''The Phantom'' is a 1931 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 directed by Alan James.

Premise

A reporter goes in search of a deranged masked killer hiding in an insane asylum.

Cast

Cast list adapted from ''Poverty Row Studios, 1929-1940''.

Release

''The Phantom'' was released on December 1, 1931.

Reception

In his book on Poverty Row studio films of the 1930s, Michael R. Pitts commented that ''The Phantom'' is "a plodding affair with typical character types" noting that the casting of

Guinn "Big Boy" Williams Guinn Terrell Williams Jr. (April 26, 1899 – June 6, 1962) was an American actor who appeared in memorable westerns such as '' Dodge City'' (1939), ''Santa Fe Trail'' (1940), and '' The Comancheros'' (1961). He was nicknamed "Big Boy" ...

as the ace reporter and

Allene Ray Allene Ray (born Allene Ray Burch; January 2, 1901 – May 5, 1979) was an American film actress. Early years Born in Devine, Texas, Ray grew up on her father's ranch with her four sisters and two brothers. She was learning to ride by age 3, and ...

as the innocent heroine was "unlikely to say the least". Pitts concluded that the film was "far from a classic, ''The Phantom'' is worth seeing if only to witness the performances of its two unlikely leads."

References

Sources

External links

* * 1931 films American black-and-white films Films directed by Alan James 1931 mystery films American mystery films 1930s English-language films 1930s American films {{mystery-film-stub