With Easter coming up,I began looking for a film I could watch with my dad during the holiday. Checking the sales page of a DVD seller, I spotted a title, which from the details, sounded like it would be a crime, to miss a viewing of.

View on the film:

Clocking on to a playful intermission dissolving the faces of the suspects to the sound of a timer as the audience are invited to guess, director William Beaudine & Merrily We Go to Hell (1932-also reviewed) cinematographer David Abel brew a mysterious Pre-Code atmosphere of stylish long panning shots across the Brandt household towards the shimmering dress of Freda,which melts to stage-bound style wide-shots, as the murderer lurks in the shadows, waiting for the perfect time to make their next move.

Whilst the roots of the project remain visible, the screenplay by Florence Ryerson and Brian Marlow adapt Walter Maria Espe's play into a nifty crime mystery, via Dr. Emil's fears of his hypnotism skills setting off a chain reaction, resulting in a pre-crime interrogation, as Emil's requests the police help stop the crime from taking place.

Giving the viewer a minute to solve the case, the writers display a real sense of fairness, by placing each clue clearly on the table, until the murderer takes the gloves off, to reveal their motive.

Rushing to the cops to request help to stop him committing a crime, Jean Hersholt gives a wonderful performance as Emil, whose fear over his hypnotism leading to grave events is used by Hersholt to weigh down on Emil's shoulders, while alluring Wynne Gibson plays on the ambiguity of Freda always being on the look out for $$ signs, as the crime of the century is committed.