''Mystery Liner'' is a 1934 American

Pre-Code Pre-Code Hollywood was the brief era in the Cinema of the United States, American film industry between the widespread adoption of sound in film in 1929LaSalle (2002), p. 1. and the enforcement of the Motion Picture Production Code censorshi ...

film directed by

William Nigh William Nigh (October 12, 1881 – November 27, 1955) was an American film director, writer, and actor. His film work sometimes lists him as either "Will Nigh" or "William Nye". Biography Nigh was born Emil Kreuske''Silent Film Necrology'', ...

, starring

Noah Beery, Sr. Noah Nicholas Beery (January 17, 1882 – April 1, 1946) was an American actor who appeared in films from 1913 until his death in 1946. He was the older brother of Academy Award-winning actor Wallace Beery as well as the father of prominen ...

, and based on an

Edgar Wallace Richard Horatio Edgar Wallace (1 April 1875 – 10 February 1932) was a British writer. Born into poverty as an illegitimate London child, Wallace left school at the age of 12. He joined the army at age 21 and was a war correspondent during th ...

story originally published in the ''

Saturday Evening Post ''The Saturday Evening Post'' is an American magazine, currently published six times a year. It was issued weekly under this title from 1897 until 1963, then every two weeks until 1969. From the 1920s to the 1960s, it was one of the most widely c ...

'' in 1924. The film was entered as a feature attraction at the 1934 International Exhibition of Cinematographic Art in

Venice Venice ( ; it, Venezia ; vec, Venesia or ) is a city in northeastern Italy and the capital of the Veneto Regions of Italy, region. It is built on a group of 118 small islands that are separated by canals and linked by over 400 ...

, Italy, the forerunner of the

Venice Film Festival The Venice Film Festival or Venice International Film Festival ( it, Mostra Internazionale d'Arte Cinematografica della Biennale di Venezia, "International Exhibition of Cinematographic Art of the Venice Biennale") is an annual film festival he ...

Plot

Captain Holling (Beery) is relieved of command of his ship after he suffers a nervous breakdown. His replacement, Captain Downey (Howard), takes over the liner just as it is about to be used for an experiment in remote control. Professor Grimson (Lewis) has devised a system for controlling the ship from a land-based laboratory. However, as Grimson demonstrates the system, a rival group is listening in, hoping to use the device for its own purposes.

Cast

Noah Beery Noah Nicholas Beery (January 17, 1882 – April 1, 1946) was an American actor who appeared in films from 1913 until his death in 1946. He was the older brother of Academy Award-winning actor Wallace Beery as well as the father of prominen ...

as Capt. John Holling *

Astrid Allwyn Astrid Allwyn (born Astrid Christofferson; November 27, 1905 – March 31, 1978) was an American stage and film actress. Early years Allwyn was born in South Manchester, Connecticut, part of a family that included four sisters and a brothe ...

as Lila Kane * Edwin Maxwell as Major Pope *

Gustav von Seyffertitz Gustav von Seyffertitz (4 August 1862 – 25 December 1943) was a German film actor and director. He settled in the United States. He was born in Haimhausen, Bavaria, and died in Los Angeles, California, aged 81. Biography Gustav von Seyffertit ...

as Inspector Von Kessling * Ralph Lewis as Prof. Grimson *

Cornelius Keefe Cornelius Keefe (July 13, 1900 – December 11, 1972) was an American film actor.Pitts p.297 Selected filmography * ''A Society Scandal'' (1924) * ''Those Who Judge'' (1924) * '' Lend Me Your Husband'' (1924) *'' The Law and the Lady'' (1924) * ' ...

as First Officer Cliff Rogers *

Zeffie Tilbury Zeffie Agnes Lydia Tilbury (20 November 1863 – 24 July 1950) was an English-American actress.
profile at Cinemorgue

as Granny Plimpton *Boothe Howard as Capt. Downey *

Howard C. Hickman Howard Charles Hickman (February 9, 1880 – December 31, 1949) was an American actor, director and writer. He was an accomplished stage leading man, who entered films through the auspices of producer Thomas H. Ince. Career In 1900, Hickman d ...

as Dr. Howard *

Gabby Hayes Gabby is a given name, usually a short form of Gabriel or Gabrielle or Gabriella. Gabby or Gabbie may refer to: People with the name * Gabby Chaves (born 1993), Colombian-American racing driver * Guy Gabaldon (also "Gabby"; 1926–2006), ...

as Joe, the watchman *

George Cleveland George Alan Cleveland (September 17, 1885 – July 15, 1957) was a Canadian film actor. He appeared in more than 180 films between 1930 and 1954. Career Cleveland was born in Sydney, Nova Scotia, Canada. His first appearance on the stag ...

as Simms the Steward

Critical reception

Leonard Maltin Leonard Michael Maltin (born December 18, 1950) is an American film critic and film historian, as well as an author of several mainstream books on cinema, focusing on nostalgic, celebratory narratives. He is perhaps best known for his book of fil ...

called the film an "intriguing but slow-paced B-picture" ; while

Allmovie AllMovie (previously All Movie Guide) is an online database with information about films, television programs, and screen actors. , AllMovie.com and the AllMovie consumer brand are owned by RhythmOne. History AllMovie was founded by popular-cult ...

called it "a rather nifty little science fiction-thriller/murder mystery from Poverty Row company Monogram ... Typical low-budget fare, Mystery Liner is nevertheless well photographed by

Archie Stout Archibald Job Stout (March 30, 1886 – March 10, 1973), ASC was an American cinematographer whose career spanned from 1914 to 1954. He enjoyed a long and fruitful association with John Ford, working as the principal cinematographer on '' Fort ...

and for the most part capably acted" ; and ''

TV Guide TV Guide is an American digital media company that provides television program Television, sometimes shortened to TV, is a telecommunication medium for transmitting moving images and sound. The term can refer to a television set, or t ...

'' noted "a fine example of a well-made thriller created on the programmer assembly line...Veteran director

does a typically professional job with the few resources at his disposal and cinematographer Archie Stout (who would eventually win an Oscar for his work on

John Ford John Martin Feeney (February 1, 1894 – August 31, 1973), known professionally as John Ford, was an American film director and naval officer. He is widely regarded as one of the most important and influential filmmakers of his generation. He ...

's ''

The Quiet Man ''The Quiet Man'' is a 1952 American romantic comedy-drama film directed by John Ford. It stars John Wayne, Maureen O'Hara, Barry Fitzgerald, Ward Bond and Victor McLaglen. The screenplay by Frank S. Nugent was based on a 1933 '' Saturday ...

'', 1952) contributes some exceptional camerawork."

References

External links

* * * * 1934 films American mystery films 1934 adventure films American black-and-white films Films based on short fiction Films based on works by Edgar Wallace Films directed by William Nigh Monogram Pictures films Seafaring films Articles containing video clips American adventure films 1930s mystery films Films set on ships 1930s English-language films 1930s American films {{mystery-film-stub

Plot

Cast

Critical reception

See also

References

External links