A ‘Dark & Stormy Night’ in an ‘Old Dark House’ story, something of a Universal Studios specialty, and not bad if you give it time to set up the situation. Kurt Neumann directs in lumpy fashion, or does until an action climax that looks ‘handed off’ to the second-unit. But an excellent cast is around to get us thru a trio of fearsome nights. Gloria Stuart’s the birthday girl, coming-of-age with three suitors vying for her hand (Paul Lukas, Onslow Stevens, William Janney). So when Dad (Lionel Atwill) reluctantly tells them about the castle’s infamous ‘Blue Room,’ where death calls precisely at One A.M., the putative fiancés make a pact to dare fate, by spending consecutive nights alone in the room. Sure enough, someone dies, then a second; but who in the house is doing the killing? Rejected suitor? Controlling Dad? Mystery guest? Someone on the house staff? Enquiring Chief of Police Edward Arnold wants to know! Silly and good fun, with a dandy, if guessable, twisty reveal. The bigger mystery is why Universal was still using a stage wind machine for sound effects instead of actual recorded stormy sounds? Handsomely shot and designed in standard Universal House of Horror style (lenser Charles Stumar had a real gift for atmosphere; see THE MUMMY/’32), its stiff manner finally giving way to that ripping set piece chase at the climax. No classic, but tasty.
DOUBLE-BILL: Again, Universal tries to repeat it’s success with Paul Leni’s fine late silent THE CAT AND THE CANARY/’28.
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