Kenneth Thomson shoots another man in a game of Charades; it turns out to be loaded with bullets, not blanks. Soon, slow, stolid Inspector Robert Elliott is on the scene, and the bodies begin to mount up.
There are several problems with this movie, ranging from sheer goofs (there's a phone call to an outside line when the line has been cut), weird plot points that are never explained (why the time on the grandfather clock was advanced an hour -- and why it did not chime as it was done), and why the print was so faded. The most annoying problem, however, is Mr. Elliott's performance. It's slow and portentous and gives the entire movie a plodding pace. It's surprising, given that the director is Frank Strayer, an expert in well-timed farces. There are a couple of shots that show his sense playfulness, like the houseguest reading a detective story magazine, starting at a noise. However, Mr. Elliott casts such a pall on the film that it becomes annoying.
There are several problems with this movie, ranging from sheer goofs (there's a phone call to an outside line when the line has been cut), weird plot points that are never explained (why the time on the grandfather clock was advanced an hour -- and why it did not chime as it was done), and why the print was so faded. The most annoying problem, however, is Mr. Elliott's performance. It's slow and portentous and gives the entire movie a plodding pace. It's surprising, given that the director is Frank Strayer, an expert in well-timed farces. There are a couple of shots that show his sense playfulness, like the houseguest reading a detective story magazine, starting at a noise. However, Mr. Elliott casts such a pall on the film that it becomes annoying.