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One of my all time favorites.

It’s not bad or unwatchable but despite the amplitude of the spectacle, the end result is underwhelming.

One of the worst ways to make a cult movie is to set out to make a cult movie.

By the time the dramatic fireworks start popping off, each one feels earned.

Lionel Atwill (Jerome Breen), Sheila Terry (Jerry Crane), Theodore Newton (Jack Burton), Paul Hurst (Hogan), Luis Alberni (Luigi), Robert Ellis (Inspector Riley), Lucien Prival (Jenks, the butler), Paul Fix (Dave Werner), Lillian Leighton (Mrs Werner), George "Gabby" Hayes (Detective Casey), Wilfred Lucas (prosecutor), Hooper Atchley (defense attorney), Theodore Lorch (Dr Kelton), Ernie Adams (Tony, the bartender), Jack Cheatham (homicide man).Director: PHIL ROSEN. Screenplay: Albert DeMond. Photography: Gilbert Warrenton. Film editor: Doane Harrison. Art director: E.R. Hickson. Music director: Abe Meyer. Dialogue director: Wilfred Lucas. Sound recording: John Stransky, junior. Producer: Sid Rogell. Executive producer: Trem Carr.Copyright 2 August 1933 by Monogram Pictures Corporation. New York opening at the Mayfair: 5 July 1933. U.S. release: 1 June 1933. U.K. release: 18 November 1933. 7 reels. 64 minutes.SYNOPSIS: After murdering a stockbroker, a well-spoken man stops to talk to the janitor of the office building. The janitor identifies the killer, who is arrested. But the jury discards the janitor's evidence in court when the prisoner turns out to be a deaf mute who could not possibly have spoken a single word.COMMENT: Lionel Atwill saves the day in this somewhat over-talky mystery thriller. When Atwill is on screen, the movie is always suspenseful; but when argumentative love-birds Sheila Terry and Theodore Newton take center stage, interest takes a back seat. (I notice that these two romantic leads were borrowed from Warner Bros. Was that trip necessary? I think not. True, Miss Terry is passably attractive, but Mr Newton is a first-class bore). Fortunately the support cast is also strong (Lucien Prival proves an absolute stand- out), though Paul Hurst seems uncertain whether to play his role for sympathy or laughs. He ends up doing both and manages to juggle our emotions with reasonable dexterity. Phil Rosen's direction is occasionally deft, occasionally static, but mostly competent. Photography and other credits are above average by Poverty Row standards.

With his beautiful diction and suave manner Lionel Atwill could always be counted on to give top quality performances at either major studios or poverty row. No other actor could sound more menacing simply by saying "do you happen to have a match?" or show such contempt for anything decent when he brings a handkerchief to his face when accused of being a mass murderer!!! The female lead was Sheila Terry, a sultry pre-code actress more used to uncredited bits than starring parts - in this movie she got a chance to be more than just background dressing!!When Jerome Breen (Atwill) is identified as a murderer, defense attorneys punch holes in the cleaner's statement when he claims that Breen stopped to talk to him as it is well known that Breen is a deaf mute!! Someone who isn't convinced by Breen's saintly reputation is newspaper man Jack Burton (Theodore Newton) - he has an uphill battle trying to convince his girl, society editor Jerry Crane (Terry). She is always praising Breen's philanthropy and must be the only one in town who isn't suspicious, especially when one of his associates (Paul Fix) promises Jack a scoop but is killed before he can name the murderer!! His mother, though, definitely identifies Breen but he speaks to her as well, asking for a light and then inquiring about the time!!Sheila Terry was good and you wonder why her career didn't lead to bigger things. Her Jerry (why are all newspaper girls called Jerry!!) is smart, even while she lets herself be romanced by the smooth Breen. Lucien Prival looks as though he was born to play oily villains, here he is Jenks, Breen's ominous butler whose crafty looks and darting glances warn the viewer from the start that something is fishy. Packs a big wallop for only 63 minutes. Police beat a path to his door but Breen seems impregnable to their tricks - only because Jenks is stealthily giving him an advanced high sign. But when Paul Hurst sits down at the piano ("playing helps me think"), the eyes have it and Breen shows that he can not only hear but a note from the piano will reveal an inner room and give the game away!!Hurst is excellent as the hard boiled flat foot and is given the closing gag "They all laughed when I sat down to the piano"!! Gilbert Warrenton who delivered some eerie, fantastical photography on "The Cat and the Canary" and "The Man Who Laughs" did a turnaround here and displayed some very low key split screen effects!!

Jerome Breen (Lionel Atwill) is accused of murder after being identified by an eye witness. However, the witness says Breen spoke. At the trial, Breen's attorney proves he is a deaf mute and the witness' testimony falls apart. So now the police must figure out if Breen really is guilty or being framed.This is a fun little quickie from poverty row studio Monogram. It's best if you don't overthink it or look at it exclusively through a modern lens. It was made on the cheap in the early 1930s. Yes, the sign language Atwill uses is just meaningless hand gestures. This was back in the days when the public was probably largely unaware of sign language and it was highly unlikely a studio, especially one like Monogram, would expect its actors to learn some just for a part. Just enjoy it for what it is: a fun but cheap little mystery thriller with the always-great Lionel Atwill starring.

Talky suspense quickie with an intrepid reporter (Newton) and his would-be girlfriend (Terry) investigating the murders of stockbrokers, both of whom become obsessed by the deaf mute (Atwill) accused of the murders. Slow to warm, this pot-boiler gradually heats up thanks mainly to Atwill, painting the picture of a gracious man of wealth and culture who may or may not be a callous murderer. Atwill, still relatively early in his career before the scandal that would ultimately cast him asunder, is highly effective achieving more through his expressions than which most actors are capable of with unimpeded speech. The supporting cast includes Paul Fix in a bit part as a stockbroker, Paul Hurst as a detective who reluctantly assumes the role of police inspector with two weeks to solve the case.The climax is unexpected and the clues are quite innovative, so while the pace might be a bit off, there's just enough to hold the interest for the 62 minutes give or take a couple of rather overlong melodramatic moments between Newton and Terry establishing their character's mutual affections, and that of Hurst, as he bumbles into the spotlight.