Aviso Sinistro

This is a very watchable programmer centering on a murder mystery that takes place at an island army arsenal. Director John Farrow (husband of Maureen O'Sullivan/father of Mia Farrow)wisely keeps this thriller short and breezy. The only part of the movie that sometimes falls flat today is the humor, which I'm sure was much better received by the audiences in 1938. Marie Wilson tries to be a Gracie Allen clone. This persona worked much better years later when she played My Friend Irma opposite Martin and Lewis. Eddie Craven does fine as Marie Wilson's comedy partner but again much of the humor is dated.

It's good to see the great Boris Karloff strut his stuff. His bad guy/monster image kept him from receiving deserved recognition as one of Hollywood's most capable actors. This image is used in an interesting way in "The Invisible Menace" but I won't go into detail and spoil the movie for you. The flashback scene when Karloff is on the island of Haiti fits well into the story but also provides variety in what could have become a boring film since all the action takes place in a confined setting. A talent such as Hitchcock could overcome such a setting as he did in his classic "Lifeboat," but Farrow was not that adept although a skilled director.

All in all a gem for fans of the genre.