ThiefHott Too much of everything

Konterr Brilliant and touching

Zlatica One of the worst ways to make a cult movie is to set out to make a cult movie.

Philippa All of these films share one commonality, that being a kind of emotional center that humanizes a cast of monsters.

wes-connors "When a banker turns up missing, former detective Nick Trayne is brought in on the case to find him. When the banker turns up but appears to be in a trance, Trayne must now try to find out what happened to the banker. A household full of suspects makes for a tough case that our crack detective must solve and bring the culprit to justice," according to the DVD sleeve's synopsis.This variation of the "old dark house" plot is more tired than true. "The Living Ghost" angle turns out to be a good idea, but zombie Gus Glassmire (as Walter Craig) doesn't get enough screen time to really frighten. Writers Howard Dimsdale and Joseph Hoffman do well, considering. Detective James Dunn (as Trayne) and adorable Joan Woodbury (as Billie Hilton) are a delightful couple of sleuths. The supporting roles are performed admirably - right down to Harry Depp (as Homer Hawkins). If only the production were kicked up a notch, or two… **** The Living Ghost (11/27/42) William Beaudine ~ James Dunn, Joan Woodbury, Paul McVey

Neil Doyle How anyone can lavish even the faintest praise on this junk is baffling to me, since THE LIVING GHOST is a cliché ridden mystery with some vain attempts at humor. Furthermore, it's ineptly performed by the entire cast and appears to have been filmed on a quickie basis with no close-ups introducing the chief suspects.JAMES DUNN makes an abysmal attempt at playing detective and JOAN WOODBURY is no more successful as the lame-brained secretary of the lobotomized man at the center of the mystery. Question is: Which one in the wealthy man's household tried to do him in? None of the suspects have enough time on screen to become viable characters and it's never quite clear why Dunn takes such an immediate dislike to the poor butler whom he treats with utter contempt, even when he's being helpful.Juvenile at best, it's the kind of film the Monogram factory churned out on a weekly basis in the '40s, barely deserving a spot at the bottom end of a double feature bill.A ridiculous tax on anyone's reason or patience--mercifully, it runs only one hour.

Leslie Howard Adams Compared to what wins awards at made-up film festivals, attended by only five people not related to the film-makers, in tank towns around the world, this is a jewel.At least, William Beaudine's ghost isn't hanging around here asking..." wha-happen-to-MY FILM dude?" What happens in this film is millionaire Walter Craig (Gus Glassmire) disappears from his home, and special investigator Nick Trayne (James Dunn)is called upon to solve the mystery. This takes no time at all as Nick and his secretary Betty Hilton (Joan Woodbury) discover Craig in the library of his home a couple of nights later...minus his mental faculties. (Glassmire got to play a zombie again in 1943 in Columbia's "The Batman" serial.) Dr. Taggart (Forrest Taylor)and Dr. Bruhning (Lawrence Grant) opine that while half of Craig's brain is missing, he will definitely live on indefinitely. Tony Weldon (George Eldridge), friend of the family (and more friend to one member than others, as it turns out)lives on Craig's estate in a small cottage away from the big house, and assists in caring for Craig. George Phillips (J. Arthur Young), another friend of the family, is killed and Nick discovers the body with Craig standing over it.Nick and Betty do some fast Monogram sleuthing and find that a man named Carson has purchased the chemicals and rented a house in which Craig was subjected to the treatment that destroyed part of his brain. The real estate agent, however, knows the man to whom he rented the house only by his voice---don't ask---so Nick summons all the relatives and freeloaders and household help in order that he can make recordings of their voices. That night Tony Weldon attempts to kill Nick, but Nick overpowers him and it is revealed that Weldon is the man who masqueraded as Carson and, good friend that he was, performed the operation on Craig. Turns out that he and Helen Craig (Edna Johnson), Craig's second wife and second wives are always tramps in Monogram films, especially if the husband has a kid by the first wife, are really real-good-friends and much smitten with each other...and weren't too pleased when they learned that Craig's will leaves his entire fortune to his daughter Tina (Jan Wiley), and have kept him alive in the hope they might induce the half-wit to change the will in favor of Helen.Poor old William Beaudine. HIS FILM only played in about one-third of the 18,744 movie theaters operating in 1942 in the 48 states, plus Alaska, Hawaii and the District of Columbia, and 1271 in Canada, with total seating capacity far in excess of nine million paying patrons times five shows a day times three days bookings.Based on today's ticket prices, Beaudine's films grossed about half a billion. No telling what he could have done if he had won an award at the Cackalacky Film Festival.

Norm-30 This is a very interesting, off-beat mystery, concerning a man who disappears from his home, and is found later with a paralyzed brain. But....is he a killer?This film is notable because it is probably Joan Woobury's biggest role. Despite what L. Matlin says, "Nick Trayne" is QUITE amusing, and adds a lot of "zest" to the film.