Shadow of Doubt (1935)

Director:

George B. Seitz

Writers:

Arthur Somers Roche (story)
Wells Root (writer)

Release Date:

15 February 1935 (USA)

Genre:

Mystery | Comedy

Plot:

Haworth is a show biz producer who has a number of ex-girlfriends that he has beaten over the years...

Plot Keywords:

Actress | Frame Up | New York | Cribbage | Nightclub

Cast

Ricardo Cortez	...	Simeon 'Sim' Sturdevant
Virginia Bruce	...	Trenna Plaice
Constance Collier	...	Aunt Melissa Pilson
Isabel Jewell	...	Inez 'Johnny' Johnson - singer
Arthur Byron	...	Mr. Morgan Bellwood
Betty Furness	...	Lisa Bellwood
Regis Toomey	...	Reed Ryan - reporter
Ivan F. Simpson	...	Morse - Aunt Melissa's butler (as Ivan Simpson)
Bradley Page	...	Leonard 'Len' Haworth
Edward Brophy	...	Police Lt. Fred Wilcox
Samuel S. Hinds	...	Atty. Thomas Granby
Richard Tucker	...	Mark Torrey
Bernard Siegel	...	Ehrhardt - foreign butler
Paul Hurst	...	Police Lt. Jack Sackville

Runtime:

74 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Sound System)

Company:

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM)

Goofs:

Continuity: When Ehrhardt is shot dead on the footpath outside Germanti's Cafe, the policeman's keyring and key used to open the police call box lock (and left in the lock) disappear.

Soundtrack:

Beyond the Shadow of a Doubt

An enjoyable mystery with Constance Collier stealing the film.

This is a neat little murder mystery/comedy with noted Shakespearean actress Constance Collier absolutely delightful while making her sound film debut. She plays a rich recluse who hadn't left her apartment for twenty years, but does so when her nephew (Ricardo Cortez) and his actress fiancée (Virginia Bruce) are prime suspects in the murder of Bradley Page, with whom Cortez had fought earlier. Collier didn't like the the idea of Cortez marrying a penniless actress, but changes her mind after she meets Bruce, and sets about to solve the murder by setting a trap for the murderer. I loved the banter between Collier and twinkle-eyed Edward Brophy, playing the detective in charge of the investigation. Their comedy and that of her butler, Ivan Simpson had me chuckling throughout. Also a plus in the film were the presence of Betty Furness and Isabel Jewell, both looking young and beautiful. And I felt good about being able to guess who the murderer was from the clues given. The film is worth seeing, especially for murder mystery buffs.

I noticed one problem with the credits: Bradley Page's onscreen name is spelled "Haworth," but when his murder is reported in the newspaper, it is spelled "Hayworth," which is the way it always was pronounced.