coolantic
Just watched this on TV and was astounded by the apparent level of ineptitude and overacting on display. The story involves the residents of a spooky London boarding house, each of whom seems to have a secret they wish to protect. There are mysterious goings-on a-plenty. Smugglings, terrorists, illicit romantic liaisons and suchlike. Not to mention murders. It seems that the writer has a fevered imagination and has tried to cram into the screenplay as many whodunnit cliches as possible. The whole thing is incredibly rushed, and plays like a frenetic game of Cluedo (Clue). The bumbling police are also on hand to draw the inevitable wrong conclusion. And the case is solved by one of the residents; a young writer. There, I've told you all you need to know in order to work out what is really going on! But do watch the film. It's what movies used to be about. Entertainment!
sculptagain-1
Keeping in mind that this movie is totally American and the UK had been at war for quite a while, most people everywhere were looking for something to enjoy and smile about. Those who critique this movie as lacking some action/adventurous mystery just don't understand the feelings and thoughts of the early 1940s when the US would be facing Pearl Harbor in just 9 months from this release. And for the Warner Bros. to send a kind and light-hearted film to the UK when they were facing bombs and death was a good thing. Some of the critiques here went as far as criticizing the actors - all of whom did their jobs very well. But then I'm familiar with those who think they know more than they actually do know. The bumbling police, the silly portrayal of the women were all designed in the story to bring that light-heartiness to the viewer. I'm surprised there wasn't a cute Scottish Terrier running around. So if you like a Light movie without the blood and guts as some people here wished to have seen, this is a pleasant stage play turned into a cute movie for a hour's time.
MikeMagi
There are two ways to react to the twist ending of this low-budget thriller. You either love it or hate it. If you're sucker for a roguish surprise -- as I am -- you'll thoroughly enjoy it. At the risk of having to check the "spoiler" box, I will say no more. While the movie was apparently made in Hollywood, the cast is largely British -- Frieda Inescort as the hysterical proprietress of a London B&B, Miles Mander as her hapless husband, Paul Cavanagh as a tenant sweating out delivery of a dangerous package and Heather Angel as Inescort's daughter, smitten with a mysterious writer. Then there's Turhan Bey as a knife-throwing student from the Far East with a dying assassin hidden under his bed. As tenants vanish and dead bodies pile up, the police keep coming up with the wrong answer. But despite the somewhat stolid direction, stick with it. The ending is too much fun to miss. Unless, of course, you're among those who hate it.
kidboots
The blurb on my DVD says "the creatively twisted ending is what has contributed to the popularity of this movie for the past six decades"!!!!! Don't believe it. I would class the ending as very annoying and in the "it's all a dream" category - even though it isn't.As in many of these "little' films there are tons of stars. Frieda Inescourt plays the owner of a boarding house.Heather Angel plays Sylvia, the landlady's daughter. I adore her. In the same film collection as this one she is also in "Bulldog Drummond Escapes" - where she is very smart and sassy.Phyllis Barry, who in 1932 made such a splash as a jilted shop girl in "Cynara", 10 years later was reduced to playing maids and uncredited bits. In this film she plays Lucy, the put upon maid.Bossy (and married) Mrs. Armitage, the boarding house owner, is having an affair with Mr. Reynolds (Paul Cavanaugh), who, in turn, is having an affair with Lucy, the parlour maid.Turhan Bey (in between Maria Montez and Sabu films) plays a mysterious boarder.Strange things start to happen - someone is found unconscious under a bed. (You find out who did that early in the film). There is a strange person in a shawl on the stairs (the clues lie in a conversation at the beginning of the film.) Then Lucy disappears. Then Mr. Reynolds is shot dead. Mrs. Armitage has hysterics. There is also a mysterious note delivered half way through the film. "Dear Dwight - Why are you going under the alias Hugh Bromilow". Why indeed - everything is explained in the end.
AD
