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Secret of the Blue Room More at IMDbPro »

10 out of 10 people found the following review useful:
Secret Of The Blue Room (1933) ***, 14 July 2005

Author: MARIO GAUCI (marrod@melita.com) from Naxxar, Malta

SECRET OF THE BLUE ROOM is competently made, with atmosphere to spare, but doesn't particularly stand out from this type of film and this, I guess, is one of the reasons why it isn't well known today. It boasts a fine cast, certainly, but they're not really inspired by the material: Atwill is merely a red herring and isn't even the lead character despite his top billing; Gloria Stuart's role is nothing compared to the one she played in THE OLD DARK HOUSE (1932), though she does get to sing in this one!; Paul Lukas is an interesting hero: dapper, mature and sporting a heavy Hungarian accent a' la Bela Lugosi!; Edward Arnold's belated entrance, in my opinion, brings the film to life after a rather slow first half. As for the mystery, well, after the tale told by Atwill about what occurred in the Blue Room all those years ago, one expects an explanation by the film's end but this aspect is never properly resolved (nor is the business about the stranger who breaks into the mansion): instead, we get a 'twist' ending which had actually occurred to me as I lay watching the film but had subsequently dismissed as being too obvious! All in all, apart from some stilted dialogue (courtesy of William Hurlbut, who lated wrote BRIDE OF FRANKENSTEIN [1935]!), SECRET OF THE BLUE ROOM is a very entertaining little film which could have been more interestingly developed - but the main thing here is watching these wonderful actors and the Universal house-style in action.

6 out of 7 people found the following review useful:
Pleasant Universal Creaker!, 29 June 2003
Author: BaronBl00d (baronbl00d@aol.com) from NC

A bit rusty and dusty, this film made by Universal in 1933 tells of three men infatuated with the daughter of Lionel Atwill who all agree for sake of ego to stay in the mysterious "blue" room, a room where no one has gone into for twenty or so years because of all the terrible things that befell the inhabitants of that room. Gloria Stuart plays the beautiful object of their affection and carefully plays on the sidelines as each man prepares and stays in the blue room. What happens? Well, that would be giving too much away, but what does ensue is a nice, tight mystery for the most part with some credible red herrings and a somewhat plausible and innovative resolution. Lionel Atwill does a fine job in his patriarchal role as does Stuart. Paul Lukas, Onslow Stevens, and the rest of the cast also do fine jobs. Story really moves this film along, and the script is very good for this time period and for a mystery. My print was somewhat faded and I am not sure if a crisper print exists. I hope so. I know it will be sometime - if anytime - for this film to get the proper DVD treatment is deserves.

4 out of 4 people found the following review useful:
Part of Universal's SHOCK! package of excellent vintage, 11 April 2011

Author: kevin olzak (kevinolzak@yahoo.com) from Youngstown, Ohio

1933's "Secret of the Blue Room" was a remake of a 1932 German film titled "Geheimnis des blauen Zimmers," and even uses a few exterior shots from the original, while all interiors were filmed on the same marvelous sets built for James Whale's "The Old Dark House" (1932), also seen in independents such as "The Vampire Bat" and "Strange People." The last of the vintage Universals to utilize Tchaikovsky's serene "Swan Lake" over its opening credits (following "Dracula," "Murders in the Rue Morgue," and "The Mummy"), it begins on a suitably blustery midnight, celebrating the 21st birthday of young Irene von Helldorf (Gloria Stuart), along with her father Robert (Lionel Atwill), and three determined suitors, police captain Walter Brink (Paul Lukas), newspaper reporter Frank Faber (Onslow Stevens), and the much younger Thomas Brandt (William Janney), who impulsively proposes marriage to Irene on the spot. Mocked by the others, the young Brandt brings up the locked blue room, where Irene's mother had died 20 years before, with two others falling victim within since the original tragedy, all at the stroke of 1:00AM. Betting each of his rivals that they must all spend a night in the forbidding salon, Brandt seeks to prove his bravery by going first, only to disappear without a trace before morning, the bed not even slept in. Von Helldorf is reluctant to phone the police, until on the second night, a shot rings out from the blue room, and Faber is murdered at 1:00AM. Lionel Atwill heads a superb cast in his Universal debut, and Edward Arnold turns in some solid sleuthing, as he later would in the 1935 James Whale whodunit "Remember Last Night?" Formerly husband and wife in Whale's "The Kiss Before the Mirror," are Paul Lukas and seductive Gloria Stuart (disrobing just as her jealous husband shoots her dead); she would next appear in Whale's "The Invisible Man," while Lukas would turn up in Whale's "By Candlelight." Part of the original SHOCK! package of vintage Universal horror classics released to television in 1957, this remake was itself twice remade by the same studio, in 1938 as "The Missing Guest," and in 1944 as "Murder in the Blue Room," both of which changed the backstory and added different characters (in this 1933 feature, no one solves the 20 year old mystery of the blue room). Neither of the two remakes were included in the SHOCK! package, but all three turned up on Pittsburgh's CHILLER THEATER, with four broadcasts for "Secret of the Blue Room" (from 1968 to 1983).

3 out of 3 people found the following review useful:
Atmospheric and entertaining mystery, 3 June 2000

Author: Raymond Valinoti, Jr. (raymondva@comcast.net) from Murray Hill, NJ

Because it was released by the premier horror studio Universal, focuses on an old castle with a spooky room, and features horror star Lionel Atwill, SECRET OF THE BLUE ROOM has been marketed as a horror film throughout the year. It's actually a whodunit with horror elements that influence but never dominate the film. But it would be close-minded to reject this film just because it's not a full-fledged chiller. SECRET OF THE BLUE ROOM is an enjoyable film that projects an air of menacing mystery and efficiently moves the plot with a palpable suspense until the movie's resolution.

SECRET OF THE BLUE ROOM benefits from attractive sets (leftover from THE OLD DARK HOUSE and FRANKENSTEIN) that convey an ornate yet forbidding castle milieu. Director Kurt Neumann, while no stylist in the James Whale vein, effectively utilizes the setting's atmospheric potential. He provides a suitably eerie aura with taste and restraint, avoiding obvious stunts like self-playing pianos. Such gimmicks would damage the film's mood and credibility.

On the whole, performances are good. The actors and actresses provide believable characterizations that help propel the plot. Particularly impressive are Lionel Atwill as the castle owner troubled by his estate's secrets and Edward Arnold as a detective who handles the castle's mysteries in a domineering, no-nonsense manner. Elizabeth Patterson is mildly annoying as a terrified maid, but fortunately her performance doesn't affect BLUE ROOM's atmosphere.

Curiously, a few of the plot's riddles remain unexplained at the film's end. It would have been logical for Universal to provide a sequel with the same fine cast in order to resolve everything. Instead, the studio chose to remake the film twice with different performers. But BLUE ROOM's minor plot holes shouldn't detract one from enjoying this well-made mystery.

5 out of 7 people found the following review useful:
Very Underrated, 11 March 2008
Author: Michael_Elliott from Louisville, KY

Secret of the Blue Room (1933)

*** (out of 4)

Forgotten Universal mystery/horror film about a haunted room that kills whomever stays the night in it. Is it a ghost or something else? I was shocked to see how well made this film was and the direction added some nice atmosphere along the way. The story is very well written with a nice mystery and a wonderful ending that certainly caught me off guard. The only weak part is some of the police investigation. Stars Lionel Atwill and Gloria Stuart. Rare but certainly worth searching for. I might even prefer this to The Old Dark House, which shared some of the same sets as this film.

Remade twice by Universal.

Early talkie mystery, 28 February 2012

Author: jonfrum2000 from United States

Considering it's age, a pretty good old dark house/castle movie The acting is a bit stilted, as one would expect for the year it was made This is a locked room mystery, in which multiple people have been/are killed in the castle 'blue room' The film starts out slow with a love quadrangle (!) and a full length song, but gets going after that, The earlier mystery that the plot is based on is never explained, and leaves us wondering at the end, Paul Lukas plays with a strange Bela Lugosi accent, which i found annoying, but i got used to it eventually, Worth watching for genre fans, but it would have been better if they waited a few years to make it

Gloria Stuart Did have Talent!!!, 28 January 2012

Author: kidboots from Australia

*** This review may contain spoilers ***

Gloria Stuart was plunged into controversy before she had even appeared in a film. She became the subject of a bidding war between Paramount and Universal. Later on she regretted the fact she did not sign with Paramount but at the time she seemed happy to go to Universal as they were offering more money. Initially Universal had big plans for Gloria and had glowing praise for the actress they thought would star in their high class productions. But Universal's hopes drifted off course and while she was given roles in prestigious productions they were usually only set decoration. OK, Universal wasn't Paramount, but it did have James Whale to give a touch of class and make classics of a lot of its horror productions. Though not as successful as "The Old Dark House", "The Secret of the Blue Room" did have some effective moments and a "I never would have guessed it" ending. The eerie music as it introduced the stars (who wouldn't be scared by the look of terror on Robert Barratt's face) boded well for a gripping movie and I was not disappointed.

As the clock strikes twelve Robert Von Helldorf (Lionel Atwill) toasts his daughter Irene's (Stuart) birthday with a creepy phrase "No one will love you like I" - knowing Atwill you know he will definitely not allow anyone else to love her like him!!! The first red herring!! Irene's three suitors sit around the table until Tommy (William Janney) begs Robert to tell them about the blue room which has been locked for twenty years but he is very reluctant. It had been the scene of three uncanny deaths and now only Paul (Barratt), the ominous butler, has the key.

To prove their bravery the foolhardy trio vow to spend a night each in the blue room, Tommy going first and of course in the morning he is nowhere to be found. Irene is menaced by a strange man and Frank (Onslow Stevens) vows to wait for him - in the blue room, where else!!! And then there was one - Captain Walter Brink (Paul Lucas) quickly calls the Police Commissioner (Edward Arnold, sounding and acting more like a policeman than he did in "Remember Last Night"). All the usual suspects are paraded for his inspection, including a vindictive maid (Muriel Kirkland), a surly mechanic (Russell Hopton) who definitely looks and acts as though he has something to hide - I actually thought he was an undercover policeman, I must have a vivid imagination as the reality was much more down to earth!!! As well as a startling confession by Robert!! There were also secret passages, a chase along a dark, damp stairway and a car that went missing at inappropriate times!!!

Near-classic early whodunit with atmosphere to spare., 26 February 2004

Author: Tim Pulley (timpulley@hotmail.com) from Clarksville, TN

This classic is rarely seen on TV. Old Dark House scenario with a murder mystery to solve. Lionel Atwill, a 1930s Universal Studio staple, is terrific--just mysterious enough to keep you guessing. Elizabeth Patterson does her best Una O'Connor imitation as the frightened old maid type, and the youthful Gloria Stuart sings. Edward Albert is a standout later in the film as the investigator of the mysterious goings on. Due to the short running time, this little thriller catches steam rapidly and comes to a satisfactory conclusion. Remade several times, including once as a musical. This film has terrific atmosphere, due to the relatively elaborate sets, considering the "B" film status.

1 out of 2 people found the following review useful:
Oft told story of a challenge to stay in a cursed room to win the love of a woman is one to see thanks to a sterling cast of Universal regulars, 4 August 2006

Author: dbborroughs from Glen Cove, New York

Three men all in love with the same woman decide to spend the night in the cursed "blue" room where tragedy strikes who ever spends the night. Of course tragedy again strikes and the police are called into solve the crime.

Grand Universal mystery thriller suffers from having been remade both officially and unofficially over the years. The film itself is a remake of an earlier German film so I guess turn about is fair play.

Feeling more like an old friend rather than a griping thriller this film is a good little mystery. Odds are you'll know whats going on, but you won't mind since the cast is the real reason to see this. Paul Lukas is a dashing military man, Lionel Atwill is the owner of the cursed house, Gloria Stewart is the woman in question and Edward Arnold is the detective called in to solve the crime. They are all aided by a strong supporting cast of Universal studio regulars.

This is one to make an effort to see especially if you're a fan of good, if familiar, mysteries.

7 out of 10 due to the passage of time and the multiple remakes.

1 out of 3 people found the following review useful:
Groovy Ghost Story/Mystery, 27 March 2001

Author: GroovyDoom from Haddonfield, IL

*** This review may contain spoilers ***

A castle with a closed off room is the setting for this murder mystery that features a group of men who dare one another to sleep in the castle's "haunted" room to prove their manhood to the movie's eligible bachelorette, Irene.

There isn't much going on with that plot, so the film gives us a subplot involving the servants and their affairs. Meanwhile, the men staying in the "Blue Room" either disappear or are murdered one by one, while Irene watches on in helpless horror.

Interestingly, this is a Universal Pictures release, and while it's got no monsters in it, it is obviously intended as a riff on "The Old Dark House" (Irene is actually played by Gloria Stuart, a holdout from the cast of "The Old Dark House"). The Gothic elements of the setting are played to the hilt, with stormy weather, dark hallways, secret passages, and hidden agendas going on all around. The sets are spooky without being covered in cobwebs, although a scene later in the movie involves a chase through a hidden hallway that finally gives us some webs.

These cliché aesthetics are offset by the extremely dated attitudes and humor in the film, intentional and otherwise. You start to wonder what these characters do in their lives. It's easy to understand why Irene and her father are idle, because they are rich, but what are the other three men doing there, and why does Irene's father host them? Why does it seem they've been living there for months on end with no real purpose? In this way, the movie entertains as a period fantasy, giving us characters who have no responsibility other than to dress in formal wear for dinner and tell ghost stories in the sitting room late at night.

Overall the movie is very slight, and there's not much to revisit once the film's rather obvious secret is out and you find out whodunit. But those with an affection for the old dark house trappings will definitely want to pay a visit.

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