Night Key

NIGHT KEY (Universal, 1937), directed by Lloyd Corrigan, stars horror film icon Boris Karloff in a sort of change-of-pace project from his then current trend. Not exactly playing a night watchman with a skeleton key to get into every room in a warehouse where he works, but a kindly-old inventor with a device known as "The Night Key." Having recently played a scientist whose invention has him going on a murderous rampage in THE INVISIBLE RAY (1935), for NIGHT KEY, Karloff brings a new dimension to inventor/scientist, which, up to that time, typically one who becomes insane through the use of one of his own experiments. Here he's a middle-aged father figure, frail in appearance but strong in his actions which marked a new beginning for Karloff with similar roles to follow. Now back to NIGHT KEY.

In an original story by William Pierce set in New York City, the plot introduces Stephen (or Steven) Ranger (Samuel S. Hinds), president of the Ranger Protective Agency, celebrating his twenty years of successful business serving alarm systems for banks and businesses. Dave Mallory (Boris Karloff), his former partner who actually invented these devises years ago, has never received credit nor royalties for his work. Now living in a tenement apartment with his adult daughter, Joan (Jean Rogers), a cashier for Coast to Coast Restaurant, Dave, having worked fifteen years on his latest security system, is slowly going blind. Fearing the new and improved invention might put him out of business, Ranger agrees to talk financial terms with Dave and market the product. Willing to forget Ranger's past misdeeds, Dave entrusts him with the invention in exchange with $500 advance royalty. Once the contracts are signed, Dave soon learns he's been tricked again, with Ranger having no intention of marketing the product after all. After Dave releases the soon to be arrested thief,"Petty Louie" (Hobart Cavanaugh), from Ranger's detention room with his night key, the two men team together through a series of break-ins to ruin Ranger's business, all leaving a note signed by "Night Key" that reads, "What I create, I can destroy." All goes well as planned until mobsters headed by The Kid (Alan Baxter) force Dave and Louie to join in their crime wave. As Dave's daughter awaits to hear from her father and his undisclosed whereabouts, she finds herself being trailed by Jimmy Travers (Warren Hull), one of Ranger's security guards who takes a special interest in this case.

Often classified as a horror film due to the Karloff name and stock music lifted from Universal's own "Werewolf of London" (1935) on certain occasions, NIGHT KEY had formerly been linked along other Universal horror titles ("Dracula," "Frankenstein," "The Mummy," "The Wolf Man") whenever shown on broadcast television on Fright Night or Shock Theater festivals back in the sixties and seventies, and briefly on New York City's "Cinema 13 Horror" in 1981. Regardless, NIGHT KEY is actually a quaint little "from science fiction to crime thriller" stories that offers Karloff the opportunity of becoming more than a creepy character or man of evil tendencies as indicated in THE BLACK CAT (1934). In NIGHT KEY, Karloff's performance of the frail, white haired old man with bushy mustache, helpless without his glasses, is quite believable. Aside from the secondary performances by the blonde Jean Rogers (in a physical manner of fellow blonde actress, Mary Carlisle) and Warren Hull (billed as J. Warren Hull), honorable mention goes to the long forgotten Alan Baxter whose distinctive voice and mannerism best suited for gangster leader, the same type he enacted in his debut film, MARY BURNS, FUGITIVE (Paramount, 1935) starring Sylvia Sidney. Interestingly, in spite of Baxter's unique personality, he never ranked among Hollywood's legendary tough guy types of James Cagney, Humphrey Bogart or even Alan Ladd. While Hobart Cavanaugh often appeared in minor bits, NIGHT KEY is one of those rare cases next to I COVER THE WATERFRONT (United Artists, 1933) where he's gets the most out of his supporting stature. Others featured in the cast are: David Oliver (Mike); Ward Bond ("Fingers'); Frank Reicher (Carl); and Edwin Maxwell (Lawyer Kruger). Henry Armetta and Nina Campini as an Italian couple offer some amusing moments.

Though some might find NIGHT KEY disappointing for lack of horror content, it's actually quite good for its standard, fast-paced second feature material. It's become available on DVD double featured along with Karloff's medieval feature, "Tower of London" (1939), though prints provided happen to be taken from 1940s reissue from Real-Art Pictures. Because of its science fiction theme, NIGHT KEY would be best suited as a double-bill with Karloff's THE INVISIBLE RAY (1935) on the flip side instead. (**1/2 keys)

Boris Karloff plays an inventor of high-tech burglar alarm systems. Twenty years before he was ripped off by crooked Samuel S. Hinds, who took full credit for his invention and built a thriving security business out of it. Now Boris has invented a system to top his old one. He makes the boneheaded decision to trust Hinds again and is again ripped off. So he teams with small-time thief Petty Louie to break into places and make Hinds look bad, leaving behind notes signed Night Key. But then a gang of crooks kidnaps Karloff and forces him to help them commit real robberies.

It's a mix of science fiction and crime picture. Karloff is excellent as always. I don't think I've ever seen a bad Boris Karloff picture. Petty Louie, played by Hobart Cavanaugh, is lots of fun. Samuel S. Hinds plays a villainous role very far removed from Peter Bailey. Alan Baxter and Ward Bond are the two most noteworthy gang members. Only drawback is the insipid romantic subplot between Karloff's daughter Jean Rogers and security guard Warren Hull, but it doesn't intrude on things too much. It's a fun movie Karloff fans will love.

Boris Karloff seemingly can make a small film all the bigger with his fine performance. Such is the case with this lesser known Karloff film...Night Key. Though the film is in no way a horror picture, it does have some science fiction elements. The story tells about a Mr. Mallory..an aged man who has spent his life inventing a night key alarm system only to have it stolen from him by his former business partner and his own lawyer. Karloff is in fine fettle as the inventor, and even seems like a live Gepetto both in look and manner. The film is typical for its day.....not a very imaginative script nor great quality character acting, although Hobart Cavanaugh does a nice job as a petty hood helping Karloff get back at his enemies. What makes it stand out is the understated acting of Karloff...a role which he plays for sympathy and compassion. Not a big film but a little one...still a good one to see. The film is not on video so you may have to try and find it on video transfers from 16mm prints.

Typecast as "Boris Karloff" the monster, William Henry Pratt (his real name) was cast almost exclusively as monsters and mad scientists. He shows glimmers of real humanity in most of these roles, but rarely got to play a hero.

Here is the exception. A kindly old scientist steps over the line only slightly in order to compel a ruthless businessman who has twice cheated him to do the right thing. In the end, he proves himself loyal, kind, honest, and courageous, in spite of being elderly and nearly blind.

A movie like this (though definitely a "B" movie) demonstrates that this did not have to be the case. Karloff/Pratt could easily have played many a kindly grandfather or filled many other likable roles. What a pity he so rarely got the chance!

Night Key is directed by Lloyd Corrigan and adapted to screenplay by Jack Moffitt & Tristam Tupper from a story by William A. Pierce. It stars Boris Karloff, Jean Rogers, Warren Hull and Samuel S. Hinds. Music is by Louis Forbes and cinematography by George Robinson. Plot sees Karloff as aging inventor David Mallory, who once again finds himself cheated by security business boss Stephen Ranger (Hinds). With his eyesight failing and a daughter (Rogers) he wants to set up before he passes on, Mallory decides to teach the scheming Ranger a lesson. However, the criminal element headed by The Kid (Alan Baxter) have designs on using Mallory and his "Night Key" device for their own ill gotten gains.

Well Louis! We are in.

Out of Universal Pictures, Night Key was knocked out in under a month and budgeted, unsurprisingly, on the cheap. Yet the film belies these matters to be a good old fashioned yarn for entertainment. Melodrama mixes with a touch of sci-fi as the story unfolds as an interesting character piece, the veins of which are mostly pumped by an honest versus dishonest theme. Within there's a burgeoning romance etched in to the narrative, but this is handled well by the director as it aids the flow and reason of plotting, while the odd bit of action here and there stops the film from being too staid. The effects from John P. Fulton, too, are good fun and leave a favourable mark late in the story.

Picture gets most of its strength from Karloff's performance. An undervalued talent at the best of times, Night Key gives viewers the chance to see just what he could do away from the horror iconography that defined his career. Here as the sombre and fragile David Mallory, Karloff isn't just looking the part because of make-up, he is able to match his body to the aged state of the character, simultaneously garnering great empathy from the viewers. It's a character, courtesy of performance, that firmly has us rooting for against the baddies. Around Karloff are effective turns from Rogers (bright), Hinds (weasel like), Hobart Cavanaugh (fun as the comedy side-kick, Petty Louis) and Ward Bond, who as henchman thug is an imposing presence.

It's all very daft and goes where we expect, and want, it to go, but with Karloff leading the way this is a comfortably recommended time filler. 7/10