Based on Earl Derr Biggers’s novel and George M. Cohan’s popular stage adaptation, this mystery-comedy follows a writer who takes a bet that he can complete a novel in 24 hours while staying alone at the deserted Baldpate Inn during the off-season. His peaceful retreat is quickly interrupted when a series of strangers—each possessing a key to the supposedly locked inn—begin arriving in the dead of night. As theft, murder, and double-crosses unfold, the line between fiction and reality blurs, leading to an unexpected conclusion.
Genre: Mystery, Comedy
Directors: William Hamilton and Edward Killy
William Hamilton was primarily known as a film editor at RKO Pictures, occasionally taking on co-directing assignments in the mid-1930s.
Edward Killy (1903–1981) was an American assistant director and director who worked extensively at RKO. He helmed a number of B-pictures, particularly mysteries and westerns, known for their brisk pacing and straightforward storytelling.
Star cast:
- Gene Raymond as Magee
- Margaret Callahan as Mary Norton
- Eric Blore as Professor Bolton
- Grant Mitchell as Mayor Jim Cargan
- Moroni Olsen as Bland
- Henry Travers as Hal Bentley
- Walter Brennan as Pete the Hermit
- Addison Richards as Harrison
The film was received as a light, entertaining programmer, appealing to audiences familiar with the stage play and earlier silent versions. Critics appreciated its fast pace, humorous moments, and atmospheric inn setting, though it was generally seen as modest studio fare.
Fun Facts:
- RKO’s version streamlined the story for its brief runtime, focusing more on witty banter than on the darker mystery elements of earlier versions.
- This was the fourth screen adaptation of Seven Keys to Baldpate, following silent and early sound versions dating back to 1916.
- Walter Brennan appears in a small but memorable role before becoming one of Hollywood’s most celebrated character actors.
- The original stage play by George M. Cohan was a Broadway hit in 1913, and its popularity fueled repeated film remakes.
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