Lively, entertaining reviews of, and essays on, old and newer films and everything relating to them, written by professional author William Schoell.

Thursday, May 21, 2009

MYSTERY LINER

MYSTERY LINER (1934) Director: William Nigh. 

A dull, flat Monogram cheapie set on an ocean liner in which a device called an "S 505" is being tested and people are either strangled or have their necks broken with ropes. Zeffie Tilbury plays a very unpleasant old lady who treats her grandson, Edgar (Jerry Stewart), the way you shouldn't treat a dog. Noah Beery is Captain Holling; Edwin Maxwell is Major Pope; and Gustav von Seyffertitz is the sinister Von Kessling with a secret. 62 minutes seems like two hours, and nothing remotely interesting ever seems to happen, despite a couple of murders. Inspired by an Edgar Wallace story that had to be immeasurably better. 

Verdict: Like watching paint dry. 1/2 *.

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