Miracles for Sale

This was Tod Browning's last film and it got a good send-off. The budget was in the B bracket and the movie itself was somewhat stage-bound, but that's what the plot required and besides, Browning wasn't an "outdoor director" anyway. A few things to the credit of this film: Robert Young's role was to uncover fake mediums seeking to defraud others without denying the possibility of the supernatural. Also, the "explanations" for the hocus-pocus were saved to the very end and were really rather ingenious. Browning wasn't a director to move his camera very much if at all, but the editing was well executed and the action didn't remain glued to any of the sets. The movie has dated a bit but it's still quite amusing. I'm glad I caught it.

Curtis Stotlar

I understand this was the famous Todd Browning's final film; well, he certainly picked a good one to go out on. MIRACLES FOR SALE is a murder mystery with a twist: all the suspects are either magicians or oculists. This naturally makes for a very spooky and atmospheric thriller, which is well handled by Browning and the cast. Robert Young is perfect as the glib magician hero, Florence Rice is appealing as the frightened heroine, and Frank Craven and Cliff Clark supply some hilarious dialogue. Unlike many murder mysteries of this vintage, though, MIRACLES doesn't fall into unsuspenseful slapstick by trying to ape the Thin Man films--it gets positively creepy in parts. Also refreshing is the fact that Young's character doesn't deny the existence of the supernatural: he just thinks that the murder in this case is the work of humans. As you would expect in a magician murder mystery, there are several tricks and illusions in the plot, one of which took me in completely. My brother, an amateur magician of sorts, also passed this one on the accuracy of its depiction of the magic profession. Check it out; you won't be disappointed.

Back in the 1930s and 40s, a bazillion B-mystery movies were made. Some were quite good, others rather cheap and indifferent. Despite his status as an occasional A-film actor, Robert Young was given the lead in this MGM B--and with very satisfying results.

Young plays a debunker and magician named Michael Morgan. His character is a lot like today's Amazing Randi--and not surprisingly, psychics dislike him because he often is able to expose their trickery. He wanders into a strange situation where the trickery is so good that he seems almost ready to believe that these psychics MIGHT be real--especially because their tricks are amazing. How amazing is apparent after a murder occurs--and LOTS of weird things occur, such as folks dying and then seeming to come to life!

The film, despite the magic angle, is at heart much like a Charlie Chan, Falcon or Boston Blackie picture. However, its writing is just a bit better as are the rest of the production values. In fact, it's done so well that it really sucks you into the story. Well done all around and a film I nearly gave an 8. And, incidentally, this is director Tod Browning's final film. Although he lived another 23 years, he directed no more films and I'd sure love to know why since so many of his films are brilliant.

I am no scholar of Tod Browning. Therefore, it's not clear to me why his career seems to have ended so early and with this movie. It's a mystery, with a bit of comedy and quite a bit of romance.

Robert Young is excellent in the lead role, and he is not an actor I ever liked much. The supporting cast is superb. The spooky looking Gloria Holden is especially effective, though listed way down in the credits.

This man directed Dracula, a very famous movie, and Freaks, a unique and endlessly fascinating movie. Why did his career end within the same decade as those two? This is, despite its name leads, a programmer. The late 1930s and the 1940s were filled with hybrids like this. Not much of a swan song, I'd say.

Creative, underrated detective picture from MGM. The final film from Dracula director Tod Browning. The story has an illusionist taking on fake spiritualists and investigating murder. Robert Young heads a solid cast with particularly fine support from Frank Craven, William Demarest, and Henry Hull. It's a B movie but given that it has MGM's excellent production values you'd never know it wasn't an A. It also has one of the most exciting openings to any movie from this period. Bonus points for the cool secret room Young's character has.