerator.

The supporting cast includes Lillian Harmer as Augusta, the shrieking maid who not only enjoys reading mystery magazines, but adds to the confusion with her bewilderment; Louise Beavers (with surname billed in the credits as Beaver) as the black maid who also shrieks after finding a body of a man named Colby in one of the apartments; and Cyril Ring, among others whose names have gone uncredited.

A mystery melodrama that combines the elements of mystery and comedy, A SHRIEK IN THE NIGHT, which may not be in the higher league had it been directed by Alfred Hitchcock, does have some potential in spite of its low budget values. Lacking background mood music to add to suspense, fine moments include a shadowy figure seen through the silhouette on the wall listening to the telephone extension as certain characters, especially the two main characters, are conversing their thoughts about the Harker case. Maurice Black as the stereotypical Italian gangster and secretive loner also residing in the apartment building, also adds to the mystery.

While THE THIRTEENTH GUEST is better known of the two Rogers and Talbot collaborations, A SHRIEK IN THE NIGHT has had more exposure on late night cable and local public television stations during the 1980s. Because of similarities, A SHRIEK IN THE NIGHT is sometimes mistaken as a sequel to THE THIRTEENTH GUEST. It's interesting to point out that Ginger Rogers uses the same surname of "Morgan" in both films as well as belting out a scream or two when confronted by the unidentified killer.

As a "public domain" title, A SHRIEK IN THE NIGHT has been distributed through various video manufacturers, including one company that used a more glamorous 1940s looking picture of Ginger Rogers on the storage box in spite that this is an early 1930s film that at times, due to sporadic echoes with the dialog and some poor lighting, plays like something right out of 1930. Whether its the film itself or the aging process is uncertain, but restoration in sound and clearer picture quality might help. The fact that A SHRIEK IN THE NIGHT presents a youthful, yet almost unrecognizable and slightly brunettish-blonde Rogers in a "poverty row" production sporting some unattractive gowns designed by Alberta, shortly before her acclaimed popularity at RKO Radio and association with Fred Astaire in those lavish dance musicals through most of the 1930s, her quick and sassy one-liners and love-hate relationship with rival reporter (Talbot) while solving a mystery, manage to keep the pace going during its 66 minutes of screen time.(**)

A Shriek in the Night

[Scarecrow-88 · 5/10 · 14 April 2009]

A dummy falls from a balcony(..actually it's supposed to represent a man, but many will giggle a little at how unrealistic it is with the flailing arms as the body impacts with pavement)and detectives consider it possible homicide. The man who fell to his doom, a Mr Harker, had a temporary secretary, Patricia Morgan(Giner Rogers)working in his apartment who in fact is a reporter infiltrating the man's privacy trying to uncover his ties to a gangster, Joe Martini(Maurice Black). It's soon discovered by Inspector Russell(Purnell Pratt)that Harker was perhaps thrown off a balcony in his lover's room. The female lover was found strangled(..but we see a person's silhouette with a mask cutting off the gas, telling us that it's in fact a mystery assassin attempting to throw detectives off the scent)and later her husband, Mr. Colby, police's number one suspect, is found dead, potentially of suicide. Patricia has the scoop, but her current(..well, sort of)boyfriend, Ted Ford(Lyle Talbot)steals her story, having her believe that he's from her newspaper. Losing her job when the big story turns up on the front page, almost word for word the way she had intended, of Ted's newspaper, Patricia will coordinate a relationship with Russell, remaining in Harker's Penthouse sweet, attempting to discover any possible evidence that might provide a link to the killer's identity. Meanwhile, Ted tries to make nice, forging a team with Patricia to solve the mystery. A letter from the killer(..to Harker, found hidden in a small compartment in a dresser drawer) is discovered by his always-hysterical housekeeper, Augusta(Lillian Harmer, in a hideous performance, as the comedy relief but it's excruciatingly forced and over the top to a ridiculous degree)which relates to an innocent cabbie sent to the chair for a murder of someone who was rivals with Harker. Acting suspiciously is the apartment's janitor, Peterson(Harvey Clark)who we see feeding a recording of a shrieking woman's voice into the ventilation to mask the sound of another killing. The janitor also has skeleton keys to every room and sneaks around like a mouse, not to mention that he listens on conversations made between Patricia and Ted..why would he be so interested? It's only a matter of time, despite Ted's efforts to keep her safe, until Patricia's life will be threatened as she gets too close to the truth.

Okay little murder mystery designed as a star vehicle for the always charming and illuminating Ginger Rogers. She re-teams with Lyle Talbot(..they worked beautifully together in THE THIRTEENTH GUEST)and they have great chemistry which certainly helps rise this above it's rather decent, but unremarkable, presentation. Pratt comes off a jackass as the detective, always insulting somebody, never listening to his partner, Wilfred(Arthur Hoyt), for whom he considers an idiot. Actually, Wilfred, a very timid, meek, quiet little fellow, helps out a great deal when Russell gives him a chance to talk. Wilfred's bravery at the end resulting in a scuffle with the killer is a nice scene that allows him to be the hero as others are upstairs looking for clues. The plot is rather complex even though the killer's identity could be guessed relatively soon through obvious clues.. the finger in pointed in one direction early and never relinquishes it, so I think that's a failure in Albert Ray's work as director, not to produce effective red herrings that would keep us guessing. As a Ginger Rogers movie, I do think it succeeds, but that could be because I personally love her in practically everything. And, the unflappable, extremely likable Talbot lends great support. Some of the comedy bits with the housekeeper(..and another black stereotype, played by Louise Beavers, the maid frightened of morgues and dead people, is provided for African-Americans to cringe)are really irritating, though. Those accustomed with cinema at this time can probably adjust to the dead air that often exists making scenes between characters seem like lengthly affairs.

BOO! you pretty creature!

[ptb-8 · 20 April 2005]

A very funny and quite well made poverty row whodunnit from 1932, this pairing of Ginger Rogers and Lyle Talbot might have just set the ideas in motion for THE THIN MAN series at MGM a year later. I think this film was made at the Tiffany Studio in 1932 just as this company ceased production.... or just after...this is exactly the sort of film they made especially with very snazzy overstuffed deco furniture and solid clunky sound and production values. Credits say it is made by Allied Productions which nobody has ever heard of or from, so my guess as a faux Tiffany Production, might be right. The 1929 Tiffany film PARTY GIRL is made in exactly the same way and with the same solid look and quality sets. Ginger and Lyle also seen in the 'haunted' Monogram pic from the same year: THE THIRTEENTH GUEST offer a smart alec couple making verbal quips and asides and leave the audience well pleased in their natural delivery and likable sparring. This film is well directed with a refreshing and timeless modern style. SHREIK IN THE NIGHT is essentially a haunted house movie set in a skyscraper penthouse and for lovers of pre code goofiness and sexual antics (and even prohibition speakeasy asides) leaves a 2005 viewer with a knowing smile that someone 73 years ago was tuned into long lasting imagery and dialogue. One scene in a cellar with a furnace is particularly creepy and if seen in a 3000 seat movie palace in 1932 must have caused huge screams and genuine shrieks! This is great fun, well made and 'modern' and shows that if Tiffany had survived, they might have outlasted even Grand National Pictures - which I strongly suspect was their successor - and partly ultimately the re-formed 1937 Monogram and certainly PRC ...which I can track as their location and later name. It's a good film, made under what I would think was swiftly changing technology and times. The direction and dialogue and delivery has certainly successfully stood the test of time.

Tepid Ginger and Talbot

[wes-connors · 3/10 · 31 July 2008]

"Rival reporters Pat Morgan (Ginger Rogers) and Ted Rand (Lyle Talbot) are always trying to out-scoop each other on stories. The latest involves the mysterious death of a philanthropist who fell to his death after a shriek was heard from his penthouse apartment. The two reporters start out as rivals but combine efforts to solve the crime and write the story when more residents of the apartment building turn up dead," according to the DVD sleeve's synopsis.

This said-to-be follow-up to "The Thirteenth Guest" has little to do with the earlier movie; it is not a sequel, as has been inferred. Ms. Rogers continues to develop her skills. Mr. Talbot adds a little humor to his characterization. They are a pleasant team, the plot is interesting and mysterious; but, the resulting film is very dull. The opening and closing are startling. A long-winded wrap-up of plot development points follows the climax.

*** A Shriek in the Night (1933) Albert Ray ~ Ginger Rogers, Lyle Talbot, Harvey Clark

More of a yell

[Spondonman · 7/10 · 13 May 2004]

This is #3 in Navarre's DVD release 'Horror Classics vol 9', the other 2 being 'Maniac' & 'The world gone mad', and the one I prefer of the three. Again, it's more intelligently scripted and played that you might suspect at first glance, and I enjoyed it a lot coming to it the first time.

There was always something downbeat and depressing about Ginger Rogers acting style, but you can't argue with the fact she does a good job in this film as well as looking an extremely decorative 22 year old. The relationships she has with the Police Inspector (Pratt) and her boyfriend (Talbot) are pretty refreshing and almost adult - although she does say she can't go to bed unless he has left the room. Would that todays leading ladies would say that! Some of the Inspector's pithy comments are witty and barbed, too - my favourite: he's asked at a tense moment "What makes him think that?" - "My brain".

As for the climax I thought we were going to witness something grisly, but it was handled well (and quickly) and we avoided that possibility. ASITN is growing on me as I write - I don't think it's ever been on UK TV either!

Rogers and Talbot make a cute couple

[kidboots · 5/10 · 20 April 2008]

Ginger Rogers made lots of movies when she was just starting out. But for every "42nd Street" (1933) or "The Gay Divorcée" (1934) there was a "Broadway Bad" (1933) or a "Hat Check Girl" (1932). From the start she was determined to be noticed and by very hard work and a cute personality - she was!!!

Ginger and Lyle Talbot make a cute team as rival reporters trying to get the scoop on a would-be suicide. They actually dated in real life, so I read.

A scream (or yell) is heard, a body falls to the pavement and so this comedy mystery begins. Ginger plays Pat Morgan, Mr. Harker's (the dead man) live-in secretary. She is really a reporter put in as a plant to find out if Harker was really a phlanthrophist or an under- world figure. Lillian Harmer provides some laboured comedy relief as Mr. Harker's maid.

More bodies turn up - Mrs. Colby, in the apartment that Mr. Harker met his death -and Mr. Colby is also found dead. The janitor (Harvey Clark) is acting suspicious - continually cutting the power supply to the different apartments so he can snoop around. Maurice Black, who often played ethnic types, is the gangster Martini. Arthur Hoyt plays Wilfred, the chief detective's right hand man, who is the butt of much of the humour. Louise Beavers has a small part as the Colby's maid.

It is all explained in the end but not before Ginger almost ends up in a fiery grave.

Murder Most Foul

[sol1218 · 7/10 · 14 September 2004]

+Mild Spoilers+ Crime mystery with a very young Ginger Rogers, playing a reporter, Pat Morgan, going after the big story by going undercover as a live-in maid at the penthouse of big time city philanthropist Adam Harker.

Pat's on a story to connect Harker to racketeer Joe Martini, Maurice Black,who happens to live in the same building gets more then she bargained for with Harker flying out of his apartment window to his death. Later on the floor under him a Mrs.Coby is found murdered and her husband is later found floating in the river an apparent suicide.

Police inspector Russell,Purnell Pratt, finds evidence that Harker was actually in the Coby's apartment when he fell or jumped to his death and deduces that it was Mr. Coby who found Harker and Mrs. Coby together, and in a jealous rage, killed both of them then and later committed suicide. Of course as we know from seeing the obvious in movies like this the truth about Harker and the Coby's death is far more stranger then at first thought.

Pretty good movie that has it share of comedy in it to get the audience a bit relaxed until the final few minutes. When it's found out who really is responsible for the murders with Pat almost burned to a cinder by the killer in the buildings basement incinerator.

What's a bit odd about the movie is that the killer was really trying to avenge his innocent brothers execution as both Harker and Martini had him set up and railroaded to take the rap for a murder, that they committed a number of years ago. The killer got a little too carried away by killing the Coby's, who had nothing to do with his brothers death, by trying to throw off the police from suspecting him.

Worth watching because unlike many movies made back then in the early 1930's it has the feel of a film made much later with the sound and photography and most of all the actors acting more natural. Not acting like their on the stage and having to throw their voices and enunciate every word to make sure that everyone in the theater hears exactly what their saying. Like in most films made in the early years of talkies.

A Little Ginger, No Fred, Add a Little Lyle

[Hitchcoc · 5/10 · 20 March 2006]

A man falls to his death and sets things in motion. Everyone has a secret. There are a series of layers to a crime group which is trying to cover all the bases. Our non-dancing heroine, shows herself to be quite photogenic, playing off Lyle Talbott as they jockey for position on their respective newspapers. There is a lot of byplay, lots of telephone calls, quite a bit of going in and out of apartments, some misdirected gas used as a weapon, a weird janitor, and on and on. It's actually a pretty decent story. When you have people of star quality, you can get away with a low budget. My favorite character is a milquetoast detective who becomes very important when the chips are down. He is treated with disdain by his boss throughout the movie. There, are, of course, the mandatory sexist remarks. A woman's place is in the home and all that. But it was a different time. See it sometime; it's not too bad.

Enjoyable mystery-chiller

[chris_gaskin123 · 7/10 · 13 December 2005]

A Shriek In the Night is a fairly good mystery-chiller, even though it is a little slow moving in parts.

Two reporters and the police investigate a series of murders in an apartment block. These include a man being pushed off the top floor penthouse ans a woman who has been strangled. At the time of the first killing, there were reports of a strange hissing sound and we see the outline of the murderer who seems to wearing a gas mask. All is revealed at the end.

Despite it being slow moving at times, this movie is quite creepy, especially some of the scenes where we see the shadows of people.

The cast includes a non-musical role for Ginger Rogers, Lyle Talbot (Plan 9 From Outer Space) and Arthur Hoyt (The Lost World).

A shriek In the Night is a good way to spend just over an hour one evening. Enjoyable.

Rating: 3 stars out of 5.

There's much better out there

[Vampenguin · 5/10 · 16 April 2006]

With someone like Ginger Rogers involved, you'd be expecting a pretty good show, right? Well, I guess this one wasn't horrible, but I was certainly expecting more. It has your basic mystery plot: A man falls to his death under mysterious circumstances. Was it murder? Rogers plays the typical female reporter that is mandatory for this kind of show, and she's no better than anyone else who has played the same role. The detectives were a bit disappointing, usually detectives in this kind of film are pretty interesting characters, but here they mostly fall flat. One of them has a couple good lines near the first, but thats about it. Lyle Talbot's character makes up for it a bit though, I thought he was pretty cool and provided a few good chuckles. Overall, you can find a lot better films in this vein.

5/10

Delightful Ginger Rogers Surrounded By Murders!

[MarcoAntonio1 · 8/10 · 4 August 2005]

The always delightful Ginger Rogers is seen here in this relic of a murder mystery "A Shriek In The Night". Looking cute and acting her usual cheerful self, Miss Rogers is a reporter posing as a personal secretary to a wealthy man until...he gets murdered! Whodunit? Rogers and rival reporter, played by Lyle Talbot, vie furiously with each other to get the scoop with some very hilarious results. Rogers always did have the splendid knack of delivering a wisecrack with just the right touch and in one scene where a cab driver refers to Talbot as a "man", Rogers snaps: "Man? Don't be vulgar!" Her timing and facial expressions are still fresh and charming today. What a splendid performer! The inspector and his sidekick have some funny bits and even the morgue keeper has a howling funny line. "A Shriek in the Night" is low-budget, but it doesn't always seem to be. Nice art deco sets and a good cast save it. One thing annoys me though. Why aren't we shown how Rogers gets out of the furnace near the end of the picture? Apart from that, "A Shriek in the Night" is not a bad film, although it is a film where you really need to pay attention to what's being said at the finish since we never meet some of the characters that are talked about during the conclusion.

good mystery best served as part of a double feature

[dbborroughs · 6/10 · 19 January 2008]

This is a pseudo-sequel to the 13the Guest which starred Ginger Rogers and Lyle Talbot, who star here.

It begins with a body falling off the building and hitting the pavement... we see it hit the pavement. What follows is a series of murders in and around an apartment building, some of which is rather dark for what we think of as a 1930's mystery, but then again its pre-code so some of whats said is more than a little blue.

I can't believe this is the follow up to The 13th Guest since Ginger is so stiff and much of her performance consists of smoking. She smokes a lot here and its almost pathological. Yes she has a great deal of screen time and is the lead but the role isn't well written.

Yes the dialog is snappy and the mystery interesting but at times it feels too long even at 66 minutes. Its the fact that at times the events double back on themselves, I think because the budget was low.

Does that mean its a bad movie, no, its not. Its quite good but The 13th Guest is better. If you can get them as a pair or get this with something else then by all means do so, but don't get this on its own, unless you get it for about five bucks or the cost of a rental.

"Becaues I'm an inspector, and I can say anything I want to."

[classicsoncall · 4/10 · 18 October 2005]

A very young Ginger Rogers trades quick quips and one liners with rival newspaper reporter Lyle Talbot in this 1933 murder mystery from Poverty Row film maker Allied Productions. The movie opens with a wealthy businessman taking a header from the roof garden of a high rise apartment house, or was it from a lover's apartment? Rogers actually has two identities at the film's outset, that of Miss Terry, the dead victim's secretary, along with her newspaper byline of Pat Morgan. Mistakenly phoning her story directly to Ted Rand (Talbot) instead of her paper's rewrite desk, she gets fired for her efforts when her boss learns he's been out scooped.

Here's a puzzle - it's revealed during Police Inspector Russell's (Purnell Pratt) investigation of Harker's death that Terry/Morgan had been employed as his secretary for three weeks. Why exactly was that? After the fact it would make sense that she was there for a newspaper story, but before? Clues are dropped regarding Harker's association with a known mobster conveniently living in the same apartment building, but again, that association isn't relevant until it's all linked up to janitor Peterson (Harvey Clark). And who's making up all the calling cards with the serpent effecting a HSSS, with the words "You will hear it" cut and pasted beneath? Apparently, the hissing sound of a snake was the sound made by the apartment house's radiator system, which Peterson used to transmit a poisonous gas into the rooms of potential victims, such as Mrs. Coby in the apartment below Harker. But in answer to a question posed to Inspector Russell about Mrs. Coby's death, he replied "apparently" to the cause of strangulation.

It's these rather conflicting plot points that made the movie somewhat unsatisfying for me. The revelation of janitor Peterson as the bad guy of this piece comes under somewhat gruesome circumstances as we see him stuff the unconscious body of Miss Morgan in the building's incinerator furnace! However, and score another point against continuity, we see Miss Morgan in a huge basement room as Peterson ignites the furnace; she made her getaway, but how? And still pretty as a picture. And who gets to make the collar off screen if none other than milquetoast police assistant Wilfred (Arthur Hoyt), who in an opening scene fell over his own feet entering a room.

Sorry, but for all those reviewers who found "A Shriek in the Night" to be a satisfying whodunit, I feel that any Charlie Chan film of the same era is a veritable "The Usual Suspects" by comparison. If you need a reason to see the film, it would be Ginger Rogers, but be advised, she doesn't dance.

Slow-Moving, But a Pretty Good Mystery

[Snow Leopard · 13 June 2001]

Though slow-moving and obviously done on a low budget, "A Shriek in the Night" has a pretty good mystery story, and features a good role for Ginger Rogers as a reporter trying to solve the crime.

The story concerns a series of murders committed in an apartment building, in which each of the victims had received a cryptic anonymous letter before their death. Rogers' character goes undercover to investigate, and she finds herself in conflict both with the police and with a rival reporter (Lyle Talbot). The two reporters try to mislead and trick each other even as both are trying to solve the murders.

Most of the story is rather slow-moving, but towards the end things start to happen quickly, and it is worth waiting for. Rogers plays her part well, and there are a few moments of humor.

While overall it is a rather plain movie, if you like old mystery stories you will probably find it worth watching once.

Tries to be funny, but really ends up being mean

[Polaris_DiB · 1/10 · 22 October 2007]

What is supposed to be a simple generic mystery plot involving a dead philanthropist is, in fact, a head-ache inducing tale about a bunch of characters (the only big actor being Ginger Rogers, in a very early role) all trying to find the murderer among a small cast of residents in a posh apartment building. These characters range from utterly stupid to downright mean. As a cheap, low budget production, most of the action revolves around Rogers and her lead man (some guy, I don't care who he is 'cause he really sucked) talking about their various possibilities of solving the crime, while being constantly cut off by an absurd detective with his head in his butt. Honestly, I've never had a worse time watching an old b-rate movie of this type, and I've seen some real head-slappers.

Oh, and the butler didn't do it, because there wasn't a butler. But pay attention to the guy who's closest to a butler. There ya go.

--PolarisDiB

While not great, for a low-budget murder mystery it's pretty good

[planktonrules · 6/10 · 20 February 2007]

While this isn't one of Ginger Rogers' best films, for one of her first films AND with a low-budget studio, it's amazingly good. You would think that because she's still a relative unknown and the total budget was a pittance compared to most films that it would stink, but it's a watchable film with a few shining moments.

Apart from the sight of a man being tossed onto the pavement from MANY stories above, the first thing you'll probably notice is that Miss Rogers looks a lot different from her later films. She isn't so glamorous--with her hair and makeup looking more ordinary. This isn't to say she looked bad--it's just that her Hollywood image wasn't yet set in stone.

She is ably supported by a young and handsome Lyle Talbot--who was very good though his career soon seemed to come to a standstill--cursed to star in mostly 3rd rate productions during the bulk of his career (such as his being in PLAN 9 FROM OUTER SPACE). In addition, there are a few funny support characters (the maid and the police detective) that are amazingly dumb and the butt of a lot of jokes.

The film is a nice little murder mystery with Ginger being a reporter posing as the murdered man's secretary. There's a lot more to it than that but if I tell it would spoil the suspense. I only want to point out that I thought the identity of the murderer was excellent--it wasn't someone you'd immediately guess. Plus, it's really cool to see the killer trying to murder one of his victims by shoving her into a furnace--now THAT'S original.

Piercing opening leads to a creaky story.

[mark.waltz · 4/10 · 7 January 2012]

The opening seconds of this Z-Grade melodrama promise more than the rest of the film delivers. A body flies out of a window. Suicide or murder? That's what two friendly reporters on rival newspapers want to know. They are Ginger Rogers and Lyle Talbot whose initial sparring (that predictably leads to romance) is one of the only amusing things in this creaky crime drama that needed to be oiled, even back in 1933. Frequent lulls of no dialogue or action slow this down to a turtle race. Sudden uses of shadows to show a murderer in a gas mask or darkly lit scenes of mayhem can't help this rise past mediocrity. Rogers, fresh from another Z-Grade melodrama ("The Thirteenth Guest") must have either been bored or broke, or waiting for dance rehearsals to start so she could learn "The Carioca" for "Flying Down to Rio".

Louise Beavers adds a bit of amusement as the feisty maid who declares, "Yes, I ain't going' in!" (to a morgue), insisting that she's seen enough dead bodies in one day to last her a lifetime, and agreeing to go to jail, preferring to be with live people than dead ones in a freezer. This seems like one of those slow-moving melodramatic plays that toured around the United States and England's smaller communities prior to the invention of movies.

"Not even if I hear: Pat Pat! Come and save me?"

[vert001 · 7/10 · 15 February 2016]

For a Poverty Row effort (Allied Pictures), A SHRIEK IN THE NIGHT has unusually high production values and a far better cast (Ginger Rogers, Lyle Talbot, Purnell Pratt, even Louise Beavers) than such movies could normally command. Actually, I'm puzzled as to what Ginger Rogers was doing here at this point in her career. Some sort of loan-out from her new studio, RKO? Was RKO responsible for the realistic outdoor shooting and the occasionally witty banter in the script? There must be some story here, but I've never come across it.

In any event, a handsome young couple wisecracking their way through a murder mystery was a staple of thirties' filmmaking and stayed that way for at least for another fifty years (the TV series Moonlighting would be the latest 'New Hot Thing' of its time, which was at least 50 years after SHRIEK). This was a pretty early example of the genre, and not the worst that it would produce by a long shot. Not exactly a sequel to THE THIRTEENTH GUEST though it also was about a murder and featured the same two leads, SHRIEK is much more in the spirit of THE THIN MAN as our pair of rival reporters (Rogers and Talbot) banter their way through a murder investigation ("What's romantic about a speakeasy?" "Man! Don't be vulgar") that is heavier on the comedy than it is on the mystery (it's not a good sign when you have to spend two minutes at the end of your picture explaining what the plot had been about).

Lyle Talbot had sort of reached his level as the star of movies like this; Ginger Rogers, of course, was about to reach her level as the star of movies like TOP HAT. They raise material which otherwise was potentially watchable to material that is--well, watchable. One reviewer suggested that it would have been better had Ginger gone off to solve the mystery with Detective Purnell Pratt as they had better chemistry than she had with Talbot, and I believe that I agree with that idea. Still, with a fast forward button in hand, SHRIEK does provide the viewer with some pleasant scenes.

Mostly for Ginger Rogers completists

[gridoon2024 · 5/10 · 4 April 2013]

In "A Shriek In The Night" a young (22 at the time) Ginger Rogers shows some of the star quality that would, only a few years later, make her one of Hollywood's most beloved "golden age" stars. She is magnetic, and you can't take your eyes off her. To be fair, if you DID take your eyes off her in this movie, you wouldn't have much else worth looking at! The film has a captivating start, but the comedy is not particularly funny, the mystery cheats shamelessly, there is a dated "a woman's place is in the home" message, and the film drags so much it makes the running time of one hour feel like two. A couple of atmospheric scenes, the not-so-clueless-after-all inspector's assistant, and of course Ginger herself are the saving graces. Beware of some DVD covers which give away the secret of who the killer is! ** out of 4.

Lots of ginger in this early B whodunit

[SimonJack · 6/10 · 11 January 2017]

Few people would doubt that Ginger Rogers always brought a lot of pep into her movie roles. From that standpoint, she was sure aptly named. While she may be remembered most for her several great song and dance films with Fred Astaire, Ginger was an established actress well before that time. And, she had some excellent dramatic, comedy and suspense roles throughout her long career of entertaining audiences. She won an Oscar as best actress for her title role in the 1940 film, "Kitty Foyle."

"A Shriek in the Night" is one of Rogers' early roles. Although it's billed as a comedy first, this film is best described as a mystery- thriller. There's plenty of crime and a little light-heartedness, but the best stuff of this movie is the mystery. It's a good whodunit. The cast all are good, but none are exceptional. The sets are good, and the plot is very interesting. Nevertheless, the "B" level of this film is evident in the rest of the production. The direction, screenplay, and editing are weak.

Still, there's intrigue enough to keep one guessing until the very end. So, it's a satisfying mystery-thriller that should please most audiences.

(I thought I had submitted these comments in March 2014, but apparently I failed to hit the SUBMIT button).

invisible climax

[writtenbymkm-583-902097 · 1/10 · 24 January 2015]

First, thank you Polaris for the only reasonable review. Secondly, THIS REVIEW CONTAINS SPOILERS, so stop reading right now if you haven't seen the movie. Third, I hated this clunker for multiple reasons, including the absurd plot, the bad acting, the often difficult to understand dialog. Fourth, Louise Beavers was wonderful, but you can't expect to enjoy a bad movie because Ms. Beavers was wonderful in about two minutes of it. Finally, the main complaint, the thing that really drove me nuts, is the lighting, or, I should say, the absence of lighting! Maybe it was the copy I rented on DVD, but half the movie was so dark I could barely tell who was who and what was what. And, completely inexcusable, the Big Climax at the end was totally black. Everything that happened in this big final scene was absolutely invisible. One of the other reviewers -- ***SPOILER*** -- said we see the unconscious body stuffed into the building's incinerator furnace. That reviewer must have uncovered a totally different print from the one I got stuck with, I saw nothing but the occasional faint glimmer of the the furnace. Nothing. At any rate, for all these reasons, and despite the great Ms. Beavers, I have to say this is one of the worst I've ever tried to watch. Sorry.

A Cute Mystery-Thriller

[Rainey-Dawn · 8/10 · 10 June 2015]

This is a good mystery-thriller from the 1930s... it's got enough comedy in it to bust up all the drama unfolding on the screen to keep the film more interesting. There is quite a bit of dark humor in this tale.

This is one of Ginger Rogers cutest roles; she plays Pat Morgan a reporter that is getting the scoop on the murders taking place while her rival reporter, Ted Kord (Lyle Talbot), works on the same case to report. These two rivals find themselves working closer together to help solve the crimes while falling in love.

What is big scoop? Who is killing people in the apartment building and why? If you like comedy mystery-thrillers then I would recommend watching this movie to find out the answers - it's an entertaining film.

8/10

A fine performance from Ginger Rogers just don't expect her to dance!

[Tweekums · 7/10 · 17 January 2015]

When millionaire philanthropist falls from the top of a luxury apartment it is a mystery; did he fall, did he jump or was the pushed? The first person questioned is the dead man's secretary she claims to have no idea what happened and suggests the police talk to the maid; however she does warn them that the is a little dumb. The maid claims she may have heard a hissing noise but isn't certain. As the police discuss matters a reporter, Ted Rand, bluffs his way into the apartment… he isn't the first reporter there though; the secretary. Pat Morgan, is actually a reporter too. She had been investigating her employer and knew a lot more than she told the police. Unfortunately for her as the calls in the story she doesn't realise she is telling the story to her rival on the other phone rather than her paper. She gets the sack and is determined to get her revenge on Rand, who she was once involved with.

As the story progresses more people die and motives start to emerge. It seems the dead man was involved with the woman in the apartment below and when she is found dead suspicion falls on the husband… although there are other dodgy characters about; including the mob. As Morgan digs deeper into the story she puts herself in real danger.

At just over an hour in length this film doesn't outstay its welcome. There is a nice mystery with a reasonable number of suspects. While it is listed as a comedy it is better to think of it as a drama with a few comical moments as there are few real laughs to be had…if you don't include some of the overacting by secondary characters! Leads Ginger Rogers and Lyle Talbot are likable as Morgan and Rand. Given the fairly light tone to much of the film its ending gets quite dark; it looked as though Morgan was going to be incinerated by the villain… even though it was unlikely to actually happen this proved quite tense. Overall a pretty good film; it may be a bit crackly but the story is quite fresh.

Mildly Entertaining Whodunit

[view_and_review · 5/10 · 8 December 2023]

"A Shriek in the Night" isn't much to write about. Some people were getting bumped off in an apartment building, and the cops and two reporters were chasing down clues, leads, and tips. Pat Morgan (Ginger Rogers) was one reporter while Ted Rand (Lyle Talbot) was the other. Pat got fired when Ted "pinched" her story. She huffed and puffed and ranted about Ted, quite literally, stealing her story which only meant that she liked him.

***Side bar***

Whenever a woman gets all exorcized when a man wrongs her it means she likes him. He could break into her home and snatch her out of bed, slap her, punch her, spank her, steal from her, insult her in the worst way, abandon her, or get her fired (all things I've witnessed on screen)--if her reaction is to shout, stomp, and curse him, then she likes him.

Same goes for men, but it happens far less frequently.

***Side bar over***

While Pat and Ted tried to get headlines, Inspector Russell (Purnell Pratt) tried to solve the crime. It was standard cloak & dagger clue finding stuff with a tiny bit of flare thrown in from Pat and Ted.

Free with Amazon Prime.