Here's a perfect movie for a dark and stormy night, primarily because it takes place on a, well, dark and stormy night. The atmosphere of this flick might be it's best recommendation, with the added emphasis of a washed out bridge and travelers stranded at the Black Raven Inn. Great atmosphere throughout, even if you have to strain through some of the scenes where it's so dark you can't tell what's going on - part of it's charm so to speak.
George Zucco does the lead honors for this PRC programmer, with an unusual assist by veteran 'B' movie and TV Western character actor Glenn Strange. Strange is strange as a comedic foil, out of character for him so his bits fall flat, even as he tumbles down a set of stairs a couple of times. Byron Foulger is well cast in his role as a milquetoast bank cashier on the lam with a fifty grand stash of stolen money. That provides him with all the motivation he needs to pull off a murder that you might see coming - but then you might not - as there are plenty of suspects in the death of businessman/gangster Tim Winfield (Robert Middlemass). Did anyone else think it just a bit odd that Winfield wound up at the exact same hotel on the Canadian border as his runaway daughter and fiancée?
Speaking of which, I found it curious but appropriately correct for the era to have Lee Winfield (Wanda McKay) and Allen Bentley (Robert Livingston) sign in as guests for separate rooms, since they weren't married yet. You know, they could have just as easily been returning from Canada as newlyweds, and could have used that as a ruse to really freak out old man Winfield. That would have been something, huh?
I've read on some of the other posts that this is a hard one to get hold of, but it's just one of many on a great sixty DVD/two hundred fifty film box set from Mill Creek Entertainment as part of their Mystery Collection. It's tucked way back in the latter third of the package, but worth picking out for an early look see. If it's a dark and stormy night, your timing will be perfect.
George Zucco does the lead honors for this PRC programmer, with an unusual assist by veteran 'B' movie and TV Western character actor Glenn Strange. Strange is strange as a comedic foil, out of character for him so his bits fall flat, even as he tumbles down a set of stairs a couple of times. Byron Foulger is well cast in his role as a milquetoast bank cashier on the lam with a fifty grand stash of stolen money. That provides him with all the motivation he needs to pull off a murder that you might see coming - but then you might not - as there are plenty of suspects in the death of businessman/gangster Tim Winfield (Robert Middlemass). Did anyone else think it just a bit odd that Winfield wound up at the exact same hotel on the Canadian border as his runaway daughter and fiancée?
Speaking of which, I found it curious but appropriately correct for the era to have Lee Winfield (Wanda McKay) and Allen Bentley (Robert Livingston) sign in as guests for separate rooms, since they weren't married yet. You know, they could have just as easily been returning from Canada as newlyweds, and could have used that as a ruse to really freak out old man Winfield. That would have been something, huh?
I've read on some of the other posts that this is a hard one to get hold of, but it's just one of many on a great sixty DVD/two hundred fifty film box set from Mill Creek Entertainment as part of their Mystery Collection. It's tucked way back in the latter third of the package, but worth picking out for an early look see. If it's a dark and stormy night, your timing will be perfect.