House of Mystery (1934)

I don't have all the words right now but this film is a work of art.

Excellent but underrated film

Although I seem to have had higher expectations than I thought, the movie is super entertaining.

Worth seeing just to witness how winsome it is.

Asia, 1913: archaeologist John Prendergast (Clay Clement) is cursed after he kills a sacred monkey and absconds with a fortune in Indian national treasures and a Hindu woman, Chanda (Joyzelle Joyner). After two decades, the now wheelchair-bound Prendergast returns to the U.S. with Chanda to finally divide his wealth between the shareholders of his expedition. Inviting them to his home, he informs the investors of the fortune that awaits them, but warns them that in accepting their cut of the money they too will be cursed.An 'old dark house' thriller, House of Mystery aims for giggles as much as it does scares, but fails to deliver much of either. Prendergast's house lacks the creepy atmosphere necessary to raise goosebumps (it's far too well lit and hasn't nearly enough cobwebs or secret corridors), the instrument of death is a silly gorilla (unconvincingly played by a man in a crap ape costume), the attempts at frivolity are more irritating than amusing, and most of the characters are so obnoxious you'll be longing for them to fall foul of the curse.Even at just over an hour, the film quickly outstays its welcome. 3/10.

An archaeologist (Clement) offends the Hindu spirit of Khali whilst on the Sub-Continent, then returns to England with his ill-gotten gains peddling a ruse that the fortune he's amassed is tainted by debilitating visions of apes crushing his windpipe, in an attempt to put off suspicion and the investors in his expedition who've come to collect their dues.Comedy-thriller is nothing more than a haunted house romp, with Clement starring as the charlatan John Prendergast (aka Pren), fond of the liquor and the ladies, particularly his nubile house nurse Hillie which upsets his faithful Indian servant-woman Joy. Irving Bacon is quite amusing as the detective without a clue, while Sheehan does a pretty good Groucho Marx impersonation as Scotland Yard incognito.Mild slapstick and witty dialogue couple with some innovative camera angles and dolly tracking, unusual for 1934 cinematography leave an impression, but otherwise, there's little to entertain even at barely 62 minutes brief.

Based on the play by Adam Shirk, 'House of Mystery' tells the tale of John Prendergast (Clay Clement), an archaeologist sent from his home country to seek the wisdom of the Hindu religion. While in Asia, John "accidentally" (read as "drunkenly") kills a sacred monkey at a Hindu temple and is soon exposed as a thief (in the future). His fate is then cursed, along with the fates of his descendants. Twenty years pass and the Curse of Kahli still follows him. The investors of his expedition have gathered together at his mansion to seek their share of the fortune that he earned, with the only demand being that the inheritors must remain in the old mansion long enough to claim their money. Unfortunately for all, anangry killer that may be a result of the curse is loose and out for blood.Like many "dark house" horrors of the early twentieth century, 'House of Mystery' isn't a very complicated film. While it does have a deeper background to it than similar films (many of which feature a lost couple who stumble upon a decrepit manor without much more), the overall feel and style still remains in line with the others of its subgenre. In fact, there isn't much to separate 'House of Mystery' as being very special at all. That's not totally a bad thing, however. It's just one of those decades-old films that have been mostly forgotten because, well, it's fairly forgettable.The story is entertaining enough (which is really what matters most in a film like this). I liked the backstory set in Asia and the progression to the "present" (i.e. the early 1930s). However, once it gets to the present, it loses the originality that was being built by the introduction and fades into the standard fare of this style of film. Nevertheless, it does remain quite enjoyable with a funny cast of characters and some interesting plot turns. Also, the old mansion is one of the better "dark house" settings I've seen and director William Nigh (who had an astounding 120 directorial credits to his name over his 34-year career including another "killer monkey"-themed film 'The Ape' starring Boris Karloff). Other than that, there isn't a whole lot more to say. The film comes in at a lightning-fast 62 minute runtime, making it worth the short investment for the entertainment value. Overall, fans of the "dark house" subgenre should give it a look as they'll find more enjoyment in it than others, but it's still a fun time regardless for anyone who wants to give it a go.Final Verdict: 6.5/10.-AP3-

House of Mystery (1934) ** 1/2 (out of 4) An adventurer kills a sacred monkey and soon a curse is put on him. He returns to America and his share holders want their money but before he returns it they must stay a week in his mansion where all sorts of strange things are going on. This is yet another "old dark house" film with another mystery and another deadly gorilla. As I've said countless times before, I'm really not sure why everyone of these films had to have a gorilla in it but I guess people in the 30s were terrified of them. The cast of characters are pretty varied and fun including a nerdy professor and his pushy wife. There's some light comedy thrown in that works as well but the film mainly tries to work its mystery and it does so to a nice effect. I think the screenplay is rather good and I enjoyed how they added in the curse of the monkey. The gorilla outfit doesn't look too bad but then again I might be saying this because I've seen some really bad ones out there. Clay Clement does a very good job in the lead and the supporting cast is fine.