''Murder on the Campus'' is a 1933 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 ...

mystery film A mystery film is a genre of film that revolves around the solution of a problem or a crime. It focuses on the efforts of the detective, private investigator or amateur Detective, sleuth to solve the mysterious circumstances of an issue by means ...

directed by

Richard Thorpe Richard Thorpe (born Rollo Smolt Thorpe; February 24, 1896 – May 1, 1991) was an American film director best known for his long career at Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer. Biography Born Rollo Smolt Thorpe in Hutchinson, Kansas, Richard Thorpe began his en ...

. The film is also known as ''On the Stroke of Nine'' in the

United Kingdom The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom (UK) or Britain, is a country in Europe, off the north-western coast of the continental mainland. It comprises England, Scotland, Wales and North ...

. It is based on the novel ''The Campanile Murders'', by Whitman Chambers ( Appleton, 1933).

Plot

Reporter Bill Bartlett is researching a piece on students, but soon finds himself investigating a murder. He hears a gunshot coming from a college bell tower, and finds himself a murder suspect when police captain Ed Kyne discovers him at the scene of the crime. Bartlett also finds himself in love with one of the chief suspects, Lillian Voyne, and is designated to cover the story as a reporter. After two more men are killed, Bartlett enlists the help of C. Edson Hawley, respected college professor and amateur detective.

Cast

Charles Starrett Charles Robert Starrett (March 28, 1903 – March 22, 1986) was an American actor, best known for his starring role in the ''Durango Kid'' westerns. Starrett still holds the record for starring in the longest series of theatrical features: ...

as Bill Bartlett *

Shirley Grey Shirley Grey (born Agnes Zetterstrand; April 11, 1902 – August 12, 1981) was an American actress. She appeared in more than 40 films between 1930 and 1935. Biography Born in Naugatuck, Connecticut, Grey was the daughter of E. A Zetterstr ...

as Lillian Voyne *

J. Farrell MacDonald John Farrell MacDonald (June 6, 1875 – August 2, 1952) was an American character actor and director. He played supporting roles and occasional leads. He appeared in over 325 films over a four-decade career from 1911 to 1951, and directed fort ...

as Police Capt. Ed Kyne * Ruth Hall as Ann Michaels *

Dewey Robinson Dewey Robinson (August 17, 1898 – December 11, 1950) was an American film character actor who appeared in more than 250 films made between 1931 and 1952. Career Dewey Robinson was born in New Haven, Connecticut, in 1898, and made his B ...

as Detective Sgt. Charlie Lorrimer *

Maurice Black Maurice Black (January 14, 1891 – January 18, 1938) was an American character actor known for his portrayal of mobsters. He appeared in more than 100 films from 1928 to 1938, when he died of pneumonia, four days after his 47th birthday. ...

as Blackie Atwater *

Edward Van Sloan Edward Van Sloan (born Edward Paul Van Sloun; November 1, 1882 – March 6, 1964) was an American character actor best remembered for his roles in the Universal Studios horror films such as ''Dracula'' (1931), ''Frankenstein'' (1931), and ''Th ...

as Prof. C. Edson Hawley *

Jane Keckley Jane Keckley (September 10, 1876 – August 14, 1963) was an American actress of the silent and sound film eras. Biography Keckley was born in Charleston, South Carolina, and went to school there and in Georgia. Before she acted in films, Kec ...

as Hilda Lund

Critical reception

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 ...

'' wrote, "the plot of this tidy suspense mystery is developed neatly, with a believable solution to the murders"; and ''Shades of Grey'' wrote, "after a shakey start (with some pretty lame acting by Starrett and Grey), ''Murder on the Campus'' comes together as a fine little murder mystery."

References

External links

* * 1933 films American mystery films 1930s English-language films American black-and-white films Films about fraternities and sororities Chesterfield Pictures films 1933 mystery films Films about fratricide and sororicide Films directed by Richard Thorpe 1930s American films {{mystery-film-stub