If you watch this movie with the idea that it is an old dark house mystery with a touch of comedy, you will find the film to be quite good. Even Bob Hope, in spite of spouting jokes that are either silly, dated, or just plain bad, underplays his role of a cowardly actor thrown into the midst of murder and mayhem. Paulette Goddard is the heir to the fortune of the deceased family patriarch who resided in a spooky estate with his cat-like housekeeper (Gale Sondergaard), and distant cousin Hope protects her, as best as a coward can. This film has enough sliding panels, spooky looking hands (apparently belonging to an escaped mental institution patient only known as "the cat") and many sinister innuendos from Sondergaard.
Future "Z" grade horror icon George Zucco ("Fog Island", "Scared to Death") is good as a dour attorney, while Nydia Westman (as a fluttery cousin), John Beal (a hunky cousin) and Elizabeth Patterson (as their spinster aunt-what else?) are among the others present. Sondergaard steals the show with her resemblance to "Snow White's" Wicked Queen extremely uncanny here. She keeps her tongue firmly in her cheek while obviously enjoying portraying this glamorous possible villain. While a remake of a silent classic, this is the prototype for many old dark house comedies yet to come.
Future "Z" grade horror icon George Zucco ("Fog Island", "Scared to Death") is good as a dour attorney, while Nydia Westman (as a fluttery cousin), John Beal (a hunky cousin) and Elizabeth Patterson (as their spinster aunt-what else?) are among the others present. Sondergaard steals the show with her resemblance to "Snow White's" Wicked Queen extremely uncanny here. She keeps her tongue firmly in her cheek while obviously enjoying portraying this glamorous possible villain. While a remake of a silent classic, this is the prototype for many old dark house comedies yet to come.