''Seven Keys to Baldpate'' is a 1947 American

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

Lew Landers Lew Landers (born Louis Friedlander, January 2, 1901 – December 16, 1962) was an American independent film and television director. Biography Born as Louis Friedlander in New York City, Lew Landers began his movie career as an actor. In 1914, ...

and starring

Phillip Terry Phillip Terry (born Frederick Henry Kormann, March 7, 1909 – February 23, 1993) was an American actor. Early years Terry was born in San Francisco, California, the only child of German Americans, Frederick Andrew Kormann and Ida Ruth Voll. Hi ...

Jacqueline White Jacqueline Jane White (born November 23, 1922) is an American former actress, who had a brief career in Hollywood motion pictures during the 1940s and early-1950s working as a contract player at both studios MGM and RKO, and perhaps best remem ...

and

Eduardo Ciannelli Eduardo Ciannelli (30 August 1888 – 8 October 1969), was an Italian baritone and character actor with a long career in American films, mostly playing gangsters and criminals. He was sometimes credited as Edward Ciannelli. Early life Ciannelli ...

. It is the sixth film based on the popular 1913

play of the same name Play most commonly refers to: * Play (activity), an activity done for enjoyment * Play (theatre), a work of drama Play may refer also to: Computers and technology * Google Play, a digital content service * Play Framework, a Java framework * Pla ...

Plot

While the Baldpate Inn is closed for the winter, mystery writer Kenneth Magee makes a $5,000 bet with its owner that he can spend one night there and write a story. He starts the work while on the train there, but a stranger named Mary Jordan manages to steal the typed pages. At the station she tries to warn him not to go there, but he does. Believing he has the only key, he is surprised to find Cargan, who says he is the caretaker and was not expecting him. There is no electricity, but Kenneth is willing to work by an oil lamp and firelight. Then Mary turns up at the inn and the weather is bad enough that she is given a room as well. Kenneth again starts writing his story, ''A Key to Baldpate''. But then other people also begin arriving, and behaving suspiciously. Also, an innocent-looking old man slips in by a window and explains that he is a local

hermit A hermit, also known as an eremite (adjectival form: hermitic or eremitic) or solitary, is a person who lives in seclusion. Eremitism plays a role in a variety of religions. Description In Christianity, the term was originally applied to a Ch ...

who was curious about the lamplight in the closed inn. Mary is in fact the owner's secretary, and is there to distract Kenneth to keep him from winning the bet. Kenneth learns this when he overhears her making a phone call, but assumes that all the other people are also part of the plot to distract him, which they are not. In fact, except for the hermit, they are part of a criminal gang. Eventually it becomes clear that they were to be paid $200,000 to steal a fortune in jewels from a supposed victim, who would get the jewels back and file a fraudulent insurance claim. Meanwhile, Kenneth restarts his story with the new title ''Three Keys to Baldpate''—and, later, ''Five Keys to Baldpate''. More of the gang arrive, and with both the jewels and the money on the inn's premises, they try to seize any opportunity to double-cross each other. When Mary tries to call the police, Cargan slips outside and cuts the telephone wire. She tries to tell Kenneth that the men are criminals, but he still assumes this is all part of the plan to distract him—until they stumble across the murdered body of one of the gang. Then they try to get away, but are unable to get past Cargan and his men. Eventually the hermit manages to go for the police, who do not entirely believe him. At the inn, they try to determine who is telling the truth; Kenneth must stall for time as Cargan holds Mary at gunpoint in an adjacent room. Eventually he manages to lead the police to the dead body and the crooks are soon arrested. But Kenneth still has to win the bet. He returns to his room and starts the story again, typing the new title ''Seven Keys to Baldpate''—whereupon Mary kisses him warmly, and he turns back to the typewriter and immediately types "THE END".

Cast

as Kenneth Magee *

as Mary Jordan *

as Cargan *

Margaret Lindsay Margaret Lindsay (born Margaret Kies; September 19, 1910 – May 9, 1981) was an American film actress. Her time as a Warner Bros. contract player during the 1930s was particularly productive. She was noted for her supporting work in successf ...

as Connie Lane *

Arthur Shields Arthur Shields (15 February 1896 – 27 April 1970) was an Irish actor on television, stage and film. Early years Born into an Irish Protestant family in Portobello, Dublin, Shields started acting in the Abbey Theatre when he was 17 years old. ...

as Professor Bolton *

Jimmy Conlin Jimmy Conlin (October 14, 1884 – May 7, 1962) was an American character actor who appeared in almost 150 films in his 32-year career. Career Conlin was born in Camden, New Jersey in 1884, and his acting career started out in vaudeville, ...

as Pete, the hermit *

Tony Barrett Tony Barrett (born Martin Lefkowitz; May 24, 1916 – November 16, 1974) was an American actor, writer, and producer. He was born on May 24, 1916 New York City. He worked as a radio and screen actor, screenwriter, and television writer and pro ...

as Max Rogers *

Richard Powers Richard Powers (born June 18, 1957) is an American novelist whose works explore the effects of modern science and technology. His novel ''The Echo Maker'' won the 2006 National Book Award for Fiction.Erville Alderson Erville Alderson (September 11, 1882 – August 4, 1957) was an American character actor, usually portraying strong-willed or wise men. He appeared in nearly 200 films between 1918 and 1957. Life Alderson was born in Kansas City, Missouri. He ...

as Station agent *

Sam McDaniel Samuel Rufus McDaniel (January 28, 1886September 24, 1962)Tanner, Beccy (November 7, 1991)"McDaniel Opened Doors; 'Gone With the Wind' Was Actress' Most Famous Film" ''The Wichita Eagle''. Retrieved January 3, 2021. was an American actor who ap ...

as Porter * Harry Harvey as The chief

Production

Jack Haley John Joseph Haley Jr. (August 10, 1897 – June 6, 1979) was an American actor, comedian, dancer, radio host, singer and vaudevillian. He was best known for his portrayal of the Tin Man and his farmhand counterpart Hickory in the 1939 Metro-G ...

and

Boris Karloff William Henry Pratt (23 November 1887 – 2 February 1969), better known by his stage name Boris Karloff (), was an English actor. His portrayal of Frankenstein's monster in the horror film ''Frankenstein'' (1931) (his 82nd film) established h ...

were at one stage announced for lead roles. They were replaced by Phillip Terry and Eduardo Cianelli.

Reception

The ''

Los Angeles Times The ''Los Angeles Times'' (abbreviated as ''LA Times'') is a daily newspaper that started publishing in Los Angeles in 1881. Based in the LA-adjacent suburb of El Segundo since 2018, it is the sixth-largest newspaper by circulation in the Un ...

'' film critic called the treatment "distinctively old time".

References

External links

* * * *
Review of film
at ''Variety'' {{Lew Landers 1947 mystery films 1947 films American films based on plays Films based on American novels Films directed by Lew Landers Films based on adaptations American mystery films Films based on Seven Keys to Baldpate Films based on works by George M. Cohan American black-and-white films Films scored by Paul Sawtell RKO Pictures films 1940s American films