Mystery of Marie Roget

Enjoyable Universal mystery about the murder of a not-so-nice but beautiful young woman with her fair share of male suitors. Based on an Edgar Allan Poe story, which itself was based on the real-life case of the Cigar Girl Murder that was big news in Poe's time. Starring a fine cast including many Universal contract players. The lineup includes Patric Knowles, Maria Montez, Maria Ouspenskaya, John Litel, Nell O'Day, Edward Norris, and Lloyd Corrigan. Montez plays the title character and brings her usual sex appeal. She also gets to lip sync a French tune. Knowles, one of Hollywood's great also-rans, is good as Dupin, the forensic detective. Corrigan is fun as the comic relief sidekick. It's a good B movie with a decent murder mystery. Not among the best of Universal's horror/mystery films of the 1940s but a good time-passer nonetheless.

I recently discovered Patrick Knowles and jumped at the chance to see him again here in the Mystery of Marie Roget. The fact that this is a Poe story just made it even more interesting. All of the performances are fine. Prefect Gobelin is a solid foil t Knowles character but he is a bit exasperating at times, but then again I guess he is supposed to be that way. The pace is brisk and moves along nicely and while there are bits of suspense they are unfortunately not very strong. Despite several shortcomings the Mystery of Marie Roget is still worth checking for anyone curious, or for those fans of Patrick Knowles.

Maria Montez is Marie Roget. She vanishes, then reappears, then vanishes again. Some people think she will reappear again, but not police chemist Patric Knowles, who wanders around annoying police prefect Lloyd Corrigan, because he's always right.

Poe's short story was based on a real murder in New York, which he moved to Paris and actually figured out. Nothing loath, the folks at Universal kept the title, Dupin's last name, and little else. Instead, Knowles plays Dupin as a variant of Holmes, but much more annoying because he saunters. Corrigan is intended to be his Watson. A key clue is kept out of the audience's sight until after everything is solved. With Maria Ouspenskaya, John Litel, Edward Norris, and Nell O'Day.

This cast of B actors carries off a well-written murder mystery by Edgar Allan Poe. The sister of a woman about to inherit a large fortune plots her murder. But then she herself disappears. Who killed her? Her boyfriend (who was also courting the sister), her grandmother, her estate manager. Or her sister, to protect herself?

The events unfold with a number of false leads and dead ends, and with a few red herrings. However, due to the brilliant detective work of Dr. Dupin, who plays a Sherlock Holmes-type character to the local police chief's Watson-type character. The formula works to a degree, and we have an entertaining mystery.

Actress Marie Roget (Maria Montez) disappears and is suspected of being murdered as a woman is found murdered with her face clawed away, but one day, much to everyone's surprise, she shows up, and doesn't give much information about her disappearance...

Then at a party, she disappears again. Dr. Pierre Dupin (Patric Knowles) is determined to get to the truth. Inspector Gobelin (Lloyd Corrigan) acts as Watson to Dupin's Holmes. Suspects are a plenty, from Camille whose fiancée Marcel has been having an affair with Marie, Marcel himself who had hinted at doing away with Camille as he doesn't really love her or Mme. Cecile Rogêt who had overheard Marie and Marcel coming up with a plan to get rid of Camille.

An absolutely solid mystery from Universal studios- a mix of Sherlock Holmes and Edgar Allan Poe, and you get a fast-paced mystery, at times complicated, yet fills its one hour running time like a well-oiled machine and ticks off red herrings with ease. The climax featuring a daring rooftop chase is a nail biter. Maria Montez is beautiful as always, and I loved the chemistry between Dr Dupin and the inspector- entertaining interaction.