Mystery of Mr. X, The (1934) - full review!
A zippy little crime mystery with a humorous element that makes for an enjoyable hour and a half of entertainment. Directed by writer Edgar Selwyn, this Philip MacDonald story and adaptation, which received a screenplay treatment from Howard Emmett Rogers, stars Robert Montgomery, Elizabeth Allan, Lewis Stone, Ralph Forbes, and Henry Stephenson (among others). The acting is first rate, particularly from Montgomery & Allen (who, according to Maltin's guide, were married at the time) as their characters' relationship grows, making the simple plot compelling enough to keep one interested in its outcome. The film was later remade as The Hour of 13 (1952) with Peter Lawford.
Montgomery plays jewel thief Nick Revel whose partners are a cab driver (Forrester Harvey) and an insurance appraiser (Ivan Simpson). Unfortunately, he steals a diamond worth 5,000 pounds the same night, and near the place, that the mysterious Mr. X (Leonard Mudie) murders his fifth London police officer. So, police commissioner Frensham (Stephenson) and his right hand man Superintendent Connor (Stone) assume that "the man who's found with the diamond is Mr. X". The commissioner's daughter Jane (Allan) is inexplicably engaged to playboy Chris Marche (Forbes). While drunk, Marche strikes an officer to steal his helmet and gets arrested as a suspect when the real Mr. X murders that same policeman. This gives Nick an opportunity to help Marche, by giving false testimony as an alibi along with the cabbie’s corroboration, to meet the commissioner in order to share his idea to help catch Mr. X, so that he'll be safe to pawn the diamond.
Of course, this leads Nick to meet Jane and a romance ensues while Marche serves 10 days for striking an officer. Meanwhile, Connor comes to suspect Nick is Mr. X and works to prove it. His efforts are, at first, complicated by Nick's association with Jane. However, when Nick decides to return the diamond, pretending it's from Mr. X, and Connor pinches the insurance appraiser, the case against Nick as Mr. X strengthens. About this time, because of his own criminal mind, Nick has figured out the murderer's plan (e.g. the location of his next crime) and decides to capture Mr. X himself. The timing is such that Nick is barely one step ahead of the police, but everything is wrapped up nicely in the end, including an all too convenient confession on the part of the perpetrator.
Most Recent Additions:
Gaslight (1940) - full review!
The Gazebo (1959) - full review!
Passage to Marseille (1944) - full review!
The House on 56th Street (1933) - full review!
Annie Get Your Gun (1950) - full review!
Hush... Hush, Sweet Charlotte (1964)
Lonelyhearts (1958) - full review!
Good News (1947) - full review!
Wild Rovers (1971) - full review!
Lovers and Other Strangers (1970) - full review!
Topper Returns (1941) - full review!
The Masque of the Red Death (1964)
The Barkleys of Broadway (1949)
Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein (1948)
The Testament of Dr. Mabuse (1933)
Requiem for a Heavyweight (1962)
The Winning Team (1952) - full review!
The Hasty Heart (1949) - full review!
Storm Warning (1951) - full review!
The FBI Story (1959) - full review!
Firecreek (1968) - full review!
The Cheyenne Social Club (1970) - full review!
The Spirit of St. Louis (1957)
For Whom the Bell Tolls (1943)
Green Dolphin Street (1947) - full review!
Two Weeks With Love (1950) - full review!
Across the Pacific (1942) - full review!
Evelyn Prentice (1934) - full review!
The Opposite Sex (1956) - full review!
Blossoms in the Dust (1941) - full review!
George Washington Slept Here (1942) - full review!
Million Dollar Mermaid (1952) - full review!
The Scarlet Pimpernel (1934) - full review!
Born to Be Bad (1950) - full review!
The Last Gangster (1937) - full review!
'G' Men (1935) - full review!
The Importance of Being Earnest (1952) - full review!
Comrade X (1940) - full review!
Stand-In (1937) - full review!
[Home] [Hitchcock] [Oscar's Best] [Essays] [Essential Films] [TCM Picks] [FAQ] [Obscure Films] [Links] [Other Reviews] [Academy Awards] [Silent Films] [Movie Index]
