Weak plot, uninspired staging coupled with erratic performances and dumb dialogue (pretty much every time Woodbury opens her mouth, no offence intended to Woodbury herself) result in a dull and dreary mystery concerning a group of shady characters lured to a remote inn by an unknown assailant who has plans to pick them off, one by one. Detective and wife-to-be duo (the likable Ford and Pepper) find themselves unwittingly part of the conspiracy, and try to piece together the who-dunnit.Clichéd and unimaginative, it's not awful, but it lacks suspense and atmosphere, while the plot is pretty thin on detail. Ford seems assured and he has some of the better dialogue with Pepper, as is sidekick, while the sultry Woodbury as a clairvoyant unfortunately receives no such favours from her puerile doomsday prophecies ("we're all doomed, I can sense it", "I knew this would happen" etc etc) and those 'look of terror' cut-aways that are consistently about twenty-four frames too long.It's not quite the old dark house cliché as one reviewer alluded, but there is a surprise ending and an unusual murder weapon featured. Unlikely to cause any palpitations, but it's only 68 minutes of your time, all the same.

From the start Wallace Ford was a great character actor. He was not just another cardboard leading man but bought another dimension to his roles, as the narrow minded boyfriend Joan Crawford leaves behind in "Possessed" (1931) and a brash young policeman, seduced to do wrong by a luscious Jean Harlow in "The Beast of the City" (1932). In "Freaks" (1932) he seemed to have a real sympathy for his co-stars - it really came across in the movie. By the mid 30s he was finding character work in mystery/ horror movies.After a flashy early role as the femme fatale Sally in "Our Daily Bread" (1934), Barbara Pepper didn't take advantage of her chance at stardom and was to alternate between uncredited parts in As and leads and supports in poverty rowers.Jimmy Kelly (Wallace Ford) is a private detective and wants to marry Marjorie Burns. Barbara Pepper looks so much like a young Lucille Ball. Apparently they were great friends. Jimmy and Marjorie are sent to gloomy Red Rock Tarvern, where a Justice of the Peace happens to be. Clara Kimball Young, who was a great star of the early silents, gets a part she can really sink her teeth into here, as Mrs. Jamison, the strange manager of the tavern. They arrive in the middle of a murder. Someone has mysteriously sent telegrams to the guests telling them to meet there but no-one seems to know who sent them!!! A wild police dog has savaged one of the guests and he has died. By the time the guests are in their rooms the wild dog has struck again. Jimmy tries to telephone the coroner but discovers the wires have been cut. The dog (is it Rin Tin Tin!!! - no it's Silver Wolf!!!) almost strikes again with Marjorie the intended victim but Jimmy is convinced a human is responsible and finds the dog and befriends it.It is a diverting film about jewel smugglers, an elderly man who is supposed to be in a wheelchair but isn't and a mad inventor. Very "old dark house" just not as good!!!Recommended.

Here we are again. In an old dark house (hotel, tavern, inn), where a group of jewel robbers are hiding out. A detective and his not-so-dumb blond fiancée show up to meet a justice of the peace. Meanwhile a murder is committed. A throat torn out, supposedly by a wolf-dog, who generally is tethered outside the tavern. There is a lot of byplay, with even an invalid man coming under suspicion. Others begin to get bumped off as well. People come and go. Suspicious characters and policemen and a cast of several investigate. Make sure you think of everyone as a suspect. There is pretty good humor and a little slapstick. The detective is so dense, it makes you wonder if he could find his hat in a closet. He doesn't listen to anyone, but at times seems pretty lucid. Anyway, there is nothing new or remarkable about this film, but it is fun and the conclusion is worth the wait.

As the other writer said, this is a "borderline Old House" film, but I feel that he under-rated it. The business about a "mad dog" doing all the killing is very unusual. Despite what he says, the "closeups of Joan Woodbury" are only done ONCE or TWICE. She is the "mystic" who is constantly predicting death to all present, and the closeups of her eyes are supposed to lend to the eeriness of the film. A VERY intersting film, if a bit melodramatic in parts! Check it out!Norm