''The Phantom Speaks'' is a 1945 American supernatural film noir directed by John English and written by John K. Butler. The film stars

Richard Arlen Richard Arlen (born Sylvanus Richard Mattimore, September 1, 1899 – March 28, 1976) was an American actor of film and television. Biography Born in St. Paul, Minnesota, Arlen attended the University of Pennsylvania. He served in Canada as a ...

Stanley Ridges Stanley Charles Ridges (17 July 1890 – 22 April 1951) was an English-born, American actor who made more than 100 appearances in theatre and movies from 1917 to 1951. After his American film debut in ''Success'' (1923), he appeared in films s ...

, Lynne Roberts,

Tom Powers Thomas McCreery Powers (July 7, 1890 – November 9, 1955) was an American actor in theatre, films, radio and television. A veteran of the Broadway stage, notably in plays by George Bernard Shaw, he created the role of Charles Marsden in Eug ...

, Charlotte Wynters and Jonathan Hale. The film was released on May 10, 1945, by Republic Pictures.

Plot

Harvey Bogardus kills a man whom he thinks is having an affair with his wife. After he is sentenced to the electric chair, reporter Matt Fraser is assigned to speak with Dr. Renwick, who is interviewing Bogardus. Matt is dating Renwick's daughter, and agrees. Renwick has a theory that strong-willed souls can survive death, and that Bogardus will do just that. Bogardus is executed. That night, Bogardus' spirit appears and takes over Renwick's mind. "Renwick" shoots and kills the attorney who represented him at trial, accusing him of incompetence. Matt and the police discover that the attorney was using his

dictaphone Dictaphone was an American company founded by Alexander Graham Bell that produced dictation machines. It is now a division of Nuance Communications, based in Burlington, Massachusetts. Although the name "Dictaphone" is a trademark, it has ...

at the time of his death, and Bogardus' voice is on the machine. The possessed Renwick then kills Bogardus' wife. Renwick, realizing he has large amounts of time he cannot account for, tries to turn himself in but Bogardus once more possesses him. "Renwick" now kills a man who was an eyewitness to Bogardus' crime. Bogardus wants Renwick to kill Matt as well as District Attorney Owen McAllister. Renwick tries to commit suicide, but Bogardus stops him. Matt, thinking Renwick is killing people, goes to McAllister's home to warn him. Matt and McAllister flee in Matt's car, but the possessed Renwick is in the back seat. Matt saves the day, and Renwick is convicted of murder and sentenced to the electric chair. As Renwick walks to the death chamber, he is still possessed by Bogardus. He speaks in Bogardus' voice, and utters the same last words Bogardus did before his execution. Matt and McAllister, the only witnesses to Bogardus' execution, realize in horror what has happened.

Cast

as Matt Fraser *

as Dr. Paul Renwick * Lynne Roberts as Joan Renwick *

as Harvey Bogardus *

Charlotte Wynters Charlotte Wynters (December 4, 1899 – January 7, 1991) was an American stage and film actress. Biography A native of Wheeling, West Virginia, Wynters appeared as a leading lady in a number of B pictures during the 1930s. During the 1922-19 ...

as Cornelia Wilmont * Jonathan Hale as Owen McAllister * Pierre Watkin as Charlie Davis *

Marion Martin Marion Suplee (born June 7, 1909 – August 13, 1985) known professionally as Marion Martin was an American film and stage actress. Biography Martin was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, the daughter of a Bethlehem Steel executive. She became ...

as Betty Hanzel *

Garry Owen The 7th Cavalry Regiment is a United States Army cavalry regiment formed in 1866. Its official nickname is "Garryowen", after the Irish air " Garryowen" that was adopted as its march tune. The regiment participated in some of the largest ba ...

as Louis Fabian *

Ralf Harolde Ralf Harolde (born Ralph Harold Wigger, May 17, 1899 – November 11, 1974) was an American character actor who often played gangsters. Between 1920 and 1963, he appeared in 99 films, including '' Smart Money'' with Edward G. Robinson and ...

as Frankie Teal *Doreen McCann as Mary Fabian

References

External links

* 1945 films American supernatural horror films 1945 horror films Republic Pictures films Films directed by John English American black-and-white films 1940s English-language films 1940s American films {{1940s-horror-film-stub