It began as a story by Earl Derr Biggers who created Charlie Chan. It was then turned into a play by George M Cohan. It has been the source of at least 8 official movie versions with 3 silent, 4 sound and one for TV. I've seen all of the sound versions and all are fun on one level or another and all are worth taking the time to see if you see them.
The plot is now so incredibly worn out as to be beyond cliche: a writer makes a bet that he can write a novel in 24 hours, so he goes to Baldplate manor, which is empty. The writer is told he has the only key, the trouble is that people keep showing up, all claiming to have the only key.
The first sound version was in 1929 and starred Richard Dix. At times it resembles a filmed stage play with the camera never seeming to show "the fourth wall" and a set that doesn't feel real. Allowing for that this is probably the best version of the story that I've seen. At no point did I forget I knew the story, however the performances are such that it's clear that everyone is having a good time. This version is also in love with the language and its filled with lots of great dialog that keeps things moving even if the play is stage bound. Best of all the film keeps the set up of the story- the writer and his publisher making the bet that sets everything in motion since it draws us into the action better then our just being dropped into the action, which is what happens in the next two versions.
The next two versions, one from 1935 and the other in 1947 are very close to being the same movie. Watching the 1935 version several years after I saw the 1947 version I was hard pressed to remember if I was seeing the wrong version of the film. The visual style is similar with the events set in a huge old dark inn. Both versions are also wildly jokey to the point of distraction.
The 1935 version would probably be the better of the middle sound versions of the story except that Gene Raymond who plays the writer is way too knowing. He walks through the events with a smirk on his face as if he is aware of what is going on complete wrecking any notion of danger. Frankly if Raymond had played it straight this might have been one of the great old dark house mysteries of the the 1930's. Now its just an okay little mystery.
The 1947 is a good version but it suffers from too much humor. Yes, the source story is full of humor, the story being one of the ones that started the comedy mystery genre, but here everything is a bit too jokey. Sure its fun and enjoyable but it kind of just misses being great because the filmmakers were being a tad to jokey in what they were doing. You never feel the danger that should be lurking in the shadows.
The most recent official version of the story is probably the weakest. Peter Walkers House of the Long Shadows (1983) is an updating of story.Here Desi Arnez Jr is the writer who goes to an old dark house to write a novel in 24 hours. The film is a workman like exercise that is under cut by a weak lead actor (sorry Desi) and the fact that the color photography never really paints the mood the way it should. The film just sort of is there. The film's only real claim to fame is the supporting cast Vincent Price, John Carradine, Christopher Lee and Peter Cushing all together for the only time on screen. Its more a gimmick then anything with most of the performances little more than fleeting cameos. However if you're a fan of actors any time on screen is worth a look.
As I said should you run across any versions of this classic story and its a dark and stormy night you may want to consider curling up on the couch and giving them a go.
There was a great Jack Benny parody of the movie done on his show. That's the only version I know!
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