With a trapeze mishap, the "Marvel Circus" begins a series of horrifying accidental deaths, which seem to be hypnotically predicted by an exotic "Swami" from the Far East. As the bodies pile up, a connection becomes clear; they are among the "Thirteen Women" who attended a boarding school with sexy mystic Myrna Loy (as Ursula Georgi). It quickly becomes evident that Ms. Loy is seeking revenge against twelve schoolgirls. They were cruel to, and exposed Loy, who was trying to pass as white. "Do you know what it means to be a half-breed, a half-caste in world rule by whites?" Loy asks. Sensible Irene Dunne (as Laura Stanhope) tries to reassure the still friendly women, but they are understandably wary. Handsome detective Ricardo Cortez (as Barry Clive) investigates the deaths, which threaten to include Ms. Dunne's cute son. There are a few good moments, but they don't add up.***** Thirteen Women (9/16/32) George Archainbaud ~ Myrna Loy, Irene Dunne, Ricardo Cortez, Jill Esmond

No need to repeat points made by others. One unmentioned ingredient the movie sorely lacks is mood, which is usually established by visual style. In short, the movie has no visual style to complement the eerie proceedings. Instead, director Archainbaud films in unimaginative, straightforward fashion, using high-key lighting even in those spooky situations crying out for shadow. That's not surprising since the bulk of the director's career was spent helming undemanding Gene Autry half-hours for early TV. No wonder the pass-off stunt between the two cars in this film is so expertly handled. Archainbaud was an action director and clearly the wrong man to develop a Gothic exercise like Thirteen Women. Think what a great visual stylist like Edgar Ulmer (The Black Cat) or Tod Browning (Dracula; Freaks) could have done with the same dark material. For example, note the weird looking interior constructed for Ursula's two- story abode. It's a real eye-catcher but goes unaccented by Archainbaud's pedestrian style. Think what Ulmer, in particular, would have done with that bizarre set-up. Then too, maybe a more attuned director or producer could have prevented the studio from butchering the contents with its notoriously clumsy deletions and departures. Nonetheless, mood or no mood, cat-eyed Ursula (Loy) can cast a spell on me any day of the week and the proverbial twice on Sunday, that is, if I can manage it.

Swami Yogadachi seems to have a knack for predicting the future. When he tells Ursula Georgi what hers will be like, she reminds him that he, too, will die a horrible death. Yogadachi, who has been the favorite of some of the well-to-do women who were together in college, rules over their lives, except with the grounded Laura Stanhope. Laura, who has witnessed some of her former class mates die in mysterious circumstances, is not immune to a threat that comes her way and involves her young son."Thirteen Women", directed by George Archainbaud, is a hybrid film that showcased some actresses that were making their mark in Hollywood. Of course, this film would not have a chance to be made today because even with a couple of stars, it would be prohibitive. The film is a curiosity because it's seldom played. As Neil Doyle pointed out in this forum, "Thirteen Women" boasts a music score by the great Max Steiner, at a time when music didn't play an integral part of most pictures of the period.Irene Dunne makes a rare appearance in this film of mystery and esoterica. She usually was seen in comedies that catered to her talent for that type of feature. Myrna Loy appears as yet another one of her evil Asian women, a person of mixed blood who was ostracized by the snobs in college, and now wants her revenge. Ricardo Cortez plays the police detective investigating the different crimes involving the sorority sisters. Jill Esmond, Kay Johnson, Mary Duncan, Florence Eldridge, and C. Henry Gordon, who plays the Swami, do a good job.

What struck me first about THIRTEEN WOMEN (just shown on TCM this evening), is the fact that it has a musical score by Max Steiner at a time when early thirties movies seldom used much music on the soundtrack for atmospheric purposes. But here, at least, Max does let loose with some sinuous exotic strains for a few scenes.The second thing was how beautiful MYRNA LOY photographed, playing a half-caste who is determined to avenge what snobbish sorority sisters did to her in finishing school where she was exiled because she wasn't white. Loy at this stage was still playing these exotic roles, complete with slanting eye make-up--but as a woman with an hypnotic gaze she was quite convincing. C. HENRY GORDON as Yogadachi, the fake Swami, was rather hammy here--whereas five years later he was very effective as a turban-wearing Indian in CHARGE OF THE LIGHT BRIGADE.***POSSIBLE SPOILER AHEAD***IRENE DUNNE is the last of the sorority girls to survive and the last one to be punished by Loy. However, as suspense builds to a climax aboard a speeding train, Loy's plan fails with the police hot on her trail.The 59 minute running time means that some fifteen minutes were cut from the original release and it shows. The ending is much too abrupt and before you know it "The End" is flashed on the screen. Someone was busy with the scissors on this one, particularly during those final moments.Would love to see the complete film some day, but I suppose that's not going to happen if the footage hasn't been restored by now. All the performances are rather standard, including RICARDO CORTEZ as the detective who's able to solve the case. FLORENCE ELDRIDGE is almost unrecognizable as one of the women and KAY JOHNSON is a bit over the top as one of the victims who shoots herself.Summing up: Not bad and certainly worth a watch.