Murder by Television (1935)

Yawn. Poorly Filmed Snooze Fest.

I like movies that are aware of what they are selling... without [any] greater aspirations than to make people laugh and that's it.

Good films always raise compelling questions, whether the format is fiction or documentary fact.

Through painfully honest and emotional moments, the movie becomes irresistibly relatable

An inventor is killed and a boring investigation ensues. A B murder mystery starring Bela Lugosi with wooden performances from most of the cast, save for two cringeworthy turns from Hattie McDaniel and Allen Jung as stereotypical servants. It moves along at a snail's pace and struggles to maintain even a little suspense. The biggest selling point of this today is not Bela; he's very subdued in this and therefore not that interesting. The main reason to see this is for the fascinating historical elements. We get to see some early television technology and get an idea of how people viewed the concept of television back then. It's fun to watch a group of stuffy old people in tuxedos and gowns sitting around in stiff Victorian chairs to see a demonstration of this newfangled invention called television. Worth a look for Lugosi completists or anyone interested in television history.

I bought a DVD with this film on it a few days ago for a dollar.I am watching it as I am typing this.It is a fairly good film.I had no idea television was kind of well known when this film was made.When I looked at the cover I was under the impression that this film was made during Lugosi's years with Ed Wood,I was surprised to find out that it was made in 1935.To me those years were the best time of his life and career, but I now know that he did get stuck playing some pretty crummy roles in films that were somewhat below his gifts and talents.The acting in this film is a bit stiff and the dialog is corny.But it is an enjoyable film for a "B" film.

"Murder By Television" is neat little murder mystery done on a low budget with some interesting ideas.The plot centers around two competing television systems from James Houghland (Charles Hill Markes) and Dr. Henry Scofield (Huntley Gordon). Arthur Perry (Bela Lugosi) at first refuses to be Scofield's "man on the inside" with Houghland. But then he returns and is ready to accept the bribe.Houghland has arranged a demonstration of his system which is able to transmit images from the four corners of the world. During the demonstration, Houghton suddenly collapses and dies and key documents relating to the system turn up missing.Several suspects turn up and its up to Police Chief Nelson (Henry Mowbray) to sort things out. Perry is a chief suspect especially since he is observed hiding some mysterious documents. Houghland's daughter, June (June Collyer) and her boy friend are under suspicion as well, as Dr. Scofiield. When Perry turns up murdered, everything is thrown into confusion and then...................................................Although the star of this film is Lugosi, and he does OK in a demanding role, the best parts of the film are when the marvelous Hattie McDaniel as the cook and Alleng Jung as the servant are on screen. They add an welcome element of humor to the story.The sequences involving the demonstration of the television system, I found intriguing and strangely prophetic. The pictures are shown on a "big screen" TV not unlike those of today, and the transmissions from all over the world predict satellite TV transmissions of today. Very imaginative for a low budget 1935 mystery.The Charlie Chan series was very popular at this time and this little film follows many of the kind of plot elements of those films...the gathering of all suspects in one room, for example.Interesting and memorable for its depiction, whether accidental or not, of television systems almost 70 years in the future.

This movie is just bad beyond belief. The acting is horrid, while the cast is simply reciting lines with little feeling. I do wonder where they got these people. The actors just chop up the dialog like a salad. The television idea is just that, with no real sense of development in a hopeless, lifeless plot. The lack of a music track in 1935 is not uncommon, but some sort of musical score was really needed in a suspense movie of this type. I had wanted to see his movie for years. Now I can honestly say I am sorry did. As many a horror movie philosopher has said, somewhere in the middle of an endlessly dark night, "There are some things that are best left alone." This movie, sadly, is one of them. May it rest in peace.