This unintentionally funny drama is an excellent example of how bad early sound films could be. The story is ridiculous, the sound understandably bad, the actors either wooden or overwrought clichés and the morality issues of honor that drive the plot arcane even for the 20's. Afterall it was the Jazz Age.
Helen Reagan daughter of wealthy social register hot shot Lawrence Reagan falls for the charms of worldly playboy/gigolo Frank Devereaux. When scandal threatens her honor, Devereaux ex and Reagan current Ann Carter steps in to save her. Carter visits Devereaux at his lair to attempt to dissuade him but fails miserably, facing blackmail herself. Reagan then shows up gets in a struggle with Devereaux and mortally wounds him (though he does hang on beyond films end to exonerate the lot) then covers up by locking the entrance door from the outside and in the process traps Ann, who unknown to Reagan witnesses the murder. The police arrive along with the DA who feels that it is the appropriate time to cross examine suspects and witnesses. This is when the ham starts to get sliced by the pound. The DA goes into courtroom histrionics as he badgers witnesses and when this stalls the cliché cops offer to pummel the uncooperative with "the third degree". In the meantime Devereaux lies dying in the bedroom. No rush or need to get him to a hospital.
The Locked Door is so bad it's good. Barbara Stanwyck as Ann makes plenty of rookie mistakes in her first talkie and dissipated William "Stage" Boyd as Reagan looks disturbingly cadaverous in heavy make-up. Rod La Roque as the bon vivant seducer is pure pine but his relationship with his valet (George Bunny) is interesting and in its own way touching. The one performer not to embarrass herself is Zasu Pitts as the telephone operator. As the films only intended comic relief she comes through with flying colors amid this wreck of a picture.
Helen Reagan daughter of wealthy social register hot shot Lawrence Reagan falls for the charms of worldly playboy/gigolo Frank Devereaux. When scandal threatens her honor, Devereaux ex and Reagan current Ann Carter steps in to save her. Carter visits Devereaux at his lair to attempt to dissuade him but fails miserably, facing blackmail herself. Reagan then shows up gets in a struggle with Devereaux and mortally wounds him (though he does hang on beyond films end to exonerate the lot) then covers up by locking the entrance door from the outside and in the process traps Ann, who unknown to Reagan witnesses the murder. The police arrive along with the DA who feels that it is the appropriate time to cross examine suspects and witnesses. This is when the ham starts to get sliced by the pound. The DA goes into courtroom histrionics as he badgers witnesses and when this stalls the cliché cops offer to pummel the uncooperative with "the third degree". In the meantime Devereaux lies dying in the bedroom. No rush or need to get him to a hospital.
The Locked Door is so bad it's good. Barbara Stanwyck as Ann makes plenty of rookie mistakes in her first talkie and dissipated William "Stage" Boyd as Reagan looks disturbingly cadaverous in heavy make-up. Rod La Roque as the bon vivant seducer is pure pine but his relationship with his valet (George Bunny) is interesting and in its own way touching. The one performer not to embarrass herself is Zasu Pitts as the telephone operator. As the films only intended comic relief she comes through with flying colors amid this wreck of a picture.