PaladinNites   Posted at 2020-03-07 00:36:03(246Wks ago) Report Permalink URL | ||
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|  Welcome to the Cozy Mystery Cafe. There are free libations at the Nevermore Wine & Spirits lounge tonight, courtesy of {{{{{ Giza }}}}} gizasphinx   for the Ale, and {{{{{ sherb }}}}} sherb      is picking up the tab for the wine. So please indulge and enjoy a glass of wine or hoist a pint of Hobgoblin ale. Feel free to refill anytime! Then settle down in one of our theater loungers, cuddle up on a hopefully dark and stormy night for tonight's mystery show.  Looking for a pleasant diversion? Want to laugh and be royally entertained with an old dark house "B" mystery? Then I've got a film recommendation for you. Do we have all the requirements for an Old Dark House flick?- well let's review; Old Dark House/gloomy mansion setting - check Secret passageways - check Sliding panels - check Curious eccentric family - check Graveyard scene - check Butler who may not be as he seems - check History of strange/unnatural deaths - check Genuinely eerie apparition of a "Smiling Ghost" - check  Cast; Wayne Morris as Alexander "Lucky" Downing; Naive, good meaning & doesn't really know what he's getting into. Alexis Smith as Elinor Bentley; a.d.a. the "Kiss of Death" girl Alan Hale as Norton; The Butler with a few secrets Brenda Marshall as Lil Barstow; Reporter on the trail of the "ghost" Lee Patrick as Rose Fairchild; Cousin of Elinor, who wants to hang onto some jewelry David Bruce as Paul Myron; A shady odds taker Helen Westley as Grandmother Bentley Determined to rid the place of this 'ghost' Willie Best as Clarence Lucky's side kick, and the only one with any common sense Charles Halton as Great-Uncle Ames Bentley Is trying to finish his collection of...shrunken heads Richard Ainley as Cousin Tennant Bentley If you think Dean Martin drank... George Meader as Mr. Dinwiddie The family lawyer who recruits Lucky Clem Bevans as Sexton Care taker of the graveyard Meet Elinor Bentley Fairchild  known as the “Kiss of Death Girl” Why you may ask? Read on The elderly Mrs. Bentley (Helen Westley) and her lawyer see a newspaper ad from an unemployed and unmarried engineer seeking work doing “anything legal.” The lawyer calls the engineer, “Lucky” Downing, and sets up a meeting, during which Lucky is offered a job for one month. Lucky who is hounded by creditors has only a single question "$1000 to do what?" The prospective employer's answer: "To be engaged for one month to my granddaughter."  Lucky considers it a strange offer, but he needs the money so he takes the job. Although it sounds okay, what they haven't told Lucky is that said granddaughter's fiances tend to mysteriously succumb to a "Smiling Ghost Curse." Given the fate of her former beaus, there are those who believe Elinor is the victim of the “Smiling Ghost,” and she has been dubbed the “Kiss of Death Girl” by the local newspapers. Lil Barstow, a reporter who has followed the case closely, has been in touch with Myron, who persuades her to talk Downing out of the engagement before he too becomes a victim of the ghost. Lil attempts to intercept Lucky at the train station where he and his nervous valet, Clarence, are to meet Elinor.  Before Lil can warn Downing, however, Elinor smashes her camera and hustles Lucky and Clarence off to Bentley mansion. Downing is delighted to find Elinor so attractive and affectionate but has no idea what awaits him at the mansion.   There he meets his prospective in-laws: a diabolical great-uncle Ames Bentley, who shows Lucky his collection of shrunken heads and mentions that he's only missing one last specimen; cousin Tennant Bentley, who has a drinking problem; and Uncle Hilton Fairchild and his wife Rose, who will lose part of their fortune should Elinor marry.  That evening Tennant drunkenly objects to Lucky sleeping in what had been his room, so Lucky agrees to switch rooms with him. Later that night, the Smiling Ghost emerges through a secret wall panel and attacks Tennant, believing him to be Downing.  Downing encounters the reporter Lil Barstow outside, who tells him about the fate of the former fiances and persuades him to leave. The first, Johnny Eggleston, mysteriously drowned. The second, Paul Myron, paralyzed when his car rolled over and has been confined to an iron lung ever since. The third, Alan Winters, died by snakebite. Lucky asks her, "Couldn't all these have all been accidents?" to which Lil reples, "Listen, it's more than an accident when a cobra strikes a man on the 18th floor of a Boston hotel."  Convinced that the situation is perilous, Downing plans to sneak away with Clarence, who had found the semiconscious Tennant in a trunk in the cellar stabbed.  Lucky & Clarence are eager to depart; however, after Elinor confesses that she has fallen in love with him, he decides to stay and catch the "ghost" for her. To find the ghost or whatever it is, Downing turns to Lil for help. She takes him to visit the crippled Paul Myron. Paul relates his ghost story, saying that the apparition appeared when he was pinned under his wrecked car and adding that the ghost resembled John Eggleston, Elinor’s first fiance. Paul says he believes Eggleston drowned himself after Elinor broke off their engagement and is now intent on making sure she never marries. Downing rejects the idea that Eggleston is a ghost but finds it plausible that he faked his death and is bent on revenge. Lil, Lucky and Clarence then pay a visit to Eggleston’s crypt in the cemetery and discover they don't have the right keys to the crypt. While Lil & Clarence go for the caretake, Downing manages to break in, and as he is prowling around is attacked by the “ghost” and entombed. Lil & Clarence return with the caretaker and find Lucky in a coffin, recovering from being knocked out by cholorform. But now he is even more determined to resolve the mystery. And to that end, he suggests to Elinor that they pretend to marry to lure the killer out of hiding.  In the ensuing denouement, the Smiling Ghost does indeed 'attend' the ceremonies. [   Trailer; Production notes; Among all the Hollywood studios of the '30s and '40s, Warner Bros. excelled at churning out slick, swift, polished 'B' comedy-thrillers. The production of this Warner Bros. B is a step above any number of otherwise similar Monogram/PRC pictures. "The Smiling Ghost" 1941 charmer packs more entertainment value into 71 minutes than most of today's films do in 2-hours-plus. Willie Best, in a larger role than his usual bit part, is hilarious as Morris's reluctant assistant. Best was one of the first black American film actors and comedians to become well known. Of the 124 films he appeared in, he received screen credit in at least 77, an unusual feat for a black American bit player. The best testimony of Willie's talent/acting ability comes from these two; Hal Roach called him one of the greatest talents he had ever met. Bob Hope similarly acclaimed him as "the best actor I know", as the two were worked together in 1940 on The Ghost Breakers. Best Paladin P.S. No need to thank {{{{{ Giza }}}}} gizasphinx & {{{{{ sherb }}}}} sherb for the bar tab. I'll do that later...as they may not be quite be aware of their most generous offer. :)  Last edited by PaladinNites on 2020-03-16 15:14:28 | |
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Post liked by - eyez, Ange1  , Kannath, ROBBREDD, bigboy12 , zeke23, sherb, Janor, miok , SweetSkunk | ||
| miokPosted at 2020-03-07 01:12:44(246Wks ago) Report Permalink URL | ||
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| Excellent as always Paladin Thanks | |
Like 6 | ||
| Post liked by - eyez, ROBBREDD, sherb, Ange1, bigboy12, Janor | ||
| JanorPosted at 2020-03-07 02:46:47(246Wks ago) Report Permalink URL | ||
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| Paladin... what can I say, other than your writing is fantastic. I hang on every word. Thank you and love you always. Janor Last edited by Janor on 2020-03-07 02:47:09 | |
Like 5 | ||
| Post liked by - eyez, ROBBREDD, sherb, Ange1, bigboy12 | ||
| sherbPosted at 2020-03-07 08:12:11(246Wks ago) Report Permalink URL | ||
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| Brilliant, thanks Paladin 👍 | |
Like 4 | ||
| Post liked by - eyez, ROBBREDD, Ange1, bigboy12 | ||
| bigboy12Posted at 2020-03-08 02:29:34(246Wks ago) Report Permalink URL | ||
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| Incredible work Paladin ,thanks .👍 | |
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| Post liked by - eyez, ROBBREDD, sherb, Ange1 | ||
| gizasphinxPosted at 2020-03-08 02:33:17(246Wks ago) Report Permalink URL | ||
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| Thanks for sticking ME with the beer tab ... and leaving me alone with the Kiss of Death Girl. Bear in mind ... Dead Men Pay No Tabs ;) Other than that, I liked it :-) J/K ... I love it :):D;) P.S. I saw this film in the theater a long, long time ago :):love Last edited by gizasphinx on 2020-03-08 02:42:33 | |
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| Post liked by - eyez, sherb, Ange1, bigboy12 | ||
| Ange1Posted at 2020-03-08 06:36:18(246Wks ago) Report Permalink URL | ||
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| Omg wow amazing thread, thank you hunni :) oooh and i have brought my extra long straw for the ale and wine :) hee hee :) :love | |
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| Post liked by - eyez, ROBBREDD, bigboy12, sherb | ||
| gizasphinxPosted at 2022-01-04 00:25:34(151Wks ago) Report Permalink URL | ||
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| Sometimes the road to recovery is paved with broken glass. If you've walked it, you know what I mean ... and I don't have to walk alone. I miss you, my brother!  | |
Like 3 | ||
| Post liked by - eyez, Ange1, ROBBREDD | ||