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Touches You

To me, this movie is perfection.

Redundant and unnecessary.

Excellent and certainly provocative... If nothing else, the film is a real conversation starter.

Years ago Robert Young complained that he got the parts at MGM that Franchot Tone turned down who in turn got the roles Robert Montgomery rejected. Perhaps it was the prospect of working with Todd Browning in what turned out to be his last film that attracted Young.If so he made an error, not as big a one as Browning made in taking on a story that couldn't make up it's mind what it was. Was it, comedy, drama, or mystery? It had bits of all three.Young's character is based on Harry Houdini who when he wasn't performing himself made an avocation of exposing fake mediums. He offers aid and assistance to Florence Rice who is being threatened with death and there are attempts made. But one of the fakers Frederic Worlock is found dead in a locked room, his body displayed in some bizarre ritual.All the suspects but for Rice are magicians/spiritualists, but this is a real murder committed by a very much alive perpetrator and police detectives Cliff Clark and William Demarest have to find him. Young proves valuable in dealing with this particular group of suspects.I rather liked Frank Craven who plays Young's father and Gloria Holden best known for being Dracula's Daughter as one of the spiritualists. Holden looks so deadpan serious yet you know she's not thinking much of this material. And Craven has some funny lines. But they're out of place, not like the banter between Nick and Nora Charles when they're on a case.It's not a horrible film Todd Browning ended his career with, but definitely mediocre.

This was Tod Browning's last film and it got a good send-off. The budget was in the B bracket and the movie itself was somewhat stage-bound, but that's what the plot required and besides, Browning wasn't an "outdoor director" anyway. A few things to the credit of this film: Robert Young's role was to uncover fake mediums seeking to defraud others without denying the possibility of the supernatural. Also, the "explanations" for the hocus-pocus were saved to the very end and were really rather ingenious. Browning wasn't a director to move his camera very much if at all, but the editing was well executed and the action didn't remain glued to any of the sets. The movie has dated a bit but it's still quite amusing. I'm glad I caught it.Curtis Stotlar

Back in the 1930s and 40s, a bazillion B-mystery movies were made. Some were quite good, others rather cheap and indifferent. Despite his status as an occasional A-film actor, Robert Young was given the lead in this MGM B--and with very satisfying results.Young plays a debunker and magician named Michael Morgan. His character is a lot like today's Amazing Randi--and not surprisingly, psychics dislike him because he often is able to expose their trickery. He wanders into a strange situation where the trickery is so good that he seems almost ready to believe that these psychics MIGHT be real--especially because their tricks are amazing. How amazing is apparent after a murder occurs--and LOTS of weird things occur, such as folks dying and then seeming to come to life! The film, despite the magic angle, is at heart much like a Charlie Chan, Falcon or Boston Blackie picture. However, its writing is just a bit better as are the rest of the production values. In fact, it's done so well that it really sucks you into the story. Well done all around and a film I nearly gave an 8. And, incidentally, this is director Tod Browning's final film. Although he lived another 23 years, he directed no more films and I'd sure love to know why since so many of his films are brilliant.

I understand this was the famous Todd Browning's final film; well, he certainly picked a good one to go out on. MIRACLES FOR SALE is a murder mystery with a twist: all the suspects are either magicians or oculists. This naturally makes for a very spooky and atmospheric thriller, which is well handled by Browning and the cast. Robert Young is perfect as the glib magician hero, Florence Rice is appealing as the frightened heroine, and Frank Craven and Cliff Clark supply some hilarious dialogue. Unlike many murder mysteries of this vintage, though, MIRACLES doesn't fall into unsuspenseful slapstick by trying to ape the Thin Man films--it gets positively creepy in parts. Also refreshing is the fact that Young's character doesn't deny the existence of the supernatural: he just thinks that the murder in this case is the work of humans. As you would expect in a magician murder mystery, there are several tricks and illusions in the plot, one of which took me in completely. My brother, an amateur magician of sorts, also passed this one on the accuracy of its depiction of the magic profession. Check it out; you won't be disappointed.