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Instead, you get a movie that's enjoyable enough, but leaves you feeling like it could have been much, much more.

In truth, there is barely enough story here to make a film.

There is nothing wrong with this film. It's just pretty lightweight. It does have a nice cast and the theme of the supernatural helps keep one's interest. When the chief character admits to being a charlatan, we would think there would be a slide downward. However, Dame Mae Witty, who is no stranger to mystery, having played the role of Agatha Christie's Miss Marple in several films, manages to put life in this when she has to abandon her "talents" and figure out a way to solve the case and keep an innocent person from being charged with murder. There are other supporting actors who are great characters and a tight little plot that takes only a little over an hour to run its course. I have a soft place in my heart for these early British detective pieces.

****SPOILERS*** Third version of the British murder mystery "The Thirteenth Chair" has British Inspector Marney, Lewis Stone, try to solve the murder of Lenny Spencer Lee who was found dead with a knife wound in his back at his Calcutta home a few days earlier. It's Lee's good friend John Wales played by Henry Daniell, who was to play future Sherlock Holmes' master criminal Doctor Moriatry, who suspects he knows who murdered him but needs the help of medium Madam Rosalie La Graange, Dame May Witty, to smoke him or her out. Using a séance with a number of persons, 13 to be exact, who are suspected in Lee's murder Madam Rosalie expects to reveal his identity but something goes seriously wrong. Duing the scene when in total darkness the killers identity is about to be revealed by Wales he himself if found murdered with a knife wound in his back with the murder weapon mysteriously disappearing from the scene!It's Madam Roselie who's been secretly working with Inspector Marney who smells a rat in all this in how the séance was manipulated and suspects the killer used it as cover to murder Wales to keep his identity hidden. Given a second chance by Inspector Marney to have a another séance with the dead body of John Wales, who's by now was in the last stages of Rigor Mortis, participating. It's there that the truth finally comes who in fact murdered Lenny Lee by his killer being tricked into admitting his crime even though he skillfully covered all he evidence that would have convicted him.***SPOILES***Overly talky British murder mystery that has trouble making its point in who killed Mister Lee but the fine acting especially that of Dame May Witty more then makes up for it. The disappearing knife act by Lee's as well as Wales killer was a bit too convoluted to take seriously but it did make for a very good surprise ending. With Lee & wales' killer totally falling for it even though it, with the fingerprints on it wiped clean, never would have stood up in a court of law. P.S In the early 1929 talkie version of the movie a pre Darcula and non English speaking Bela Lugosi,who probably had his voice dubbed, made his US movie debut as Inspector Dalzante;The role later created for Lewis Stone as Inspector Marney in the 1937 version of the film.

The description of the plot given by TCM on its cable showing of this little MGM movie from 1937 made me want to watch it--something about a woman holding a seance to prove that her daughter is not the murderer and with a setting in Colonial India. Then I saw the cast names: DAME MAY Witty, LEWIS STONE, MADGE EVANS, RALPH FORBES, ROBERT COOTE...and immediately I decided to watch it.Not disappointed. It's a tidy little mystery, nothing original or approaching the wit and wisdom of Agatha Christite's tales, but interesting nevertheless. Dame May Witty is the protective mother who helps inspector LEWIS STONE solve the case--and, happily for me, it turned out to be someone I suspected all along.A crisp one hour and six minute programmer from MGM given all the polish one would expect from a major studio. The elaborate sets add the necessary atmosphere, except for the seance itself which is held in total darkness and is just a black blur on the screen during which a voice is heard. This is the only flaw in an otherwise smoothly made B-picture.Silver-haired gentleman CHARLES TROWBRIDGE is seen in many movies from the '30s and '40s and does a smooth job as Dr. Mason.Well worth watching.

Just got to see this rare film, which was a remake of the 1929 film directed by Tod Browning. This one has all the nice polish of an MGM film, which is an asset. What is peculiar is why the film was made at all. It is a simple b-movie, and a remake of a pretty forgotten story. The previous version was a stilted early talkie, highlighted by the appearance of Bela Lugosi as the detective (pre-Dracula). Also, strangely, Holmes Herbert repeats his supporting role from the earlier film, which is a largely insignificant part. The music score is very good, underlying and adding to the mystery mood. It is not quite as atmospheric as the earlier film, but it is still sufficient. Henry Daniell is quite good as the obsessed friend of the dead man, who ends up dead himself. The séances are handled pretty weakly. It's just a stagnant shot of the room in the dark. I actually closed my eyes to rest them while the scenes went on, and just listened. Lewis Stone is solid as the detective, coming off as a bit more pushy than usual for him. Overall, it is interesting to see an MGM film like this. They didn't really delve into horror or mystery and considering this was made in the horror ban years of 1937-8, it really stands out in their catalog. It's worth the time of any 30s mystery buffs and if you've seen a lot of poverty row ones, this is a good contrast for its' production values. 6/10