Paramount seemed to have the edge on eerie little thrillers of the early thirties ("Murder by the Clock" (1931), "Murders at the Zoo" (1933)). Because the studio was very proud of it's programmers, you often found the same cast members turning up in both As and Bs (John Halliday, Charlie Ruggles). John Halliday was an actor I had never heard of a couple of years ago - now his name conjures up to me, a cool, calm and collected gentleman, who was perfectly at home either side of the law - sort of like Warren William.
The story starts with the discovery of an ocean liner drifting aimlessly in the water. The skipper (Stanley Fields) of a passing freight sends a man aboard to investigate. When after an hour he hasn't returned, the rest of the crew go aboard only to discover his body - along with all the rest!!! When a radiogram is discovered, the mystery is explained via flashback.
Maximillian Kreig (John Halliday) receives a radiogram telling him that his financial empire is wiped out and he will face embezzlement charges when he lands. He then blithely tells the young radio operator (William Janney) his plans - to kill all the crew, scuttle the boat and live out the rest of his days on a desert island. Before the R.O. can grasp the enormity of the plan, he is shot by Kreig, who tries to make it look like a suicide, then takes the suspicion off himself by explaining why it must be murder!!! From then on the killing starts - and all in ingenious ways!!
Lili Kingston (Shirley Grey) has promised to marry Kreig, although she still pines for James Cowles (Neil Hamilton). Kreig gathers all the guests in his cabin to get to the bottom of the murder. He throws suspicion on Morton Hazlitt, who then realises that his wife, Millicent, (Veree Teasdale) is in love with Latin piano player, Gregory Cordoff (Jack LaRue). When Kreig tells Cordoff of Hazlitt's violence and when Cordoff then comes across Hazlitt beating his wife, he kills him with an ice pick!!! All is going according to Kreig's plan.
Not everything.... suddenly in the middle of the ocean they find a stranded airman and take him on board - it is Cowles. Meanwhile, Millicent begs Kreig to have mercy on Cordoff but Kreig is unmoved and she finds herself in the deep freeze!!! Next on the list is the cook (Paul Porcasi) - Kreig brings him to the dining table to complain about the soup, the cook tastes it and falls down dead - poisoned!! Next is the maid, who smells a rat - she meets a watery grave. Kreig then visits Cordoff and after a "friendly" chat, Cordoff commits suicide!!! By the end, the only people left are Lili, James and of course Blackie, the Steward. I won't say what happens to Kreig but it is definitely in keeping with the film's "bizarre death" count.
I actually liked Max - the debonair, calm and ingenious way he disposed of almost the entire boat load of people - you had to admire him. The only problem was Charlie Ruggles, who really slowed down the film with his unique brand of comedy. He was top billed but was given too much screen time. With Ruggles reduced to a supporting player, the film would have been even more suspenseful. Leila Bennett is pretty hard to take as well. She plays the dithering maid. She spent the early thirties playing domestic servants of the most annoying kind - she even played one in black face!!! It is almost a relief when Kreig throws her over- board.
Highly Recommended.
The story starts with the discovery of an ocean liner drifting aimlessly in the water. The skipper (Stanley Fields) of a passing freight sends a man aboard to investigate. When after an hour he hasn't returned, the rest of the crew go aboard only to discover his body - along with all the rest!!! When a radiogram is discovered, the mystery is explained via flashback.
Maximillian Kreig (John Halliday) receives a radiogram telling him that his financial empire is wiped out and he will face embezzlement charges when he lands. He then blithely tells the young radio operator (William Janney) his plans - to kill all the crew, scuttle the boat and live out the rest of his days on a desert island. Before the R.O. can grasp the enormity of the plan, he is shot by Kreig, who tries to make it look like a suicide, then takes the suspicion off himself by explaining why it must be murder!!! From then on the killing starts - and all in ingenious ways!!
Lili Kingston (Shirley Grey) has promised to marry Kreig, although she still pines for James Cowles (Neil Hamilton). Kreig gathers all the guests in his cabin to get to the bottom of the murder. He throws suspicion on Morton Hazlitt, who then realises that his wife, Millicent, (Veree Teasdale) is in love with Latin piano player, Gregory Cordoff (Jack LaRue). When Kreig tells Cordoff of Hazlitt's violence and when Cordoff then comes across Hazlitt beating his wife, he kills him with an ice pick!!! All is going according to Kreig's plan.
Not everything.... suddenly in the middle of the ocean they find a stranded airman and take him on board - it is Cowles. Meanwhile, Millicent begs Kreig to have mercy on Cordoff but Kreig is unmoved and she finds herself in the deep freeze!!! Next on the list is the cook (Paul Porcasi) - Kreig brings him to the dining table to complain about the soup, the cook tastes it and falls down dead - poisoned!! Next is the maid, who smells a rat - she meets a watery grave. Kreig then visits Cordoff and after a "friendly" chat, Cordoff commits suicide!!! By the end, the only people left are Lili, James and of course Blackie, the Steward. I won't say what happens to Kreig but it is definitely in keeping with the film's "bizarre death" count.
I actually liked Max - the debonair, calm and ingenious way he disposed of almost the entire boat load of people - you had to admire him. The only problem was Charlie Ruggles, who really slowed down the film with his unique brand of comedy. He was top billed but was given too much screen time. With Ruggles reduced to a supporting player, the film would have been even more suspenseful. Leila Bennett is pretty hard to take as well. She plays the dithering maid. She spent the early thirties playing domestic servants of the most annoying kind - she even played one in black face!!! It is almost a relief when Kreig throws her over- board.
Highly Recommended.