Seven Keys to Baldpate (1929) ** 1/2 (out of 4)William Magee (Richard Dix) makes a bet that he can write a novel in twenty-four hours but the deal is that he does it at the Baldpate Inn. He's given what he believes is the only key but before long others are showing up with keys to enter the creepy mansion.George M. Cohan's play of the Earl Deer Biggers novel was one of the biggest hits of its time and it got turned into three silent film adaptations including one from 1917 where Cohan played the lead role. This 1929 film from RKO was the first sound adaptation and it's honestly not too bad, although I didn't find it nearly as entertaining as the 1917 version. With that said, the film is certainly worth watching if you're a fan of the material or Dix.The best thing going for this version is the fact that there's a good cast here that manages to make some of the snappy dialogue work extremely well. There's one sequence where seven characters are gathered up in the frame discussing the money trail and the deliver was perfect and made for the highlight of the picture. Dix also manages to turn in a fun performance here as his comic timing is right on the mark and he certainly helps keep the film moving.The biggest problem with this version of SEVEN KEYS TO BALDPATE is the fact that it just runs out of steam around the forty-minute mark and never picks back up. Director Regionald Barker doesn't add too much flair to the picture and it's another example of an early talkie that just doesn't have too much going for it style wise.

So it seems for author Richard Dix who believes falsely that he has the only key to the summer inn Baldpate (closed for the winter) where he has agreed to stay to try and write his latest opus within a 24 hour period. Within minutes of his arrival (and the abrupt departure of the scaredy cat caretakers), he discovers that indeed, there are more keys, with the arrival of a gun-toting criminal, a female journalist and her mother, a sexpot pretending to be the wife of somebody she's never even met, a woman-hating hobo and various other eccentrics. The wind of the winter is hitting the shutters even as Dix arrives, giving the perfect atmosphere to this enjoyable version of the often filmed George Cohen play which mixes chills and comedy to the audience's delight. Don't let this early talkie's age scare you away from watching it as the creakiness of the early stagy filming truly works, making this much better than you would believe. Every character who shows up at the door has their own eccentricities and their own agenda, which adds to the tension and to the laughter as the plot expands to its riotous conclusion. This truly is a lot of fun, featuring a cast of mostly unknown or forgotten character actors who slightly underplay the melodrama to make it quite different than the dozens of other "old dark houses" which were overly abundant during the golden age of the cinema and mostly quite forgettable. You won't soon forget the opening shot of Baldpate as Dix arrives, and the conclusion will definitely seem to be an inspiration for Ira Levin's modern comedy thriller "Deathtrap".

As has been previously noted, SEVEN KEYS TO BALDPATE had a long history as novel, play and oft-filmed motion picture. The 1929 RKO production with Richard Dix is probably the closest you will find in replicating the stage perennial. Community theaters across the USA continue to insert BALDPATE into their season as it is a reliable crowd-pleaser. Dix is, well, Dix. He was seldom a good actor but he was always enthusiastic and energetic. Near the end of this picture he forgets he's doing a talkie and gestures beyond belief when describing the goings-on at Baldpate Inn. But we love him still. The rest of the cast is more than capable and, yes, the pacing is deliberate and stagy. BTW, for BALDPATE enthusiasts, be sure to check out the Lux Radio Theatre version of the play starring Jack Benny. In the meantime, next time this one comes around check it out. But remember, the movies had barely learned to talk so be forgiving...

Many of the early "Talkies" were very, very stilted and looked like stage productions. Typically, they had little action and people talked way too much--trying to show off the latest innovation (sound). As a result, most of the early Talkies were actually pretty poor films and tough to watch today. This film is a wonderful example of an early lousy Talkie. Richard Dix is the only one in the film with any energy in his delivery. Otherwise, they all sound like they are in a High School play--delivering stilted dialog in a very stilted manner. And instead of acting to show the plot progressing, the actors just talked and talked and talked!! Because of this I was bored stiff and really had to force myself to keep watching. Additionally, it was really hard to enjoy the film because the plot, up until the excellent ending, was terrible--something that some chimps might be able to replicate or even surpass had they been allowed to write the movie!!!