Tonight's Movie: Before Midnight (1933)
A few days ago I enjoyed Ralph Bellamy as Inspector Steve Trent in THE CRIME OF HELEN STANLEY (1934). It was the second movie in a four-film mystery series for Columbia Pictures; while only a middling film, I enjoyed it enough to be curious about the rest of the series.I've just watched the first Trent film, BEFORE MIDNIGHT (1933). This story about a famous Trent case was stronger than THE CRIME OF HELEN STANLEY, and I enjoyed it quite well.
Trent has been summoned by Edward Arnold (William Jeffrey), who fears being killed in fulfillment of a family curse.
BEFORE MIDNIGHT was directed by Lambert Hillyer, who did nice work on a number of Westerns including a Buck Jones favorite the following year, THE MAN TRAILER (1934).
BEFORE MIDNIGHT is an "old dark house story" told in flashback. Inspector Trent is dropped off at a forbidding mansion in the rain by a nervous taxi driver (Fred "Snowflake" Toones) who refuses to leave his car to help Trent with his luggage.
Before long Arnold is indeed dead, and there are a plethora of suspects, including his ward Janet (June Collyer), her fiance Dr. Marsh (Arthur Pierson), blackmailer Mavis (Betty Blythe), houseboy Kono (Otto Yanaoka), and butler John Fry (Claude Gillingwater).
There's a nice twist partway through the film's 63 minutes, and a fitting, if shocking, ending which would likely not have been possible once the Production Code began enforcement in mid 1934. It was excellent dramatically but also rather a jaw-dropper. Some information conveyed in the final wrap-up scene would also probably not have been stated so bluntly in the Production Code era.
The movie was written by Robert Quigley, based on his own story, and filmed by John Stumar. The cast also includes Joseph Crehan and George Cooper.
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The last two films in the series were ONE IS GUILTY (1934) and GIRL IN DANGER (1934). I've just realized I have a copy of GIRL IN DANGER thanks to recording it from GetTV a few years ago, and I hope to track down ONE IS GUILTY as well.
posted by Laura @ 4:00 PM
2 Comments:
Hi! How are You? Me tired, been shovelling snow the past week almost every day, the past three years here in Edmundston, New Brunswick, Canada we received 25 feet of snow, this year, We are at around five and counting, and it is icy cold. We are surviving. It is not my purpose of this message though, I know I am late of a few days, I am sorry about that. Online there are only three movies available to watch or to buy, the only one which is nowhere to be seen is One is Guilty 1934, it is a real mystery, why only this movie is not there for Us to enjoy, maybe there is something blocking its publications, that movie does not even have its Wikipedia entry, this is as strange as it gets. That series with the very relaxing and soothing Mr Ralph Bellamy is very good, the pacing is alright, and the Performers are doing a spiffy job, it is not that low budget, like low budget, but it is the middle of the road. Mr Bellamy with Robert Mitchum are the two most relaxing Actors there is. William Powell is awesome, and I always like Ray Milland and one of my favourite of all time and not even close to the others is Roger Moore. On the Women side, my favourite is Fay Wray, She was an Actress when seeing Her, it was just like watching a Sister or Mother, at the other spectrum, there is Joan Blondell, another one of my favourite are Senta Berger and Anita Ekberg and Margret Lee and the regrettable Sharon Tate. Anyway, I just wanted to share You this information about One is Guilty and do some small chat. I know that lately You do not answer many posts anymore, maybe You are tired of it or maybe someone hurt You. Take good care and be safe and be careful out there and wash Your hands often. God Bless and God Give You His Love and Health and Courage and Beatitude. Love You All.
P.S. I could have added more Performers, but will be a bit too long. I Hope and Pray You are alright and Your Family too, I am very very Pro-Life myself being a Christian Conservative, We are very rare here in Canada, because we are a Socialist Country, and it is going downhill with Justin Bieber Deluxe as Our Prime Minister which I nickname Justin Trudeau. Au revoir. I am French, but I say I am Canadian only, because I love the English language and culture more.
Thank you for your nice note. Like you I have not yet been able to find ONE IS GUILTY (1934) but we'll hope it turns up in the future!
You have an excellent list of favorite actors!
Best wishes,
Laura
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