Seven Keys to Baldpate (1947)

Writer Kenneth Magee has bet that he can finish a story at rural resort Baldpate Inn, now closed for the winter. The owner has given him the "only" key to the front door. But there are six ... See full summary »

Director:

Lew Landers

Writers:

Lee Loeb (screenplay), Earl Derr Biggers (novel),

Stars:

Phillip Terry, Jacqueline White, Eduardo Ciannelli

Cast

Complete credited cast:
Phillip Terry	...	Kenneth Magee
Jacqueline White	...	Mary Jordan
Eduardo Ciannelli	...	Cargan
Margaret Lindsay	...	Connie Lane
Arthur Shields	...	Prof. Bolton
Jimmy Conlin	...	Pete the Hermit
Tony Barrett	...	Max Rogers
Tom Keene	...	Steve Bland (as Richard Powers)
Jason Robards Sr.	...	Hayden (as Jason Robards)

Storyline

Writer Kenneth Magee has bet that he can finish a story at rural resort Baldpate Inn, now closed for the winter. The owner has given him the "only" key to the front door. But there are six other keys, and peculiar characters, some of them up to no good, keep turning up as the mystery deepens.

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Plot Keywords:

number 7 in title | based on play | based on novel | number in title

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Taglines:

Mystery writer and blonde... too scared to kiss... in mansion of fear!

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Genres:

Mystery | Thriller

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Certificate:

Approved

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

5 June 1947 (USA)

Also Known As:

De 7 nycklarnas gåta

Company Credits

Production Co:

RKO Radio Pictures

Technical Specs

Runtime:

64 min

Sound Mix:

Mono (RCA Sound System)

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Boris Karloff was originally to star in this film as part of a three picture deal with RKO. He was released from his obligation to appear in the film in an agreement dated 11/5/46. The agreement gave no specific reason, stating only that he did "not desire to appear in" the film.

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Goofs

When Magee and Jordan discover the body in the secret passageway, the shadows on the wall are not right for the light source they are using.

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Connections

Version of Seven Keys to Baldpate (1925)

User Reviews

Great setup...loses momentum.

It was about 2AM in the morning and I was watching late night TV, flicking aimlessly. Then I stumbled across the 1947 mystery/thriller Seven Keys to Baldpate. I was dead tired and expected to lose interest within a minute and doze off, but there was something about the setup to this film that was simply absorbing cinema, waking me up as if it was 2 pm in the afternoon. Granted it loses momentum half way through, tailing off considerably towards the end, perhaps due to not fleshing out the premise, which essentially is seven strangers mysteriously brought together in a dark, creaky old Mansion one stormy night. But the mood it creates in it's first half hour is 30 minutes of mystery/thriller cinema I rank as high as any in the genre. Perhaps it was the films ambiance, the darkness, the balance on interior and exterior, the set, the storm, the random characters appearing from no where, the less is more mentality which is so essential in setting up a mystery/thriller film. All those elements created mood that was so cinematic it took me from the depressing late night channel flicking into the mysterious happenings of the Baldpate mansion. I was mesmerized at one point, moving in close to the TV, hanging off each characters every word, wanting to know why. The why you find out later, and it doesn't live up, but I give the film 6/10, because the feeling of wanting to know more in the first 30 minutes was so engaging, they could've faded to black and never fade back in...still I would give it 6/10.