''The Keyhole'' is a 1933 American pre-Code comedy-drama film directed by Michael Curtiz, starring

Kay Francis Kay Francis (born Katharine Edwina Gibbs; January 13, 1905 – August 26, 1968) was an American stage and film actress. After a brief period on Broadway in the late 1920s, she moved to film and achieved her greatest success between 1930 an ...

George Brent George Brent (born George Brendan Nolan; 15 March 1904 – 26 May 1979) was an Irish-American stage, film, and television actor. He is best remembered for the eleven films he made with Bette Davis, which included ''Jezebel'' and ''Dark Victory ...

Glenda Farrell Glenda Farrell (June 30, 1904 – May 1, 1971) was an American actress. Farrell personified the smart and sassy, wisecracking blonde of the Classical Hollywood films. Farrell's career spanned more than 50 years, appearing in numerous Broadwa ...

and

Allen Jenkins Allen Curtis Jenkins (born Alfred McGonegal; April 9, 1900 – July 20, 1974) was an American character actor and singer who worked on stage, film, and television. Life and career Jenkins was born on Staten Island, New York, on April 9, 190 ...

. It was released by Warner Bros. on March 25, 1933. A woman with two husbands tries to divorce one of them by heading down to Havana where things get more complicated.

Plot

Anne Brooks (Kay Francis), wife of wealthy businessman Schuyler Brooks, is being blackmailed by her former husband Maurice Le Brun who never finalized their divorce and lied to her about it. Acting on advice from Brooks' sister, Anne books a cruise ship passage to Havana, Cuba, to lure Le Brun out of the United States so that he can be blocked from re-entering. Suspicious of her behavior, Brooks hires private detective Neil Davis (George Brent) to follow her and report on whether she is having an affair, but tells him that she is merely a young woman that he's interested in. Anne leaks to Le Brun the details of her trip and he also boards the ship. Davis makes contact with her and sends reports to Brooks that she is not having an affair, but begins to develop a romance with her himself. Back in New York, Brooks learns about the blackmailing from his sister and leaves on a plane to Cuba to apologize to Anne for being suspicious. Meanwhile, Anne reveals to Davis that she is married to Brooks and that she is being blackmailed and he reveals that he is a private detective hired by Brooks to follow her. Le Brun arrives at Anne's hotel room for his payoff. To save Anne's marriage, Davis persuades him to leave via the balcony so that Brooks won't find him in a compromising situation with her, but just as Brooks comes into the room, Anne kisses Davis, telling Brooks that their marriage is over. Le Brun falls from the balcony to his death, ending any further threat of blackmail.

Cast

as Anne Brooks *

as Mr. Neil Davis *

as Dot * Monroe Owsley as Maurice Le Brun *

as Hank Wales * Helen Ware as Portia Brooks * Henry Kolker as Schuyler Brooks * Ferdinand Gottschalk as Brooks' Lawyer *

George Chandler George Chandler (June 30, 1898 – June 10, 1985) was an American actor who starred in over 140 feature films, usually in smaller supporting roles, and he is perhaps best known for playing the character of Uncle Petrie Martin on the televi ...

as Joe - Desk Clerk

References

External links

* * * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Keyhole, The 1933 films Films directed by Michael Curtiz American black-and-white films 1933 comedy-drama films American comedy-drama films 1930s English-language films 1930s American films