The Hidden Hand

An escapee from an institution returns home to the house of his sister, who arranged his escape. Gathering her family together, she intends using her brother to kill them.

While this is a relatively entertaining B film, it is ultimately neither a comedy or a thriller although it has elements of both. Milton Parsons is sinister as the brother with the underused and underrated Willie Best supplying the comedy.

There was a time when every major studio turned out "B" movies, 60 minute quickies to fill a double bill. "The Hidden Hand," for example. It features a group of credible, little-known actors (aside from Craig Stevens who had not yet played Peter Gunn) and keeps the budget slim by using only one set, a mysterious mansion where members of a greedy family gather to be knocked off. Why are there a pair of homicidal hands behind the painting in the living room? How come the carpet nearby hides a quick dip in a watery grave?? And how did the mistress of the manor get out of the crypt in which she was interred to plot the demise of her house guests? At least, the cast includes Milton Parsons who is either the funniest or scariest butler to escape an insane asylum. In short, a surprisingly entertaining throwback.

"The Hidden Hand" is an interesting twist on the familiar old dark house thrillers. But, like so many similar films in this genre in this era, it has Willie Best on hand...as if there was some unwritten law that he be on hand in each of these films!!

The film begins with a madman escaping from the sanitarium. It seems that John Channing (Milton Parsons) was assisted in his escape by his sister, Lorinda (Cecil Cunningham). She seems pretty unconcerned about her murderous brother's antics and wants his help in throwing an interesting party. She has invited her relatives there and she knows most of them are real swine....and she and John are going to make sure the deserving ones don't leave the house alive!

There are many nice twists in the film...but I don't want to discuss them because it would spoil the film. Overall, it's fun and quite entertaining...and well worth seeing.

A somewhat warped old lady, played by Cecil Cunningham, yes that's the actress' name, has a will giving the bulk of her estate to her personal secretary, in order that her greedy and selfish family not get their grubby hands on her money. Her brother has just escaped from an insane asylum and heads for home. Such begins a creepy and very morbid film, as bodies start dropping like flies. Willie Best is on hand as the chauffeur who is giving his usual wide-eyed and jumpy performance at all things spooky. Future "Peter Gunn" star Craig Stevens costars and Milton Parsons gives a particularly chilling and unforgettable performance as the crazy escapee. With hidden money, trapdoors, crevices, and clues to find it all, this film has everything you'd want for a macabre night of thrills and chills. A very complicated and intricate plot keeps the viewer glued to their seat and holding on for dear life. This film delivers like none other for a dark, rainy night. Just turn a light on afterwards, and watch your back....

The least you can say about this film is that it is original, but to a degree that makes it incomparable with any other film - the closest of kin that I can think of is "Arsenic and Old Lace". It's a criminal comedy, an absurd horror story going burlesque, a family drama and tragedy going over the top, and a technically advanced "Family Addams" tale with a very black sense of humour. Milton Parsons as John Channing leads the show together with Cecil Cunningham as Lorinda Channing his sister, and they at least have great fun. The others are just there to be fooled around with. It's a kind of freak show, anatomizing the essence of greed and its unpredictable self-destructive turns, while the leading comedian actually is Willie Best as the chauffeur, he is one of the few survivors, and he has a very last word.