Another reviewer for this film makes a good point as far as ratings go. Most B mysteries from the Thirties and Forties start out as a 'six' in my book and work their way down from there. It's the rare picture that goes in the other direction to rise above that norm. This is one of the more cleverly crafted flicks to come out of the era, not so much for the acting or the dialog, but in the solution to the murders committed in the story. The resolution allows one of the killers off the hook, and it's done in a way to allow both the murderer and the detective to maintain a dubious integrity.
The major hurdle however that one must get past is the idea that three, count 'em, three deaths occur in the same house at virtually the same time, and each of them occurs at the hands of a different person. You're not going to figure this out if you're not paying attention, but if you follow along carefully, each murder is spelled out logically by our hero detective (John Miljan), even as he gives Ann Randel (Betty Blythe) a pass at the end of the picture. Of course he's vindicated in the closing scene when it's learned that Ann Randel committed suicide with her secret intact. I got the feeling she did it half out of remorse and half to pay back Holt for his good deed.
Along the way though, you've got plenty of twists, turns and red herrings, and a fair helping of comic relief from Holt's butler Jeff (James P. Burtis) as he proves more helpful than bumbling, even if it doesn't seem so. He did find the carnation after all. I also got a kick out of the black maid who thought she'd turn 'white as a sheet' with all the murders going on. The PC police probably wouldn't find it funny today but I thought it was handled tastefully enough.
All in all this was a pretty clever little mystery flick that stacks up well against some of my favorites from the era - Charlie Chan, Mr. Wong, and Bulldog Drummond. It's not often a picture like this merits a second viewing, but this is one I'd recommend for it's brisk pace and clever ending. And need I say, Irene Ware is definitely pleasing to look at.
The major hurdle however that one must get past is the idea that three, count 'em, three deaths occur in the same house at virtually the same time, and each of them occurs at the hands of a different person. You're not going to figure this out if you're not paying attention, but if you follow along carefully, each murder is spelled out logically by our hero detective (John Miljan), even as he gives Ann Randel (Betty Blythe) a pass at the end of the picture. Of course he's vindicated in the closing scene when it's learned that Ann Randel committed suicide with her secret intact. I got the feeling she did it half out of remorse and half to pay back Holt for his good deed.
Along the way though, you've got plenty of twists, turns and red herrings, and a fair helping of comic relief from Holt's butler Jeff (James P. Burtis) as he proves more helpful than bumbling, even if it doesn't seem so. He did find the carnation after all. I also got a kick out of the black maid who thought she'd turn 'white as a sheet' with all the murders going on. The PC police probably wouldn't find it funny today but I thought it was handled tastefully enough.
All in all this was a pretty clever little mystery flick that stacks up well against some of my favorites from the era - Charlie Chan, Mr. Wong, and Bulldog Drummond. It's not often a picture like this merits a second viewing, but this is one I'd recommend for it's brisk pace and clever ending. And need I say, Irene Ware is definitely pleasing to look at.