West finds himself invited to the aptly-named Bleak Island owned by a single wealthy family, who, with some servants, are the island's sole occupants. A howling (which West first attributes to a hound, but is told there are no pets) attributed to a local monster (but which is no such thing, of course) is heard by West and later at dinner. Beverly Garland, in a rare icy role, is quite incisive as Celia Rydell, the cold and domineering sister of the man (Joseph Bleak) whose will is to be read.
Estimable veteran British thespian John Williams -- who played Chief Inspector Hubbard, the Scotland Yard detective who figures out the truth and tricks Ray Milland's character into revealing himself as the would-be wife killer in Dial M for Murder (1954) -- appears as Sir Nigel Scott, another Scotland Yard detective role, who is an acquaintance of West, having worked on a case in London together some five years earlier. The two had no idea the other would be on the island.
They investigate the mysteries and murders. Jana Taylor and Mark Chambers play Celia's attractive ward and handsome artist nephew, Alicia Crane and Mark Chambers, who are, of course, secretly in love.
The hound (which turns out to be real, in an ironic twist, but only relatively recently arrived), the creepy but luxurious mansion, and the remote island accessible to the mainland only by boat, are tropes in homage to "Ten Little Indians" and "The Hound of the Baskervilles", but there the convoluted similarities end. Some big surprises await West and the audience as well as the usual finale in which West ultimately prevails.
Estimable veteran British thespian John Williams -- who played Chief Inspector Hubbard, the Scotland Yard detective who figures out the truth and tricks Ray Milland's character into revealing himself as the would-be wife killer in Dial M for Murder (1954) -- appears as Sir Nigel Scott, another Scotland Yard detective role, who is an acquaintance of West, having worked on a case in London together some five years earlier. The two had no idea the other would be on the island.
They investigate the mysteries and murders. Jana Taylor and Mark Chambers play Celia's attractive ward and handsome artist nephew, Alicia Crane and Mark Chambers, who are, of course, secretly in love.
The hound (which turns out to be real, in an ironic twist, but only relatively recently arrived), the creepy but luxurious mansion, and the remote island accessible to the mainland only by boat, are tropes in homage to "Ten Little Indians" and "The Hound of the Baskervilles", but there the convoluted similarities end. Some big surprises await West and the audience as well as the usual finale in which West ultimately prevails.