The Ghost Camera

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.

"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.

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.

THE GHOST CAMERA is a fun, near-forgotten little murder mystery laced with comedy and thrills. It overcomes the shortcomings of a simple storyline by offering a surfeit of action in the form of shadowy figures ever lurking in the background and determined to cause harm to our protagonists.

Our hero is a bumbling chemist, played by Henry Kendall, who was in the later and similarly-themed DEATH ON THE SET. As another reviewer has noted, he looks a bit like Harold Lloyd here, but he's great fun and his humorous asides and quirks makes him an instantly likable figure. Kendall finds an abandoned camera with a picture apparently showing a murder taking place. He develops the shot, but when it's stolen he must go on a quest of his own to deliver justice.

THE GHOST CAMERA has plenty of incident to propel every one of its 66 minutes. Ida Lupino plays the female protagonist and was only 15 years old when this film was made. John Mills also features and was only a little older at 25. Obviously both would go on to greater things but it's fun seeing them so young here. The supporting cast is rounded out by the dependable likes of Felix Aylmer. The film is obviously heavily dated and feels very tame these days, but it's also full of atmosphere and fans of the era will lap it up.

The Ghost Camera is an enjoyable British thriller from 1933 and although quite rare, has thankfully been released on video in the UK as part of a double feature with The Last Journey, of which I have a copy.

Two men find a camera in an abandoned car and take it back with them and then find some undeveloped film. They develop it and images include a young woman and a man murdering somebody. They track the woman down by another of the images showing a street name. It turns out that the woman's brother is missing and she teams up with one of the men to look for him. The search takes them all over, including crossing railway lines. Her brother is found eventually but is now facing a murder charge unless the photo of the murder turns up...

The Ghost Camera is partially shot on location and it's good to see the old Southern Region electric trains of the period too. The movie is quite good quality too as it's been remastered.

The cast includes Henry Kendall and early roles for Ida Lupino and John Mills.

The Ghost Camera is worth tracking down and has been on TV as well. Look out for it. A treat.

Rating: 3 and a half stars out of 5.