The Ghost Camera

The Ghost Camera (1933)

I had my hopes up for this movie for three reasons. First, it was pre-code (though only in American years--this is a British movie). That always adds hope. Second, it had a young Ida Lupino. Third, it was about photography, or at least hinted at it, and I'm a photographer. All of this is to say, I assumed the movie would be nothing much, and was watching just for kicks.

I was pleasantly surprised in several ways. It is a cute story with some simple twists that only go so far, but it is told really well--the camera-work and the editing are adventurous and loose and downright inventive. You can't miss it. The cameraman Ernest Palmer I've never heard of (and looking at his movies, there's nothing the jumps out there). But the editor? You won't believe it--none other than David Lean. Makes me want to watch it again. Lean was in fact an editor before becoming a star director.

"The Ghost Camera" is a thoroughly British movie, even though Palmer is American and in fact so is the director here, not the very British Lean but Bernard Vorhaus, who made his reputation in England. And the two leading characters are both British. Yes, Ida Lupino for all her hard luck urbane American reputation was born and raised in England. Here she's plays a common type well, a girl with a heart who's in a little trouble. The other lead, Harry Kendall, is a kind of British Harold Lloyd, and he takes some getting used to but in the end he's really rather funny and fun. He's famous at home for his work on stage, and was always dismissive of his movie career, but the movies are all we have now, so the irony of that must irk him in the grave.

The story? A classic idea not far off from Antonioni's "Blow Up"--a camera accidentally gets in the hands of a pair of goofy innocent types who develop the film in it and discover a crime. Using clues in the negatives, Kendall bumbles his way into a comic and silly mess, filled with great camera-work and that fast, creative editing. There is subjective camera (from Lupino's eyes) and wobbly hand-held camera, and a series of wipes following a series of opening doors that will blow your mind. Or your eyes. It's genius, even if it's low budget stuff. It even has the elements of a screwball comedy, where two unlikely leads are destined to fall in love after all.

You can find a free stream or free download of this non-copyrighted movie on line easily. The quality is passable on a computer screen, but little else. But it's worth it!

Driving back from a holiday, a man finds a camera in his car. Developing the negatives, he discovers a photo which shows a murder and others offering clues to the location. He identifies a young girl in another photo and she joins him on the trail.

Low budget second feature which has grown in reputation, with interesting locations and a script to make it worthwhile. Henry Kendall leads with early appearances by Ida Lupino and John Mills. Some scenes with Miss Lupino now feel uncomfortable given her age.

I've only seen this a few times in the last 20 years or so, I confess that it was the highlight for me of the BBC's Christmas films showing, and it was probably the cheapest one they bought. Undeservedly, because they were also showing Blazing Saddles - I wonder how much of the license fee went on that??

For me the only other UK film this artistically satisfying over its entire length from '33 was The Ghoul, I know there are other worthies, but apart from a few lapses GC has more of a sense of purpose and a consciousness that its plot is different from others - a confidence - that I like. Although, I have a sneaking feeling there was a similar Sexton Blake story in the '20's, but with no love interest however.

I agree with both of the other comments, but really I'm glad that no one has thought of a remake as yet. It would be made "better" with mind boggling technology, plenty of sex and violence - and with digital cameras!

The British stereotypes are out in force - everyone is either sullen or unhelpful, or as hairy Felix Aylmer playing coroner plain eccentric. I bet Ida Lupino was glad to escape to more normal America! John Mills as first a jewel thief then accused murderer on the run is refreshing - but what was the point of his direct lies to the coroner on the witness stand though? Henry Kendall is good, and as verbose as usual - maybe he was the reason Ida left!

Well worth watching, but to the unwary remember it's primitive.

"Ghost Camera" is a medium-budget British programmer that's interesting today mainly as a precursor to Hitchcock's "The 39 Steps" (man stuck in a boring routine finds both adventure and romance, involving the same woman), as well as Antonioni's and De Palma's much later "Blow Up" / "Blow Out" (a photograph that depicts a murder). It is also notable for some well-executed POV camera shots, as well as an early role for Ida Lupino in her pre-Hollywood ingénue phase. Other than that, it is nothing really special, and moves slower than an one-hour programmer should. Henry Kendall is OK in the lead, but not as funny as he was in the same year's (1933) "Shadow". ** out of 4.

"The Ghost Camera" is a very early but nifty British mystery with a rudimentary screenplay but also a surprisingly sinister premise. The intelligent but lonely chemist John Gray returns from another unexciting holiday and notices there's an unknown camera on the backseat of his car. The development of the film results in photo-evidence of something that strangely looks like murder, but then the camera and negatives are stolen from his practice. The boring chemist quickly turns into an adventurous detective as he and gorgeous Mary track down the origin and location of the other photographs on the film. For obvious time and budget-related reasons, this film hasn't got any special effects or famous stars and thus it completely relies on the its compelling storytelling and great use of sophisticated British humor. John Gray is a typically nervous and talkative character and his clumsy interactions with his female counterpart are genuinely pleasant. Another joy to behold is Victor Stanley as Gray's honest but very simple-minded assistant. The whole story, including the little twist at the end, isn't all that overwhelming or extraordinary but the pace is good and the settings are very original and beautiful. A fun trivia element is that director David Lean, one of the greatest filmmakers of all time with pure classics on his repertoire like "Doctor Zhivago" and "Lawrence of Arabia" did one of his very first editing jobs for this film. Recommended!