User Reviews

Two friends are returning from the south seas. One comes from a rich family that he ran away from, the other is a self made man. When the boat they are returning on catches fire and explodes The rich man is injured. He sends his friend in his stead to investigate the matters surrounding his fathers death. Trouble ensues as the murderers don't like be investigated and love blooms where it shouldn't.

Solid B thriller is less a mystery then a crime drama since we pretty much know at the outset who the bad guys are, our hero just needs to get the proof. For the most parts things are well done, with only a few odd twists and turns in the plot (I'm not a fan of the ending) to lessen the proceedings. Over all the film is worth seeing especially if you're a fan of the 1930's mysteries.

First, the beefs: The title gives half the plot away before the movie has even started, and the plot itself doesn't make a great deal of sense since Onslow Stevens doesn't look a bit like James Bush. The peephole in the room moves from the left to right, or are we to suppose there are actually two peepholes in this house of danger? And the house itself doesn't look atmospherically dangerous at all. Onslow Stevens makes a dull hero. He and most of the male players lack charisma, though Desmond Roberts give his two-faced butler a good try. Now for the good marks in the ledger: Fortunately, although they have much less screen time, the women way outclass the men. Charismatic, super-beautiful Janet Chandler is absolutely outstanding as the heroine. Her acting career, alas, would soon come to an end when she was injured on the set of the Richard Talmadge thriller, Now Or Never (1935), and she was forced to retire. Nina Guilbert is likewise absolutely convincing as Aunt Lydia. Despite the use of some very obvious library footage, director Charles Hutchison – as might be expected – rises to the occasion in the action sequences. Available on an excellent Grapevine DVD.

I was pleasantly surprised as well. I find a lot of these early film mysteries are very confusing and have everything in them but the kitchen sink. This was interesting and quite plausible in it's explanation of things. Onslow Stevens was a very good leading man.

Don Phillips (Onslow Phillips) is asked by his injured friend Ralph (James Bush) to impersonate him so he can investigate the death of his father. The pair have been away for years in the South Seas so the impersonation is not that far fetched.

Don arrives at the stately home to find the butler, Gordon, running things, along with Martin, Ralph's cousin. Don is caught out by the lawyer and he then confesses he is not Ralph and, with the help of Mr. Weatherby, Don tries to solve the mystery. He also finds he is falling in love with Sylvia (Janet Chandler) - Ralph's fiancée. When Don gets a telegram telling him to expect "Don Phillips" he goes to the city to check on Gordon's references from his former employers. "Don Phillips" arrives at the house - he is the real Ralph.

Don finds out that Gordon has a criminal record and that he was hired by Martin to kill Ralph's father. Gordon and Martin then plan to kill "Ralph" (they still haven't figured out the switch) and make it look like suicide because he is still brooding over his father's death (they think). Of course it doesn't come off and they are both killed in a car wreck trying to escape.

John Indrisano, who played Martin, had a very interesting career - initially a successful boxer (1924 - 1934), he then juggled acting with being a boxing referee and in the 1950s he worked as a stunt man. He also had a long standing relationship with Mae West.

Recommended.

A man Don Phillips goes in place of ship wrecked friend Ralph Nelson to the United States from the South Seas in order to safeguard the friend's inheritance after the death of Ralph's father. Don as Ralph discovers the father's death was questionable and also starts to fall for his friend's long intended bride to be Sylvia. Later the real Ralph turns up.

It's a good film with Don trying to be someone he is not and the complications that ensue. Subtle use is made of mirrors as a recurring image to emphasise duality. Apart from the rather convenient ending it's an engrossing film. Onslow Stevens as Don Phillips gives a good leading performance and is well supported by the rest of the cast, particularly Janet Chandler as the beautiful Sylvia. It's mostly filmed in a one house setting with a generally static camera but the story telling makes up the pace.