Murder at Dawn

Murder at Dawn (1932)

** (out of 4)

Danny (Jack Mulhall) and Doris (Josephine Dunn) are on their way to tell her father about their engagement but what they don't know is that her father scientist has created a deadly ray that can work off the sun. The father's friend is mysteriously murdered and soon more bodies are piling up as someone tries to steal the secret.

MURDER AT DAWN was one of the numerous "old dark house" movies that were produced in the 1930s. This one here features lightening, thunder, mysterious shadows, screams in the night, a nutty scientist, murder and of course an annoying lead couple who go for laughs. If you've seen at least two of these then you already know what's going on in these types of movies as there are countless suspects and out of no where one pops up at the end as the killer. Rarely do these films make any sense so it takes something really special happening in order for them to stand out in the pack.

Sadly, nothing too special happens here as there are way too many characters introduced to us and none of them really stand out in an entertaining way. All the stereotypes are in full force here and I must admit that it was rather hard following the film because it's so uneven. The performances range from fair to decent but, again, nothing really stands out. MURDER AT DAWN isn't horrible and it's mildly entertaining but it's mainly going to appeal to those who want to see all of these sub-genre movies that were made.

Danny and Doris along with some friends go to Dr. Farrington's house to ask get his consent to marry. Well, once they arrive weird stuff happens...such as finding Farrington and his friend dead...and soon after this discovery the bodies disappear!! What follows is essentially a murder mystery and an old dark house film rolled up into one.

As far as the genre goes, this one is fairly good--despite coming from a low-budget studio. However, one thing bothered me and may well bother other viewers--the very ignorant black character. Back in the day, folks thought it was funny featuring a scared black man as comic relief....and this one is no different...except that he's even more ignorant than usual. A sad cliche, I know...but still a decent film despite this.

The second recorded deployment of Kenneth Strickfaden's fabulous fantasy lab equipment (following the original Frankenstein), is the sole element apt to please viewers of this wearisome essay at creating an Old Dark House mystery, wherein stabs taken toward comedy and suspense are less than persuasive, and production values in this low-budget affair are anaemic. Danny (Jack Mulhall) and Doris (Josephine Dunn), in order to avoid a stall in their marriage plans, entrain with married chums Freddie (Eddie Boland) and Gertrude (Marjorie Beebe) to the mountain hermitage of Dr. Farrington, inventor father of Doris, to gain his consent for their wedding, and on a dark and stormy night (as can be noted from repeated footage of identical flashes of lightning), with the film striving for a general atmosphere of malevolence, the quartet arrives at Farrington's aerie. Meanwhile, the doctor is seen demonstrating his latest brainchild, a "VXO Accumulator", to a visiting colleague, Judge Folger, a contrivance that will purportedly mine the sun's rays for the development of free power that will benefit mankind, but as the device might also be utilized for evil, the stage is set for harrowing proceedings. These include Folger's murder, along with the kidnapping of Farrington, all while the bewildered young couples try to stay out of harm's way from such as secret passages and trap doors, disappearing corpses, a sinister caretaker played by Mischa Auer (complete with maniacal cackling laughter), in addition to two other men who skulk about the grounds (one of whom is dropped, unidentified as to name or purpose, by the script); notwithstanding these melodramatic events, the film is bare of moments that may be interesting to a sensate viewer. In truth, from its very beginning, this is a poor film, and even with the surfeit of ominous occurrences tossed at us, the work is so substandard that a viewer eventually is resigned to merely studying the sequences to wonder at examples of what are not only distinctly tedious goings-on but risible as well, the script, direction, acting, and editing being as atrocious as can be imagined.

The brilliant recluse Dr. Farrington (Frank Ball) has just completed his invention. The VXO Accumulator, a device that can harness the sun's rays and offer free energy to everyone. He discloses this information to his friend Judge Folger (Phillip Smalley) and plans to give it to the world tomorrow.

Wait! What's this? The lights go out. When the lights come on Judge Folger is dead and soon Dr. Farrington disappears.

The search for Dr. Farrington goes on by his daughter (Josephine Dunn) and soon-to-be son-in-law (Jack Mulhall.) Meanwhile, we have mysterious viewers, long-fingered creeps, hidden panels, and it appears that someone will be murdered at dawn.

This is a 1932 black-and-white whodunit. The only version I saw was the Alpha video DVD. It needs a little cleaning up.

There is only one reason to watch this film: Eddie Boland as Freddie. And possibly for Gertrude (Marjorie Beebe), Freddie's wise cracking wife.

I caught this on YouTube (Hastings Mystery Theater) and watched out of curiosity as the host Randall Scheafer discussed Big Four Productions. The major studios had bought up most theaters in insure their pictures would be seen. But the independent theater owners still needed films. Small production produced films on the cheap: spend a lot less on sets and extras and anything else you could cut. That's how a picture like Murder at Dawn gets made. And if you watch, you can "clearly" see the result.

There is an amusing exchange between the four stars and George Reed ( a fine African-American actor) that relies on stereotypes, but you can't deny Reed's comedic timing.

The plot is as silly as the opening screen credits: a "mad" scientist creates a power source that could provide free electricity to the "wage slaves," but faces a foe bent on stealing his invention. The twist is the heroine, her fiancé, and friends are going to see the scientist because he is the heroine's father and she wants his blessing. Forget the plot, everything will eventually work out. But the banter between Freddie and Gertrude is blistering. And Freddie solo screens as he tipples his way along provide some terrific laughs, or at least chuckles.