One Frightened Night

Odd title for a fairly conventional murder mystery of the 'Old Dark House' genre, in mid-Depression days when a few bow-ties and gleaming shirt-fronts would bring an hour of welcome escapism to large numbers.

A new inheritance tax is due to come into force at midnight, and an ageing multi-millionaire wants to donate his fortune to his long-lost granddaughter before Uncle Sam gets it - if he can find her, that is. Otherwise it will be divided among five other family-members.

As the clock starts ticking, on a dark and stormy night (natch!), the five lucky winners are assembled in the mansion, when a glamorous blonde, the right age, mysteriously manages to arrive, to a warm welcome from the old man, followed suddenly by a rival candidate, before the first one dies of poison.

Show me one of these Agatha Christie situations, and I will show you a detective saying "The person who killed her is in this room". Among other suspects, you will catch Hedda Hopper in one of the last of those cocktail-guest supporting roles that were her bread-and-butter for so long, before she suddenly found fame as a Hollywood gossip-columnist. Also comic relief in the form of a magician who keeps pulling odd things out of people's pockets (including revolvers). And of course, the regulation housemaid discreetly listening at doors.

And featuring the likeable clown from Freaks. What more could one ask? A low-budget Old Dark House mystery that is better than it needs to be, with sharp dialogue and engaging characters...can't go wrong!

Why can't all B pictures be this good?

Unlike today, back in film's golden age, there were always roles for older character actors. Charley Grapewin - even in uncredited parts, he was easily recognisable and when he had a featured part (as the amiable granddad in "The Night of June 13th" (1931), who decides to tell the people in the street some home truths) he was very memorable. Lucien Littlefield also made a career out of character parts (Cupido the barber in "Torrent" (1926) and "The Cat and the Canary" (1927)).

In this film Grapewin has the lead role as Jasper, a crotchety head of a family, who are planning how to spend his money before he is dead. Jasper has a surprising announcement - he is going to give each of his relatives a $1 million before he dies!!! But if his granddaughter can be found, it all goes to her!!! Lucien Littlefield for once playing his right age, plays Dr. Denham.

Before the night is over, Mr. Felix (Clarence Wilson) is knocking at the door with the long lost granddaughter (Evalyn Knapp) - or is she!!!

Downstairs, trouble is brewing - everyone has a desperate need of the $1 million gift. Arthur Proctor (Arthur Hohl) has lost money in some business venture and his wife (Hedda Hopper) is worried he will do something foolish. Suddenly Doris Waverley 2 (beautiful Mary Carlisle, looking a treat) turns up, then the Great Luvalle (Wallace Ford), looking for her. Before Jasper can take Doris upstairs to have it out with her double, the first Doris is killed by fast acting poison.

A belligerent policeman (Fred Kelsey, whose most memorable role was the house detective in the "Honeymoon Hotel" sequence in "Footlight Parade") is trying to interview people. Everyone is acting pretty innocent. Tom (Regis Toomey) the black sheep of the family is romancing Doris - or is he just after her inheritance, and the Great Luvalle is determined to find the real killer!!!

It is a pretty good film - all the players have enough time to establish their characters. Rafaela Ottiano is particularly good as Elvira, the creepy maid.

Very Recommended.

Jasper Whyte calls all of his associates and friends (few in number) to his house (on a night with plenty of rain, thunder, and lightning) to give away all of his estate before an inheritance tax would lessen the amount. One million dollars is to be given to relative Tom Dean, maid Elvira, Dr. Denham, lawyer Felix, and another relative, Laura Proctor (and her husband Arthur). When Felix arrives at the mansion, he brings a woman who claims to be Doris Waverly, Whyte's long lost granddaughter. Seeing his only true heir, Whyte decides to give all of his money to her, which obviously ticks off all the others. Things however become more complicated when another woman comes to the mansion claiming to be Doris Waverly (arriving with her vaudeville partner, the Great Lavelle- a magician). Whyte asks the two woman to confront each other, but the first Doris is found murdered in her room. Whyte and Dean send for the police in order to find out who the first woman was and who had her killed, and Doris (the second and real one) must be able to survive until midnight when she gets her inheritance. Very good "Old Dark House" type mystery, with a lot of similarities to The Cat and the Canary, with the young woman inheriting everything while all other members are shut out. Grapewin (as Whyte) and Ford (as Lavelle) play their roles to the hilt which helps the movie and the rest of the cast give adequate performances. Cabanne's direction and the rest of the production crew are able to maintain the mystery and suspense quite well, but its nothing to go ape over. Rating, 7.

"An aging eccentric millionaire gathers his heirs and informs them that he intends to give his fortune to his granddaughter, if she appears before midnight, otherwise the five of them will split the estate. Two women arrive claiming to be the long-lost granddaughter, which upsets all of the other relatives. When one of the women ends up dead, suspicion falls upon everyone who potentially would benefit form the elimination of the other heirs," according to the DVD sleeve's synopsis.

For the umpteenth time, a group of interconnecting people gather at a spooky mansion, hope to collect a fortune, and become murder victims (or suspects) - it's a very familiar plot. But, "One Frightened Night" manages to always seem cleverer than it is. Director Christy Cabanne, who was often hired to keep thing moving, does just that, while managing to throw in some of the flair he more often neglected. It's nice to see an older actor, Charley Grapewin (as Jasper Wythe), taking the lead; and, the rest of the cast circumvents him well.

***** One Frightened Night (1935) Christy Cabanne ~ Charley Grapewin, Mary Carlisle, Wallace Ford