Mystery House (1938)

Banker Hubert Kingery invites fellow officers to his hunting lodge only to announce that one of them has forged critical company documents. Later, he is found shot to death, apparently at ... See full summary »

Director:

Noel M. Smith

Writers:

Sherman L. Lowe (screen play), Robertson White (screen play),

Stars:

Dick Purcell, Ann Sheridan, Anne Nagel

Cast

Complete credited cast:
Dick Purcell	...	Lance O'Leary
Ann Sheridan	...	Sarah Keate
Anne Nagel	...	Gwen Kingery
William Hopper	...	Lal Killian
Anthony Averill	...	Julian Barre
Dennie Moore	...	Annette
Hugh O'Connell	...	Newell Morse
Ben Welden	...	Gerald Frawley
Sheila Bromley	...	Terice Von Elm
Elspeth Dudgeon	...	Aunt Lucy Kingery
Anderson Lawler	...	Joe Page (as Anderson Lawlor)
Trevor Bardette	...	Bruker

Storyline

Banker Hubert Kingery invites fellow officers to his hunting lodge only to announce that one of them has forged critical company documents. Later, he is found shot to death, apparently at his own hand. His daughter, Gwen, is the only one who does not believe it was suicide. She asks help from aunt's nurse, Sarah, who suggests her detective boyfriend, Lance, for the task. When he arrives, he's not sure the death was not a suicide after all. But as he investigates the few available clues, he tries to sort fact from fallacy.

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Plot Keywords:

suicide | hunting | detective | nurse | cigarette smoking | 

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Taglines:

Spend a thrilling evening in WARNER BROTHERS' 'MYSTERY HOUSE' (original poster)

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Genres:

Adventure | Crime | Mystery

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Certificate:

Approved

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

21 May 1938 (USA)

Also Known As:

A Chave do Mistério

Filming Locations:

Warner Brothers Burbank Studios - 4000 Warner Boulevard, Burbank, California, USA

Company Credits

Production Co:

Warner Bros

Technical Specs

Runtime:

56 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

John Harron was in studio records/casting call lists playing "Director" but he was not seen in the movie.

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Connections

Follows The Patient in Room 18 (1938)

User Reviews

Another Locked Room Dilemma

All things considered Mystery House is not a bad product coming out of Warner Brothers B picture unit. It's another one of those classic shootings in a locked room, where the verdict can be nothing else, but suicide. Or can it?

The members of the board of directors of a company are gathered on a retreat where the president confronts them with his suspicion that one of them is guilty of embezzlement. He's found shot to death in a locked room, but the man's daughter can't believe it wasn't murder so she hires a private detective and invites the whole lot of them back to the retreat where the crime occurred.

Two murders later and we have an answer. No hints at all as to who and how, but I will say the weapon is in plain sight.

Ann Sheridan and Dick Purcell are our leads and television fans will spot a future detective in William Hopper who played Paul Drake on the Perry Mason series.

Back in 1938 when it ran as the second feature of a double bill, I don't think too many people left their seats.