The Murder in the Museum

Among the many 'little' B mysteries from the 30s with the hugely popular pattern 'reporter plays detective', "Murder in the Museum" stands out in several ways. First, it stars the famous and distinguished silent actor Henry B. Walthall as a former professor of philosophy - and now turned a magician in a rather shady carnival show. Then, there are quite a lot of various people and ongoings involved in the plot that revolves around this infamous show: the same day that the show's 'manager' receives a drug delivery from his gangster friends, the two candidates running for mayor visit the show in order to check out if there's a reason to close it down, because they both try to show to their voters that they want to 'clear up' the town. And in the middle of the show, one of the two is shot - and a young reporter is, of course, also on the spot, ready, willing and able (much more than the police) to solve the crime...

There would be a LOT to write about this pretty convulsed plot; but I don't want to spoil it for the friends who haven't watched this movie yet - because they absolutely should do so. There's definitely something more to it than to an average B crime movie: the direction is imaginative and well timed, the plot is REALLY unusual, the actors are doing a fine job (not only Walthall, but also John Harron as the clever young news hound and Phyllis Barrington as the fearless girl who assists him despite his warnings); I highly recommend it!

The Murder in the Museum (1934)

** (out of 4)

Typical murder-mystery from the era, this one here is set inside a bizarre museum where a man is murdered while investigating claims that there's a drug smuggling ring inside the location. Soon the prime suspect's daughter (Phyllis Barrington) and a reporter (John Harron) team up to try and get to who did the crime.

I honestly don't think most people realize how popular these murder- mystery films were from this era. It really did seem like they were dozens released each year and they'd take place in a variety of locations. They were set in planes, on ships, in hotels, radio stations, castles and of course the most popular being the old dark houses. I think it's fair to say that these films were popular with producers because they could be filmed quickly and cheaply.

In reality, if you've seen one then you've already seen most of them as very few of them really set themselves apart from what was already out there on the market. This one here gets some attention because it was released the same year as FREAKS and this too deals with some sideshow performers but none of the types that were seen in that Tod Browning classic. As far as the film goes, it's mildly entertaining for what it is but there's no question that it's not a masterpiece or even a very good film.

The biggest problem is that Harron and Barrington just aren't that good of a team. There's no comic banter between them. There's no good romance. Heck, there's not even a bit of chemistry between them. This really hampers the film and I'd argue that the mystery of who the killer is wasn't all that good. At least we get a top- billed Henry B. Walthall but be warned that he's more of a supporting player than anything else.

THE MURDER IN THE MUSEUM will appeal to those like myself who want to watch all of these types of films that they can. Others should start elsewhere.

Enterprising "Times Herald" reporter John Harron (as Jerry Ross) investigates "The Murder in the Museum " of a city councilman. This "Museum" isn't what you may be expecting; although there appear to be a few paintings on display, it's really a traveling freak show - "The World's Largest Collection of Natural and Unnatural Wonders". Among the attractions: an armless man, a bodiless woman, and the mysterious Henry B. Walthall (as "Professor Mysto" aka Bernard Latham Wayne). Patrons seem more interested in scantily-clad dancing women; unfortunately, they are told to keep it "tame it down plenty" when "the law" is spotted.

The "Sphere Museum" is also a front for drug-runners (which has attracted police and politicians). Just before the murder, Mr. Harron meets shapely blonde Phyllis Barrington (as Lois Brandon); and, the two fall in love. Mr. Walthall is appropriately mystic; his casting, alongside the brother of frequent co-star Robert Harron, is inspired. Unfortunately, this production is very poor. The cast and crew manage to get through the picture smoothly enough, considering the obvious lack of rehearsals and re-takes.

**** The Murder in the Museum (1934) Melville Shyer ~ John Harron, Henry B. Walthall, Phyllis Barrington

Social reformers and political enemies Joseph Girard and Sam Flint are at a dime museum, as are reporter John Harron, and Girard's niece, Phyllis Barrington. It's a thoroughly sleazy affair, promising all sorts of thrills for an additional dime, and delivering very little. Besides the girls in gauzy costumes, there's an armless man, fortune-teller Symona Boniface, stage magician Henry B. Walthall, knife thrower Steve Clemente, and similar acts. Suddenly a shot rings out and Flint is dead. Eventually the police show up and arrest Flint for havinga .45 revolver. When he says he lent the gun to the armless man for an act he was working on, they discovering a toe print on it and arrest the second man. But then it turns out the bullet was a .32 smoothbore. Meanwhile, Harron and Miss Barrington investigate.

It's a Poverty Row movie produced by Willis Kent. The director is Melville Shyer, who spend most of his career as an AD and production manager. I don't think he held any rehearsals, because the lines don't sound very convincing. Still, it's always good to see top-billed Walthall, and Bobby Harron's younger brother.

During lunch a friend and I watched most of Murder in the Museum, a creaky 1934 movie set in a side show thats called a museum. Actually its closer to what PT Barnum ran for years in New York, except that this museum also deals drugs.

The plot has a crusading politician killed while making an inspection of the vile den prior to his formal attempts to close the place down.

This is a a slow moving movie that is interesting in its view of the side show or Carny life in the 1930's. We see suckers scammed into paying extra to see a racy dance that isn't racy, until the cops leave and then they are hit for even more money to see a different dance. The dance is so un-risqué that a even a small child would wonder what the fuss is about. However unique the dancing is the movie does sport some interesting pre-code asides and lines that are still ribald by todays standards.

The movie is an interesting way to spend an hour, or less if your watching it with a pressed for time friend who insists you jump to the end to see who did it. While my friend was proved right as to the killer we were lost as to the clues mentioned since we had missed about 20 minutes of screen time. I will be going back to see what exactly those clues are soon.

I liked it. Its no great shakes but as an off beat mystery from before the code its not a bad way to spend an evening in front of the TV. Do you need to buy it? No, but if it should happen to be on TV why not tape many other modern mysteries which are twice its length.