The Preview Murder Mystery
Director: Robert
Florey
Year: 1936
Rating: 6.0
A decent
enough Paramount B murder mystery that keeps its hat on till the final few
minutes when it becomes obvious who the killer must be because most of the
suspects are dead or intended targets. It is directed by Robert Florey, one
of the better B directors for various major studios until he moved over to
television in the 1950s. He had initially been told that he would direct
Frankenstein but after Universal changed its mind they gave him Murders in
the Rue Morgue instead. He directs a fast moving - 60 minutes - taut mystery
with touches of humor but much of the fun is that it nearly all takes place
on a movie studio lot and shows the shooting of other films and the working
of the studio. It feels like a somewhat realistic look.
A musical bull fighter film is just being finished up with one last shot
of the bullfighter kissing his senorita. He is DuBeck (Rod La Rocque) and
the lady being kissed is Claire (Gail Patrick - made wealthy later for producing
the Perry Mason tv show). She is the wife of the director (Ian Keith). DuBeck
has been receiving death threats - that he will die before the film's preview
is over. Everyone tells him not to worry - except the killer and in fact
he is dead before the film is over. Poison. Other attempts or murders
are on the way. The stars of the film - though it is spread among all these
actors - is Reginald Denny who plays the Publicity man and his secretary
played by Frances Drake. They try and figure it out. Everyone plays
it straight and competently and there is thankfully no character providing
corny comic relief. Just a decent mystery with good dialogue and some snappy
editing.
