''The Mystery of the Yellow Room'' is a 1919 American

crime drama Crime films, in the broadest sense, is a film genre inspired by and analogous to the crime fiction literary genre. Films of this genre generally involve various aspects of crime and its detection. Stylistically, the genre may overlap and combin ...

film made by the Mayflower Photoplay Company and distributed through Realart Pictures Corporation.

Émile Chautard Émile Chautard (7 September 1864 – 24 April 1934) was a French-American film director, actor, and screenwriter, most active in the silent era. He directed more than 100 films between 1910 and 1924. He also appeared in more than 60 fil ...

served as a producer. ''The Mystery of the Yellow Room'' (in French ''Le mystère de la chambre jaune'') was originally a novel by

Gaston Leroux Gaston Louis Alfred Leroux (6 May 186815 April 1927) was a French journalist and author of detective fiction. In the English-speaking world, he is best known for writing the novel '' The Phantom of the Opera'' (french: Le Fantôme de l'Opéra, ...

, one of the first

locked room mystery The "locked-room" or "impossible crime" mystery is a type of crime seen in crime and detective fiction. The crime in question, typically murder ("locked-room murder"), is committed in circumstances under which it appeared impossible for the perpet ...

novels. It was first published in France in the periodical ''

L'Illustration ''L'Illustration'' was a weekly French newspaper published in Paris from 1843 to 1944. It was founded by Édouard Charton with the first issue published on 4 March 1843, it became the first illustrated newspaper in France then, after 1906, the ...

'' from September 1907 to November 1907, then in its own right as a book in 1908. The film, which itself is a remake of Chautard's "Le Mystère de la chambre jaune" (1913), was remade in 1930, 1949 and in 2003.

Plot

Mathilde Strangerson (Terry), whose father is a renowned French scientist, is heard to utter a piercing scream while supposedly alone in her room. Her father and other rush to the scene and find a room so securely locked and barred that no one could have entered or made their escape. She receives medical care while detectives are called in to investigate the case. Each has their pet theory about the crime, all of which seem to be based on logic. Gradually the light of suspicion filters through the members of the household and those associated with it. Mathilde's fiancee is placed in prison to await trial as most of the evidence points to him as the criminal. Then,

Joseph Rouletabille Joseph Rouletabille () is a fictional character created by Gaston Leroux, a French writer and journalist. Rouletabille is a journalist and amateur sleuth featured in several novels and other works, often presented as a more capable thinker than t ...

(Raker) is called in to decipher the mystery. Rouletabille finds that the detective who was most persistent in his investigation is responsible. Mathilde's fiancee is then released and a happy ending occurs.

Cast

*William Walcott as Professor Strangerson *Edmund Elton as Robert Darzac *

George Cowl George Cowl (1878–1942) was a British film actor active in the United States.Solomon p.300 He also directed four films during the silent era. Selected filmography * ''Dan'' (1914) * ''The Rack'' (1916) * '' The Closed Road'' (1916) * '' The B ...

as Frederic Larsan *

Ethel Grey Terry Ethel Grey Terry (October 2, 1882 – January 6, 1931) was an American actress of the silent era. She is best remembered for her role in '' The Penalty'' with Lon Chaney. Early years Ethel Grey Terry was born in Oakland, California, the ...

as Mathilde Strangerson *Lorin Raker as Rouletabille / Joe-Jo *

Jean Del Val Jean Del Val (born Jean Jacques Gauthier; 17 November 1891 – 13 March 1975) was a French-born actor, also credited as Jean Gauthier and Jean Gautier. Career He played roles during the Hollywood silent era, beginning with ''The Fortunes of Fif ...

as Jean Sainclair *W.H. Burton as Daddy Jacques *Henry S. Koser as Bernier *Jean Ewing as Mme. Bernier *William Morrison as Judge de Marquet *Louis R. Grisel as Monsieur Maleine *John McQuire as Mathieu * Catherine Ashley as Mme. Mathieu *Ivan Dobble as The Green Man

References

External list

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Mystery of the Yellow Room 1919 films American silent feature films Films based on French novels Films based on works by Gaston Leroux American black-and-white films American remakes of French films 1919 crime drama films American crime drama films 1910s American films Silent American drama films

Plot

Cast

See also

References

External list