Seven Keys to Baldpate

It was about 2AM in the morning and I was watching late night TV, flicking aimlessly. Then I stumbled across the 1947 mystery/thriller Seven Keys to Baldpate. I was dead tired and expected to lose interest within a minute and doze off, but there was something about the setup to this film that was simply absorbing cinema, waking me up as if it was 2 pm in the afternoon. Granted it loses momentum half way through, tailing off considerably towards the end, perhaps due to not fleshing out the premise, which essentially is seven strangers mysteriously brought together in a dark, creaky old Mansion one stormy night. But the mood it creates in it's first half hour is 30 minutes of mystery/thriller cinema I rank as high as any in the genre. Perhaps it was the films ambiance, the darkness, the balance on interior and exterior, the set, the storm, the random characters appearing from no where, the less is more mentality which is so essential in setting up a mystery/thriller film. All those elements created mood that was so cinematic it took me from the depressing late night channel flicking into the mysterious happenings of the Baldpate mansion. I was mesmerized at one point, moving in close to the TV, hanging off each characters every word, wanting to know why. The why you find out later, and it doesn't live up, but I give the film 6/10, because the feeling of wanting to know more in the first 30 minutes was so engaging, they could've faded to black and never fade back in...still I would give it 6/10.

If you enjoy creepy old house movies, you'll like this one.

Seven Keys to Baldpate (1947)

** (out of 4)

The George M. Cohan play gets yet another version from RKO. This time out it's Phillip Terry playing author Kenneth Magee who agree to take a bet that he can write a novel in 24-hours. The only catch is that he must do it in the Baldpate Inn.

This here was the fourth sound version of the Cohan play and the third one made for the big screen. This one here certainly doesn't measure up with the 1917 silent version and I'd argue that it's weaker than both the 1929 and 1935 versions. There are some interesting changes done here by director Lew Landers (THE RAVEN) including the fact that they've slowed down the material.

The previous movies all had a bunch of fast dialogue and the action and comedy was done at a pretty fast pace. That's not the case here as it almost seems like the filmmakers thought viewers in 1947 wouldn't understand the material so they slowed everything down and the simplest plot points in earlier versions are fully explained here. I'm not sure why they did this but it certainly doesn't help things.

Terry is pretty bland in the lead role and he has zero chemistry with Jacqueline White who plays the love interest. Jimmy Conlin is decent in the role of the hermit but he's not given too much to work with. Margaret Lindsay appears in a small role as well. This version of SEVEN KEYS OF BALDPATE is for those who just want to say they've seen all the film versions.

Yes this is the fourth version of the film and I am quite sure that the theatrical live play version of this mystery/story would have been quite entertaining as well. Having watched this 1947 film for the first time some seventy six (76) years subsequent to its initial release date I was pleasantly surprised how much I enjoyed this quirky mystery/crime/romance/comedy film.

Of course the on screen chemistry between two of the main characters author Kenneth Magee (Phillip Terry) and office secretary Mary Jordan (Jacqueline White) was very natural and amusing. The hectic pace between the other five (5) key holders residing at Baldplate only added to the mystery and comedy of the film. I only wish I could have seen them play their respective roles in a live theatre version performance of Seven keys To Baldplate. I am very fond of Ms. White's natural atlent in all of her films as well as with her natural beauty. An added bonus is Ms. White's acting career was fulfilled without any on screen or off screen scandals, not so typical of todays social media crazies.

I enjoyed the film considerably and as such I have rated it a deserving 7 out of 10 IMDb rating.

I caught "Seven Keys to Baldpate" on TCM and found it ok if somewhat dated, similar to the likes of "Arsenic and Old Lace". The film is based on a stage play by the famed George M Cohan and has been filmed quite a few times prior. The movie is your basic mystery-comedy where a writer, Kenneth Magee (Terry), must go to the secluded Baldpate Inn to churn out a story in 24 hours in order to win a $5,000 bet (1947 dollars, so about $60,000 today). Well, a series of unusual circumstances and various menacing, comic and romantic characters step in to put a wrench in Magee's plans. Not great but enjoyable.