The Devil's Mask

Good combination of horror and noir. Now if I could just figure out whose head belongs on which body, I might be able to figure out the plot. But, no matter since the film is carried by some great noirish atmosphere. The gloom hangs heavy over everyone, so you just know anything might happen. The movie's adapted from a radio stage play and it shows in the stretched out storyline that sometimes appears to ramble. Still, brighter bulbs than mine may be able to follow out the mystery part. Anyhow, I really like the obscure Michael Duane as the ambivalent Rex Kennedy; he brings unexpected depth to the part. The cast is basically an ensemble of no-names, who, nevertheless do well enough in their roles. No, the movie never rises above programmer status, but does show how imaginative these bottom-of-the-bill B- movies could be.

A woman thinks her daughter is out to kill her, and hires a detective agency to help her. "Devil's Mask" had a perfectly respectable cast, and a good solid script. With shrunken heads from south America, a panther, and even the use of hypnosis were all probably pretty new and exotic in 1946. (Although, when they try to put someone under hypnosis, they shine a bright light in the actor's eyes, and loudly tap a pencil over and over, so not sure how deeply the actor could have gone under....) The acting by some of the actors is a tad flat, and assistant detective Doc Long (Bart Yarborough) spouts more southern descriptive phrases than necessary, probably the reasons for the low rating on IMDb and membership in the "B Movie" club. The lead detective playing Jack Packard , Jim Bannon, had played detectives and cowboys, and was married to Bea Benaderet (Pearl Bodine, in the Beverly Hillbillies). Another interesting connection, Frank Wilcox, who plays Professor Logan, would also go on to be the oil company president on "Beverly Hillbillies". Also.... Mona Barrie and Bea Benaderet were both in "The First Time". Anita Louise, who plays the daughter Janet in Devil's Mask, was really only six years younger than the Mother Mitchell (Mona Barrie). good Whodunnit. no big glaring plot holes. no big car chase scenes.

We too often forget that director Heny Levin began his career at Columbia pictures directing such small budget movies. This one belongs to the I LOVE A MYSTERY list, several horror mystery features, under one hour length. A bit talkative, I admit, but also providing a pretty good atmosphere. Not the one Val Lewton's production made, though. This one is Ok, thanks to this atmosphere, no matter the story itself. Henry Levin will become famous with his VOYAGE TO THE CENTER OF THE EARTH, his masterpiece, and several other adventure action movies, finishing with "beach" flicks in the early sixties.

Janet Mitchell (Anita Louise) doesn't trust her stepmother. Janet's father has been killed in a South American jungle and we see who she blames. A man with a deadly blow gun is creeping around the grounds of the Mitchell residence where the two women live. Their butler is killed by a poison dart but was he the intended victim of the blow gun attacker? I felt as though I should be rooting for Janet but we do see an unstable side to her. At one point she admits she likes playing with fire and she has a boyfriend who says he would do anything for her. Janet is put under hypnosis and reveals some strange observations concerning her father while under. I found this Columbia B mystery unusual and entertaining and it should keep you guessing right through to the end. It was originally on a double bill with Richard Dix's Mysterious Intruder.

Jack Packard, (Jim Bannon) plays the role with a duo of private investigators concerning a shrunken head found on the ruins of a crashed plane traveling from California to Latin America. There are many investigations among head hunters in the jungle and people being killed with deadly blow guns. There are family members who all mistrust each other and lots of mysterious people who appear to be the killers. Janet Mitchell, (Anita Louise) gave an outstanding performance and gave some romance to this black and white low budget film from 1946. Found this film to be rather boring and the story goes around and around in circles and never seems to end. However, this series was an old time radio show starring Jim Bannon which entertained many people during the radio era.