Death from a Distance

Routine whodunit distinguished by unusual setting-- an observatory with a big window on the stars. So who shot Dr.Stone while a gallery of spectators sat entranced by a ceiling of stellar lights. Detective Mallory is doing his best to find out, but it's all rather puzzling with no apparent motive. Then too, comedy relief from Det. Regan's no help, while feisty girl journalist Palmer wants a scoop no matter what. So how will it all turn out, which amounts to the "why" as much as the "who".

Too bad actress Lane doesn't get more screentime. She's a lively presence that picks up the often bland proceedings. In fact, her snappy lines aimed at Mallory remain a highlight. Then too, Prof. Einfeld and fumbling flunkie Jim lend some color to an otherwise rather bland male cast. Unfortunately, director Strayer adds nothing in the way of atmosphere, usually an important element in a whodunit. Here it would have been easy given the exotic setting. At the same time, few scenes take place outside the observatory. I wish that crucial setting were credited by IMDB. Looks to me like the giant telescope had to be real, and my guess would be Mt. Palomar Observatory also located in southern California.

Anyway, the novel touches remain about the only reason to catch up with this uneven indie production.

The sound and picture are just terrible! This badly needs a restoration, but at this point, probably unlikely. During a presentation on the night sky, someone in the audience is knocked off. Russ hopton is detective mallory, from the police, questioning everyone. Kay palmer (lola lane) is from the local rag to invest-y-gate. And of course, none of the witnesses agree on a description of the suspect. The coppers and the reporters all run in circles for a while. I call shenanigans on the story and ending. It's all too silly and unlikely.if the sound and picture quality weren't so awful, this probably would have been parodied on mystery science theater! Even the captions aren't synched up... sometimes they are ahead, and sometimes behind. The most interesting thing here is that someone's last name is "griffith".. and this came out the same year that the griffith observatory opened in los angeles! Directed by frank strayer. Story by john kraft. Hopton offed himself ten years after this film, at age 45.

The film's title implies that death strikes from afar, and in a clever way, it does...

This low-budget little whodunit will NEVER be aired on TV, so you will have to find a rental, or more likely, buy a copy to see how this ingenious little murder is worked out.

I won't spoil it for anyone by telling you that the victim is in the audience of a planetarium, and naturally-- so is the murderer! The police are called in, and the entire story is acted out pretty much on that one set.

Filmed on one of the lowest budgets possible, "Death From A Distance" will still keep you watching, and guessing, right to the surprise ending.

Not bad, to say the least. To B-movie mystery buffs, I say: Buy it, if you can find it, and enjoy.

"A murder is committed at the Forest Park Planetarium during a lecture by the celebrated Astronomer, Professor Ernst Einfeld (Lee Kohlmar). The fatal shot is fired in semi-darkness while a distinguished audience observes the stars projected on the dome above them. A hardboiled homicide detective (Russell Hopton) trades verbal jabs with a wisecracking gal reporter (Lola Lane) as they attempt to unravel the mysterious killing," according to the DVD sleeve's synopsis. In a very dull manner.

The "gal reporter" character played by Lola Lane was, in part, writer Jerry Siegel's inspiration for Superman's Girl Friend, "Lois Lane"; however, Ms. Lane's later "Torchy Blane" characterization is a more accurate reference point. Perhaps, "Death from a Distance is most notable as featuring the penultimate performance of George F. Marion (as Jim Gray), who so memorably played the father of Pauline Lord (1921), Blanche Sweet (1923), and Greta Garbo (1930) in Eugene O'Neill's "Anna Christie".

*** Death from a Distance (9/17/35) Frank Strayer ~ Russell Hopton, Lola Lane, George F. Marion

Death from a Distance features a murder at a planetarium. As most of the film's action takes place in the one large room, it's probably a good thing that the room contains a large telescope and a ceiling painted with stars, a setting unique enough to remain somewhat viewable for 70 minutes. The lead characters are not as unique—Russell Hopton is the police detective investigating, Lola Lane the girl reporter getting in his way. Hopton and Lane do their best to put some life into their roles, but the bits of witty banter they are given are somewhat few and far between.

The other characters fare little better. Most lively is Lee Kohlmar as Professor Einfeld, who is supposedly one of the three greatest scientists in the world and is therefore rather unkempt and absent-minded but ultimately sharp enough to aid in solving the mystery. There are, of course, also a dumb assistant detective, a couple of scientists with shady pasts, and a curator. (By the way, Einfeld also speaks in a European accent and has a messy shock of hair. Ein-what?)

The murder device is cleverly conceived, I have to say. However, the detective work and the uncovering of clues are all somewhat hazy. Ultimately, Death from a Distance lacks snap, but the mystery is at least deep enough to keep us watching until the end.