The House of Secrets (1936)

Two men stumble into an old mansion, and get involved with a crazed scientist, torture chambers and sinister medical experiments.

Director:

Roland D. Reed

Writers:

Sydney Horler (from the play and novel by), John W. Krafft (screenplay)

Stars:

Leslie Fenton, Muriel Evans, Noel Madison

Cast

Cast overview:
Leslie Fenton	...	Barry Wilding
Muriel Evans	...	Julie Kenmore
Noel Madison	...	Dan Wharton
Sidney Blackmer	...	Tom Starr
Morgan Wallace	...	Dr. Kenmore
Holmes Herbert	...	Sir Bertram Evans - Home Secretary
Ian Maclaren	...	Commissioner Cross
Jameson Thomas	...	Coventry
Syd Saylor	...	Ed
Matty Fain	...	Jumpy
George Rosener	...	Hector Munson

Storyline

Globe-trotter Barry Wilding (Leslie Fenton) intercedes when a man annoys Julie Kenmore (Muriel Evans) on a ship crossing the English Channel, but she refuses to tell him her name or address. Barry determines to find her in London, but he is summoned to a lawyer's office and informed that he has inherited "The Hawk's Nest", a large estate outside London. He has to sign a declaration that he will never sell the property. He arrives there and is roughly put off his own property be trespassers who have taken up residence. Despite offers to buy the estate and warnings to get out of England, Barry refuses to do either. Julie appears and tells Barry she is living at "The Hawk's Nest" and he must allow her and her father, Dr. Kenmore (Morgan Wallace), to continue to live there for at least six months, and he can not visit her there. But Barry continues to try to solve the mystery that surrounds his inheritance even after being attacked by three American gangsters. Barry tries to enlist the ...

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Plot Keywords:

property | estate | father | scotland yard | warning | 

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Taglines:

A guest at the "The House of Secrets"...an adventurer finds plenty of excitement when Death plays host.

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Genres:

Mystery

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Certificate:

Approved

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

28 October 1936 (USA)

Filming Locations:

RKO Studios - 780 Gower Street, Hollywood, Los Angeles, California, USA

Company Credits

Production Co:

Chesterfield Motion Pictures Corporation (I)

Technical Specs

Runtime:

70 min

Sound Mix:

Mono Mono (RCA Victor High Fidelity System)

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Did You Know?

Quotes

Sir Bertram Evans - Home Secretary: I think, sir, you have said entirely too much.
Tom Starr: You're right. From now on I intend doing something.

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Connections

Remake of The House of Secrets (1929)

User Reviews

A Thirties Second Feature That Makes It to "B+"

"House of Secrets" was a second feature when it came out before World War II. Directed by Roland D. Reed, whose major career in film was as an editor and a producer, this is a mystery with many unnecessarily improbable twists Good acting and occasional crisp dialog make the movie enjoyable.

Leslie Fenton, who made a lot of forgettable and forgotten flicks, is Barry, an American who on the channel ferry to Dover rescues very pretty Julie, Muriel Evans, from the clutches of a cad. A violent one at that. Instantly smitten, he defers returning to the states so as to find Julie in London. Despite being rescued by this gallant, she refused to give him her name, address or measurements.

Fortuitously, Barry is called to a solicitor's office where he is told that an unknown and eccentric uncle bequeathed an ancient manor house to him. But on arriving to take possession he's driven off by dogs, the butler and a gun-wielding older guy. Coincidence of coincidences, Julie is residing at this manor. Only happens in the movies.

What follows is a combination of typical thirties crime genre topped by a mysterious house, possible mad doctor caper. Always the gentleman, Barry pursues Julie who endlessly tells him to stay away from HIS house. Scotland Yard and even the Home Secretary is entangled in the story as Barry remains passionately persistent in trying to see Julie at HIS house from which he's repeatedly barred.

Not the most convincing of plots but some nice lines - including a back and forth between Barry and his solicitor as they attempt to translate Anglo-American slang for each other to facilitate understanding.

Yep, it's a "B+." Alpha has this super bargain DVD out as part of its very large release of old, pre-war flicks (I paid $4.99).

So try and catch it.

6/10.