The Cat and the Canary (1939)

The Cat and the Canary (1939)

Ten years after the death of eccentric Cyrus Norman, the family converge on his bayou mansion, cared for by Miss Lu (Gale Sondergaard), for the reading of his will by lawyer Crosby (George Zucco). The potential heirs include radio personality Wally Campbell (Bob Hope), beautiful actress Joyce Norman (Paulette Goddard), aunts Susan and Cicily (Elizabeth

The Black Room (1935)

The Black Room (1935)

In a semi-Germanic, semi-British, semi-French Barony somewhere in Europe, the Baroness gives birth to twins, a dark happening as the family prophecy states that the family will end when a younger twin kills the elder in The Black Room (it needs to be pointed out to the rather dim lieutenant that twins don’t pop out

The Rogues' Tavern (1936)

The Rogues’ Tavern (1936)

Police detective Jimmy Kelly (Wally Ford) and ex-department store detective Marjorie Burns (Barbara Pepper) are in a hurry to get married so hop across the border to the Red Rock Tavern, which is instead an inn—I suppose when the producers couldn’t find a tavern set for cheap they decided it was too much effort to

One Frightened Night (1935)

One Frightened Night (1935)

Grumpy millionaire Jasper Whyte (Charley Grapewin) has given up hope of finding his granddaughter, who would be his sole heir, so on the night before the inheritance tax is set to rise, he tells his greedy relative and friends (Arthur Hohl, Lucien Littlefield, Regis Toomey, Hedda Hopper, Clarence Wilson, Rafaela Ottiano) that he will give

Topper Returns (1941)

Topper Returns (1941)

Ann Carrington (Carole Landis) and her sarcastic friend Gail Richards (Joan Blondell) arrive at the Carrington estate for Ann to be reunited with her sick father (H.B. Warner). He is looked after by sinister butler Rama (Trevor Bardette), more sinister housekeeper Lillian (Rafaela Ottiano), and extremely sinister live-in doctor Jeris (George Zucco). Gail is murdered

Borrowed Wives (1930)

Borrowed Wives (1930)

Peter Foley (Rex Lease) is deeply in dept to G.W. Parker (Sam Hardy), and needs his inheritance to pay him off. His problem is that he needs a wife to get it, and his intended bride Alice Blake (Vera Reynolds) has been delayed. So Parker supplies him with a fake wife for the night, Julia

House of Mystery (1934)

House of Mystery (1934)

Twenty years ago, obnoxious treasure-hunter John Prendergast (Clay Clement) insults and attacks a Hindu temple, and is cursed. He makes away with two million dollars in temple gold. In “current” day, his investors and their heirs find him, and want their cut. He agrees, but only if they stay the week in his house to

The House of Fear (1945)

The House of Fear (1945)

Sherlock Holmes (Basil Rathbone) and Dr. Watson (Nigel Bruce) are sent to Drearcliff manner, situated on a coastal cliff in ever-misty Scotland. There, two member of the “Good Comrades” club have died after receiving an envelop filled with orange pits. The members all live together in an aged house, looked after by housekeeper Mrs. Monteith,

The Crooked Circle (1932)

The Crooked Circle (1932)

Col. Walters (Burton Churchill) and his Sphinx Club of Amateur sleuths is responsible for the arrest of a member of the evil Crooked Circle. The black-hooded members of the Circle choose their only female member as their assassin to avenge themselves on the Colonel tonight when he and other members of his club are staying

The Phantom (1931)

The Phantom (1931)

Vaguely sinister stuff happens. Not enough of a synopsis? OK, I’ll write more, but “stuff happens” really covers it. So, master criminal The Phantom escapes from jail before his execution, using a train and a plane. He seems to want revenge on DA John Hampton (Wilfred Lucas), and then… He’s out of the picture. Reporter

Drums of Jeopardy (1931)

Drums of Jeopardy (1931)

Anya Karlov is seduced and then abandoned by Prince Gregor Petroff (Wallace MacDonald), a member of an obnoxious aristocratic Russian family. She dies, and as the family refuse to say which of them is at fault, nor do they show any sign of caring, her father, scientist Boris Karlov (Warner Oland) sets out to take

The Phantom Light (1935)

The Phantom Light (1935)

Sam Higgins (Gordon Harker) arrives at an isolated Welsh village to take over running the local lighthouse. The villagers are a strange and superstitious lot, believing the lighthouse to be haunted, a belief that is buttressed by the disappearance of the previous lighthouse keeper as well as Tom Evans (Reginald Tate) having just gone mad