A man known to be a mute is suspected of committing a murder, as he was noticed at the scene. However, witnesses saw and heard him talking as he was leaving the scene of the crime. The police must determine if he is the actual killer or if he is being framed.
Acting
Lionel Atwill eye-acting his way through every scene.
Production
That hidden room set is pure pre-code architecture porn.
Director
Phil Rosen
Lionel Atwill
Jerome Breen
Sheila Terry
Jerry Crane
Theodore Newton
Jack Burton
Paul Hurst
Detective Terrence Aloysius Hogan
Luis Alberni
Luigi Baccigalupi
Robert Ellis
Inspector James Riley
Lucien Prival
Jenks, the Butler
Lillian Leighton
Mother Werner
Paul Fix
Dave Werner
George 'Gabby' Hayes
Detective Casey
Theodore Lorch
Dr. Augustus Kelton
Wilfred Lucas
Prosecuting Attorney
Hooper Atchley
Oliver P. Curran
Trivia, insights & behind the scenes
Pre-code Hollywood (1930-1934) let filmmakers get weird before the Hays Code sterilized everything. This is that weird.
Lionel Atwill later got blacklisted in Hollywood for a scandal involving pornography—making his 'sinister secret' roles hit different in retrospect.
US
