
Castle in the Desert
1942
Sir George hires Hillary Gatt to find out more about Eric who wants to marry Lois. Gatt is murdered and the couple, married, run off to India. Old friend John Beetham sympathizes with the bride who sees that her hubby is a liar and drunk.
Irving Cummings
Beetham's Manservent
Col. John Beetham
Sir George Mannering
Sir Frederick Bruce
Eve Mannering Durand
Police Insp. Charlie Chan
6/6/2022
5/10
Despite the objections of her guardian "Sir George Mannering" (Claude King), the headstrong "Eve" (Lois Moran) marries the dashing "Eric Durand" (Philip Strange) and they go to live in India. Her guardian dies, and she is left in a loveless marriage with her rather rakish husband who is quite clearly having an affair with their maid "Nuna" (the constantly singing Mercedes de Valasco). One afternoon, whilst keeping away from her husband, she meets an old friend "Col. Beetham" (Warner Baxter) who was always keen on her, and he offers to help. On returning home, she receives a letter that might just implicate her husband with the murder of her late guardian's solicitor on the night of their marriage - and she turns to "Beetham" for help. All of this is taking place under the watchful eye of the diligent "Sir Frederick Bruce" (Gilbert Emery) from Scotland Yard, and concludes - via an interesting trip through the desert - in a San Francisco where the assistance of "Charlie Chan" (E.L. Park) proves crucial in apprehending the culprit. It's got some quite decent photography, to be fair, but the dialogue is so stilted as to be almost staccato - particularly for the first fifteen minutes or so. Moran has no chemistry with ether of her leading men, and the mystery is far too contrived. Not entirely sure why you would go from London to Tehran via India, either...
1942
1939
1976
1936
1938
1931
1935
1936
1937
1937
1934
1936
1934
1936
1935
1939
1939
1932
1935
1940