''The House of Fear'' is a 1939 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

Joe May Joe May (born Joseph Otto Mandl; 7 November 1880 – 29 April 1954) was an Austrian film director and film producer and one of the pioneers of German cinema. Biography After studying in Berlin and a variety of odd jobs, he began his career a ...

and starring

William Gargan William Dennis Gargan (July 17, 1905February 17, 1979) was an American film, television and radio actor. He was the 5th recipient of the Screen Actors Guild Life Achievement Award in 1967, and in 1941, was nominated for the Academy Award for Be ...

Irene Hervey Irene Hervey (born Beulah Irene Herwick; July 11, 1909December 20, 1998) was an American film, stage, and television actress who appeared in over fifty films and numerous television series spanning her five-decade career. A native of Los Angeles ...

and

Dorothy Arnold Dorothy Harriet Camille Arnold (July 1, 1885 – disappeared December 12, 1910) was an American socialite and heiress who Missing person, disappeared under mysterious circumstances in New York City in December 1910. The daughter of Francis R. ...

. After an actor is killed during the middle of a play the theatre is closed. A year later a young producer re-assembles the cast and re-opens the theatre, intending to the stage the same play performed on the night of the murder. Originally set for a filming schedule of 10 days and $10,000, the film went over budget and over schedule. On its release, it received positive reviews from ''

Variety Variety may refer to: Arts and entertainment Entertainment formats * Variety (radio) * Variety show, in theater and television Films * ''Variety'' (1925 film), a German silent film directed by Ewald Andre Dupont * ''Variety'' (1935 film), ...

'', ''

The Hollywood Reporter ''The Hollywood Reporter'' (''THR'') is an American digital and print magazine which focuses on the Cinema of the United States, Hollywood film industry, film, television, and entertainment industries. It was founded in 1930 as a daily trade pap ...

'' and ''

The New York Daily News The New York ''Daily News'', officially titled the ''Daily News'', is an American newspaper based in Jersey City, NJ. It was founded in 1919 by Joseph Medill Patterson as the ''Illustrated Daily News''. It was the first U.S. daily printed in t ...

''.

Main cast

Production

''The House of Fear'' began production on March 16, 1939, with a budget just over $100,000. The film entered production under the title ''Backstage Phantom'', the title of the source novel by Wadsworth Camp the film was adapted from and was based on the story and play "The Last Warning" by Thomas F. Fallon. The film was part of the Crime Club mystery series. 11 films were made in the series between 1937 and 1939. The film was a remake of ''

The Last Warning ''The Last Warning'' is a 1928 American mystery film directed by Paul Leni, and starring Laura La Plante, Montagu Love, and Margaret Livingston. ''The Last Warning'' was also one of the very last silent films Universal made — except it was a ...

'', directed by

Paul Leni Paul Leni (born Paul Josef Levi; 8 July 1885 – 2 September 1929) was a German filmmaker and a key figure in German Expressionism, making ''Hintertreppe'' (1921) and '' Waxworks'' (1924) in Germany, and '' The Cat and the Canary'' (1927), ''Th ...

. Director

had previously worked in the German film industry and while working on ''The House of Fear'' he had not mastered

English English usually refers to: * English language * English people English may also refer to: Peoples, culture, and language * ''English'', an adjective for something of, from, or related to England ** English national ide ...

. Difficulties arose on set with the crew working until 10pm and the film going over its original 15 day schedule. The film was completed on April 6 and was $8,000 over-budget. Charles Previn received credits as the film's music director, but except for music heard during the opening and closing credits there is no music in the film.

Release

''The House of Fear'' was distributed by Universal Pictures Company, Inc. on June 30, 1939.

Reception

From contemporary reviews, Wanda Hale of ''

'' declared the film " puzzling a murdery mystery as has come along in some time" and that it "will keep you intrigued." ''

'' found that the "cast has a rather tough assignment to get much out of the lines and situations provided." while still finding it to be a "whodunnit with comedy flavor that holds sufficient edge-of-seat suspense." ''

'' declared that "Universal has turned out another one of those swell murder mysteries" that was "packed with plenty of good, clean comedy amid an eerie atmosphere, suspenseful action and many blood-curdling moments" From retrospective reviews, the authors of the book ''Universal Horror'' said the film was "no classic by any stretch" but it was a "snappy little whodunnit, in some ways better than many of the monsterrific Universals you've seen repeatedly in the meantime."

References

Footnotes

Sources

External links

* 1939 films American mystery films Films directed by Joe May American black-and-white films American films based on plays Films set in a theatre Remakes of American films Universal Pictures films 1939 mystery films 1930s English-language films 1930s American films {{mystery-film-stub