[go: up one dir, main page]

    Release calendarTop 250 moviesMost popular moviesBrowse movies by genreTop box officeShowtimes & ticketsMovie newsIndia movie spotlight
    What's on TV & streamingTop 250 TV showsMost popular TV showsBrowse TV shows by genreTV news
    What to watchLatest trailersIMDb OriginalsIMDb PicksIMDb SpotlightFamily entertainment guideIMDb Podcasts
    OscarsEmmysSan Diego Comic-ConSummer Watch GuideToronto Int'l Film FestivalSTARmeter AwardsAwards CentralFestival CentralAll events
    Born todayMost popular celebsCelebrity news
    Help centerContributor zonePolls
For industry professionals
  • Language
  • Fully supported
  • English (United States)
    Partially supported
  • Français (Canada)
  • Français (France)
  • Deutsch (Deutschland)
  • हिंदी (भारत)
  • Italiano (Italia)
  • Português (Brasil)
  • Español (España)
  • Español (México)
Watchlist
Sign in
  • Fully supported
  • English (United States)
    Partially supported
  • Français (Canada)
  • Français (France)
  • Deutsch (Deutschland)
  • हिंदी (भारत)
  • Italiano (Italia)
  • Português (Brasil)
  • Español (España)
  • Español (México)
Use app
  • Cast & crew
  • User reviews
  • Trivia
IMDbPro

Le fantôme de Crestwood

Original title: The Phantom of Crestwood
  • 1932
  • Passed
  • 1h 16m
IMDb RATING
6.5/10
879
YOUR RATING
Le fantôme de Crestwood (1932)
Cozy MysterySerial KillerSuspense MysteryWhodunnitCrimeMystery

Jenny Wren is found dead after threatening to blackmail some prominent men, and it's up to a detective to find out what happened to Jenny.Jenny Wren is found dead after threatening to blackmail some prominent men, and it's up to a detective to find out what happened to Jenny.Jenny Wren is found dead after threatening to blackmail some prominent men, and it's up to a detective to find out what happened to Jenny.

  • Director
    • J. Walter Ruben
  • Writers
    • Bartlett Cormack
    • J. Walter Ruben
  • Stars
    • Ricardo Cortez
    • Karen Morley
    • Anita Louise
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • IMDb RATING
    6.5/10
    879
    YOUR RATING
    • Director
      • J. Walter Ruben
    • Writers
      • Bartlett Cormack
      • J. Walter Ruben
    • Stars
      • Ricardo Cortez
      • Karen Morley
      • Anita Louise
    • 32User reviews
    • 28Critic reviews
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • Photos29

    View Poster
    View Poster
    View Poster
    View Poster
    View Poster
    View Poster
    + 23
    View Poster

    Top cast23

    Edit
    Ricardo Cortez
    Ricardo Cortez
    • Gary Curtis
    Karen Morley
    Karen Morley
    • Jenny Wren
    Anita Louise
    Anita Louise
    • Esther Wren
    Pauline Frederick
    Pauline Frederick
    • Faith Andes
    H.B. Warner
    H.B. Warner
    • Priam Andes
    Mary Duncan
    Mary Duncan
    • Dorothy Mears
    Sam Hardy
    Sam Hardy
    • Pete Harris
    Tom Douglas
    Tom Douglas
    • Allen Herrick
    Richard 'Skeets' Gallagher
    Richard 'Skeets' Gallagher
    • Eddie Mack
    Aileen Pringle
    Aileen Pringle
    • Mrs. Walcott
    Ivan F. Simpson
    Ivan F. Simpson
    • Mr. Vayne
    • (as Ivan Simpson)
    George E. Stone
    George E. Stone
    • The Cat
    Robert McWade
    Robert McWade
    • Herbert Walcott
    Hilda Vaughn
    Hilda Vaughn
    • Carter
    Gavin Gordon
    Gavin Gordon
    • Will Jones
    Matty Kemp
    Matty Kemp
    • Frank Andes
    Eddie Sturgis
    • Bright-Eyes
    Allan Cavan
    Allan Cavan
    • Highway Patrol Officer
    • (uncredited)
    • Director
      • J. Walter Ruben
    • Writers
      • Bartlett Cormack
      • J. Walter Ruben
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

    User reviews32

    6.5879
    1
    2
    3
    4
    5
    6
    7
    8
    9
    10

    Featured reviews

    dougdoepke

    A Feminist Murder Mystery

    Guys, check out the clinging gowns the girls wear. Kind of makes me wish I was born a lot sooner. Also, those early scenes are provocative by innuendo, when we find out the sleek Jenny Wren (Morley) is really a high-class call girl, implicating some of the city's most powerful men. In fact, the undercurrent is a topical theme of the times since these guys are bankers and politicians, the very types that crashed the economy several years earlier. I'll bet audiences of the time appreciated that angle. Applying that to today, it seems like some things never change.

    This first part is intriguing and well done, but once the action switches to Crestwood Manor, the plot settles into a more familiar type murder mystery. It's an interesting, if complicated puzzle, with lots of flashbacks and suspects. But once Morley drops out, a powerful presence is lost, one that Cortez (Curtis) can't equal. In fact, there're an unusual number of strong female performers deserving mention-- Pauline Frederick as the snobbish aunt, Hilda Vaughn as the tart-tongued maid, and Aileen Pringle as the abrasive Mrs. Walcott. Include the beauteous Anita Louise as Jenny's sister, and the women of the movie far outshine the men in both appearance and stage presence.

    All in all, it's a superior little murder mystery that director Ruben wisely keeps from bogging down into too much talk, a 70-minutes that also includes an unusually atmospheric last scene. But most of all, the film's a showcase for that fine, fine actress Karen Morley, and a chance to see her if you never have.
    7bkoganbing

    House Full Of Suspects.

    It's sad that Karen Morley had to be killed halfway through The Phantom Of Crestwood. Even though the mystery of her death is solved in the end you are left with the memory of her performance. Definitely one of Morley's best as she essays the role of a hard hearted woman who wants a life of ease and comfort.

    This woman has made a habit of soaking the rich and she only aims her sights at the old and wealthy. Karen doesn't lack for chutzpah as she persuades one of her conquests banker H.B.Warner and his sister Pauline Frederick to host a nice soirée where she plans to ask Warner and three other of her male 'friends' who were indiscreet enough to leave incriminating letters enough money for the soft life in Europe. But also as it turns out Morley's sister Anita Louise will be there as the fiancé of Warner's son, Matty Kemp.

    During the party Morley is killed with a dart and Morley's made sure she has a house full of suspects. An uninvited guest is Ricardo Cortez who's got a bad reputation and he has a vested interest in clearing this case up before the police get there. Seems like they'd love to hang a murder rap on him.

    This is a good well plotted murder mystery and a real undiscovered gem if you're a mystery fan or a fan of Karen Morley.
    8Norm-30

    A top-notch "Old House" mystery!

    This film is the concluding episode of a radio mystery, wherein listeners were to try to figure out who the murder is.

    In a unique plot twist, the head of a gang (Ricardo Cortez) becomes a "detective" to find the "real killer" before the

    police arrive and accuse HIM.

    The reviewer who wrote that the "ending makes no sense at all" should watch it more carefully; it makes COMPLETE sense, and shows how the movie "steers you" into thinking that the reason for the murder is one thing, while the ACTUAL reason is something totally different! (I can't say any more without spoiling the ending).

    By ALL MEANS, see it! Norm
    9preppy-3

    Really good but forgotten murder/mystery

    1932 murder/mystery movie which takes place on a dark and stormy night (of course) and in a "country house" which looks like a castle (don't they all?). Actually this was based on a 1932 radio show which played for (I believe) 6 weeks. It ended with a murder unsolved--to find out who the killer is, you had to see this movie. It's still very easy to follow--you don't have to know the radio show to understand this.

    It's lots of fun--there are plenty of suspects, film moves like lightning, has a few very scary moments (the appearances of the "phantom"), an eye-catching flashback technique and a pretty good performance by tall and very handsome Ricardo Cortez. Sometimes the age of this film shows (especially in the outdoor scenes) but, most of the time, it looks great.

    This is (unfortunately) a little known film--it pops up on TCM occasionally but that's about it. If you get a chance, see it! It's incredible how this film still holds up after 70 years.
    7ptb-8

    The old dark radio picture

    What a clever film! Other comments here will fill you in on the content but let me say how interesting and unique is this film for its interactive and multimedia history. Made as the last chapter of a radio play released into cinemas instead of a radio broadcast, this film must have been an interesting and successful experiment in its day. It is also quite creepy and the pre code violence, in particular a stabbing scene on a stairway is very gruesome and explicit. The outdoor scenes almost seem to be testing the boundaries of technical sound and picture achievements of 1931 during production. I paid $3 for a VHS copy of this superb mystery film from a discount shop in Sydney. It is part of a series released here as THE RKO COLLECTION which I see for some reason is not available in the USA. The IMDb availability panel preceding shows that there is no tape or DVD availability for it. Well we have it here..along with The Most Dangerous Game, Island of Dr Moreau, Hips Hips Hooray, Mummy's Boys etc and a whole stack of 1930-33 RKO titles, all marketed legitimately with copyright. How strange Australia can have these but not the USA.

    More like this

    Payment Deferred
    6.8
    Payment Deferred
    Le fou des îles
    6.1
    Le fou des îles
    The Canary Murder Case
    5.9
    The Canary Murder Case
    Roman vécu
    6.1
    Roman vécu
    Le nouveau chauffeur
    7.0
    Le nouveau chauffeur
    La belle nuit
    6.6
    La belle nuit
    Les conquérants
    6.3
    Les conquérants
    Penthouse
    6.8
    Penthouse
    Rose de minuit
    7.0
    Rose de minuit
    Seven Keys to Baldpate
    6.0
    Seven Keys to Baldpate
    Strange Bargain
    6.7
    Strange Bargain
    Another Language
    6.4
    Another Language

    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      The film was originally presented as a radio serial on the NBC Radio Network's "Hollywood on the Air" program from August 26 to September 30, 1932 with the final episode left out. If the listener wanted to know the ending, they had to watch the film. A contest accompanied the broadcast, and listeners were encouraged to submit their ending to NBC and RKO. The best endings were chosen to win one of 100 prizes totaling $6,000 and were announced on November 24, 1932. The ending of the film was not based on any of the contest entries.
    • Goofs
      Out in the Adirondacks, Jenny starts to walk away from her college suitor, then turns back around to face him twice between shots.
    • Quotes

      Jenny Wren: You stay away from hungry mama bears after this.

    • Crazy credits
      Just before the opening credits, radio announcer Graham McNamee announces the introduction of the film.
    • Connections
      Featured in Le documentaire culturel: Le funeste destin du docteur Frankenstein (2018)
    • Soundtracks
      Auld Lang Syne
      (1788) (uncredited)

      Traditional Scottish music

      Lyrics by Robert Burns

      Partially sung a cappella by Richard 'Skeets' Gallagher at the party

    Top picks

    Sign in to rate and Watchlist for personalized recommendations
    Sign in

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • January 10, 1936 (France)
    • Country of origin
      • United States
    • Language
      • English
    • Also known as
      • The Phantom of Crestwood
    • Filming locations
      • Palos Verdes, California, USA
    • Production company
      • RKO Radio Pictures
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Box office

    Edit
    • Budget
      • $187,000 (estimated)
    See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

    Tech specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      • 1h 16m(76 min)
    • Color
      • Black and White
    • Aspect ratio
      • 1.37 : 1

    Contribute to this page

    Suggest an edit or add missing content
    • Learn more about contributing
    Edit page

    More to explore

    Recently viewed

    Please enable browser cookies to use this feature. Learn more.
    Get the IMDb App
    Sign in for more accessSign in for more access
    Follow IMDb on social
    Get the IMDb App
    For Android and iOS
    Get the IMDb App
    • Help
    • Site Index
    • IMDbPro
    • Box Office Mojo
    • License IMDb Data
    • Press Room
    • Advertising
    • Jobs
    • Conditions of Use
    • Privacy Policy
    • Your Ads Privacy Choices
    IMDb, an Amazon company

    © 1990-2025 by IMDb.com, Inc.