''The Sphinx'' is a 1933 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 drama film directed by

Phil Rosen Philip E. Rosen (May 8, 1888 – October 22, 1951) was an American film director and cinematographer. He directed more than 140 films between 1915 and 1949. He was born in Marienburg, German Empire (now, Malbork, Poland), grew up in Ma ...

. The film was remade by

William Beaudine William Washington Beaudine (January 15, 1892 – March 18, 1970) was an American film actor and director. He was one of Hollywood's most prolific directors, turning out films in remarkable numbers and in a wide variety of genres. Life and car ...

as ''

Phantom Killer The Texarkana Moonlight Murders, a term coined by the contemporary press, was a series of four unsolved serial murders and related violent crimes committed in and around the Texarkana region of Arkansas and Texas in the late winter and sprin ...

'' in 1942.

Plot

A man comes out of the office of "Garfield Investment Company". He meets the janitor in the stairs and asks him for a match, and then what time it is. "It's nine" the Italian-American janitor Luigi Bacciagalupi answers and wants to know from which apartment he came out. The man leaves without answering. Shortly after, the janitor finds a dead man in the office of "Garfield Investment Company". Newspaperman Burton from the Chronicle is there to talk with the inspector. Before he can see him he talks with the watching police officer, and after a while, realizes that the Garfield Investment Company just that morning went bankrupt. "Another broker went down the flush". The janitor recognizes on the police records the man who came out of the office, Mr. Breen. During the trial he sticks to what he has seen and what he has heard, though two different doctors testify that Mr. Breen is deaf and mute since birth. Young chronicle newspaperman Jerry Crane, in love with his good-looking girl colleague, has a feeling that Breen is a strange guy and tries to convince her not to go for interview to his house. Meantime a young broker tells him he has a hint, if he gets enough money for it. Breen comes to see the young broker before at half past eight the Burton comes to his house. A second time Mr. Breen asks for the time after seeing his victim. The puzzling case has the parallel love story of the two newspaper-people of the Chronicle. While Burton, who wants to marry Crane, is skeptical about Breen, Crane is fascinated, and dedicates him a series of articles. When Inspector Riley thinks he saw Breen hearing the playing of the piano when they are in his house, the next morning a third dead man is on the list.

Cast

Lionel Atwill Lionel Alfred William Atwill (1 March 1885 – 22 April 1946) was an English stage and screen actor. He began his acting career at the Garrick Theatre. After coming to the U.S., he subsequently appeared in various Broadway plays and Hollywood f ...

as Jerome Breen * Sheila Terry as Jerry Crane * Theodore Newton as Jack Burton *

Paul Hurst Paul Michael Hurst (born 25 September 1974) is an English football manager and former player who is the manager of club Grimsby Town. As a player, he was a defender from 1993 to 2008, notably playing his entire career at Rotherham United, b ...

as Detective Terrence Aloysius Hogan *

Luis Alberni Luis Alberni (October 4, 1886 – December 23, 1962) was a Spanish-born American character actor of stage and films. Early years Alberni was born in Barcelona, Spain, on October 4, 1886. He acted in stock theater for four years in Marseille ...

as Luigi Baccigalupi * Robert Ellis as Inspector James Riley *

Lucien Prival Lucien Prival (July 14, 1901 – June 3, 1994) was an American film actor. He appeared in more than 70 films between 1926 and 1953. Born in New York City, Prival was the son of a French mother and a Russian father. From 1912-1919 he lived w ...

as Jenks, the Butler * Lillian Leighton as Mother Werner * Paul Fix as Dave Werner *

George 'Gabby' Hayes George may refer to: People * George (given name) * George (surname) * George (singer), American-Canadian singer George Nozuka, known by the mononym George * George Washington, First President of the United States * George W. Bush, 43rd Presiden ...

as Det. Casey

References

External links

* * * * * 1933 films American mystery films American black-and-white films 1930s mystery films Films directed by Phil Rosen Films directed by Wilfred Lucas Monogram Pictures films 1930s English-language films 1930s American films {{mystery-film-stub