Release CalendarDVD & Blu-ray ReleasesTop 250 MoviesMost Popular MoviesBrowse Movies by GenreTop Box OfficeShowtimes & TicketsIn TheatersComing SoonMovie NewsIndia Movie Spotlight
    What's on TV & StreamingTop 250 TV ShowsMost Popular TV ShowsBrowse TV Shows by GenreTV NewsIndia TV Spotlight
    What to WatchLatest TrailersIMDb OriginalsIMDb PicksIMDb Podcasts
    OscarsBest Picture WinnersBest Picture WinnersEmmysLGBTQ+ Pride MonthSTARmeter AwardsSan Diego Comic-ConNew York Comic-ConSundance Film FestivalToronto Int'l Film FestivalAwards CentralFestival CentralAll Events
    Born TodayMost Popular CelebsMost Popular CelebsCelebrity News
    Help CenterContributor ZonePolls
For Industry Professionals
  • All
  • Titles
  • TV Episodes
  • Celebs
  • Companies
  • Keywords
  • Advanced Search
Watchlist
Sign In
  • Fully supported
  • English (United States)
    Partially supported
  • Français (Canada)
  • Français (France)
  • Deutsch (Deutschland)
  • हिंदी (भारत)
  • Italiano (Italia)
  • Português (Brasil)
  • Español (España)
  • Español (México)
  • Cast & crew
  • User reviews
  • Trivia
IMDbPro

The 9th Guest

Original title: The Ninth Guest
  • 19341934
  • PassedPassed
  • 1h 5m
IMDb RATING
6.8/10
566
YOUR RATING
Donald Cook and Genevieve Tobin in The 9th Guest (1934)
  • Drama
  • Horror
  • Mystery
Eight strangers are invited to spend the night in a penthouse apartment. After being wined and dined, a voice on the radio informs them that they will be murdered unless they manage to outwi... Read allEight strangers are invited to spend the night in a penthouse apartment. After being wined and dined, a voice on the radio informs them that they will be murdered unless they manage to outwit the ninth guest: Death.Eight strangers are invited to spend the night in a penthouse apartment. After being wined and dined, a voice on the radio informs them that they will be murdered unless they manage to outwit the ninth guest: Death.
IMDb RATING
6.8/10
566
YOUR RATING
  • Director
    • Roy William Neill
  • Writers
    • Owen Davis(from a play by)
    • Gwen Bristow(based on book by)
    • Bruce Manning(based on book by)
  • Stars
    • Donald Cook
    • Genevieve Tobin
    • Hardie Albright
Top credits
  • Director
    • Roy William Neill
  • Writers
    • Owen Davis(from a play by)
    • Gwen Bristow(based on book by)
    • Bruce Manning(based on book by)
  • Stars
    • Donald Cook
    • Genevieve Tobin
    • Hardie Albright
  • See production, box office & company info
    • 19User reviews
    • 7Critic reviews
  • See production, box office & company info
  • See more at IMDbPro
  • Photos9

    Donald Cook, Hardie Albright, Helen Flint, Samuel S. Hinds, Genevieve Tobin, and Nella Walker in The 9th Guest (1934)
    Hardie Albright, Genevieve Tobin, and Nella Walker in The 9th Guest (1934)
    Donald Cook, Hardie Albright, Edward Ellis, Helen Flint, Samuel S. Hinds, Genevieve Tobin, and Nella Walker in The 9th Guest (1934)
    Hardie Albright and Genevieve Tobin in The 9th Guest (1934)
    Hardie Albright, Helen Flint, Samuel S. Hinds, Edwin Maxwell, and Genevieve Tobin in The 9th Guest (1934)
    Donald Cook and Genevieve Tobin in The 9th Guest (1934)
    The 9th Guest (1934)
    Donald Cook and Genevieve Tobin in The 9th Guest (1934)

    Top cast

    Edit
    Donald Cook
    Donald Cook
    • Jim Daley
    Genevieve Tobin
    Genevieve Tobin
    • Jean Trent
    Hardie Albright
    Hardie Albright
    • Henry Abbott
    Edward Ellis
    Edward Ellis
    • Tim Cronin
    Edwin Maxwell
    Edwin Maxwell
    • Jason Osgood
    Vince Barnett
    Vince Barnett
    • William Jones
    • (as Vincent Barnett)
    Helen Flint
    Helen Flint
    • Sylvia Inglesby
    Samuel S. Hinds
    Samuel S. Hinds
    • Dr. Murray Reid
    • (as Samuel Hinds)
    Nella Walker
    Nella Walker
    • Margaret Chisholm
    Sidney Bracey
    Sidney Bracey
    • Hawkins, the Butler
    • (as Sidney Bracy)
    Mildred Gover
    • Jean's Maid
    • (uncredited)
    Arthur Hoyt
    Arthur Hoyt
    • Osgood's Secretary
    • (uncredited)
    Mary MacLaren
    Mary MacLaren
    • First Telegraph Office Worker
    • (uncredited)
    Billie Seward
    Billie Seward
    • Office Worker
    • (uncredited)
    Gayne Whitman
    Gayne Whitman
    • Voice of the host
    • (uncredited)
    Charles C. Wilson
    Charles C. Wilson
    • Burke
    • (uncredited)
    • Director
      • Roy William Neill
    • Writers
      • Owen Davis(from a play by)
      • Gwen Bristow(based on book by)
      • Bruce Manning(based on book by)
    • All cast & crew
    • See more cast details at IMDbPro

    More like this

    Secret of the Blue Room
    6.4
    Secret of the Blue Room
    The Black Raven
    5.5
    The Black Raven
    The Greene Murder Case
    6.4
    The Greene Murder Case
    Eyes in the Night
    6.7
    Eyes in the Night
    Reign of Terror
    6.9
    Reign of Terror
    The Frightened Lady
    6.3
    The Frightened Lady
    The Dark Hour
    5.4
    The Dark Hour
    The Man Who Wouldn't Die
    6.6
    The Man Who Wouldn't Die
    Tomorrow at Seven
    5.7
    Tomorrow at Seven
    The Vampire Bat
    5.7
    The Vampire Bat
    Green for Danger
    7.4
    Green for Danger
    The Preview Murder Mystery
    6.3
    The Preview Murder Mystery

    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      The film's source material, "The Invisible Host", was a novel by the husband and wife team of Gwen Bristow and Bruce Manning. Their whodunit was inspired by a neighbor whose raucous radio disturbed them day and night. The novel begins: "That makes thirty-seven words, said the girl. Will you read the telegram again? came the voice over the wire. She read: Congratulations stop plans afoot for small surprise party in your honor Bienville penthouse next Saturday eight o'clock stop all sub rose big surprise stop maintain secrecy stop promise you most original party ever staged in New Orleans Signed Your host." The stage version, "The Ninth Guest", was written by Owen Davis. The Broadway production opened at the Eltinge 42nd Street Theatre in New York on August 25, 1930, and ran for 72 performances. The opening night cast included Berton Churchill, William Courtleigh, Alan Dinehart Grace Kern, Frank Shannon, and Robert Vivian.
    • Goofs
      The party takes place on a Saturday night, but Osgood makes reference to a mayoral election that took place the day before (Friday), which is impossible.
    • Quotes

      First Telegraph Office Worker: [opening line] I'm sorry sir, but you can't send any swear-words in a telegram.

    • Connections
      Referenced in The Man They Could Not Hang (1939)
    • Soundtracks
      The Gospel Train is Coming
      (uncredited)

      Traditional

      Sung by Jean's maid.

    User reviews19

    Review
    Top review
    8/10
    Who is The 9th Guest?
    I'm not sure how or why I haven't seen this one before. The 9th Guest is an incredibly enjoyable discovery on my part. As any number of comments online will point out, the movie plays out much like Agatha Christie's better known And Then There Were None. Though The 9th Guest isn't a comedy, I'd be shocked to discover that this film wasn't at least a partial inspiration behind the wickedly funny Murder by Death and/or Clue.

    In the film, eight guests have been invited to a mysterious party where they are promised a memorable evening. Each guest has a closet full of skeletons and most are quite vocal in their feelings toward the other members of the party. We later learn that the titular 9th guest is "Death". The party's host makes his presence known via a radio in the main room. He promises that throughout the night, one-by-one, each member of the party will be killed. With no means of escape, who will survive the night?

    The acting in The 9th Guest is first rate. I'm not sure I was overly familiar with most of the cast, but all are outstanding. The writing is also worth noting. The dialogue is especially sharp. But I think the biggest kudos for the success of The 9th Guest have to go to director Roy William Neill (oddly credited as R. William Neill). It takes a masterful hand to wring this much atmosphere out of a film. Add to that the fact Neill does this without the usual gothic trappings I generally consider necessary to an atmospheric film. Instead of an old, dark Victorian mansion or some ancient, crumbling gothic abbey, The 9th Guest features a thoroughly modern (for its time) art deco penthouse setting I wouldn't normally associate with a film like this. The movie is only let down by how ridiculous some of the characters act when faced with death. Had they just kept a level head, more might have survived. But how fun would that have been?

    8/10
    helpful•3
    0
    • bensonmum2
    • Apr 30, 2020

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • January 31, 1934 (United States)
    • Country of origin
      • United States
    • Language
      • English
    • Also known as
      • The Ninth Guest
    • Production company
      • Columbia Pictures
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Technical specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      1 hour 5 minutes
    • Color
      • Black and White
    • Aspect ratio
      • 1.37 : 1

    Related news

    Contribute to this page

    Suggest an edit or add missing content
    Donald Cook and Genevieve Tobin in The 9th Guest (1934)
    Top Gap
    By what name was The 9th Guest (1934) officially released in Canada in English?
    Answer
    • See more gaps
    • Learn more about contributing
    Edit page

    More to explore

    View list
    List
    Editors' Picks: What to Watch Now on Netflix
    See the full list
    View list
    List
    The Best Movies Coming This Summer
    See the full list

    Recently viewed

    Please enable browser cookies to use this feature. Learn more.
    Get the IMDb App
    • Get the IMDb App
    • Help
    • Site Index
    • IMDbPro
    • Box Office Mojo
    • IMDb Developer
    • Press Room
    • Advertising
    • Jobs
    • Conditions of Use
    • Privacy Policy
    • Interest-Based Ads
    IMDb, an Amazon company

    © 1990-2022 by IMDb.com, Inc.