This was the second production from Associated Talking Pictures in their studios in Ealing.It was to become world famous in later years as "Ealing Studios" under the aegis of Michael Balcon.The initial production chief was Basil Dean.He was basically a stage director and as such he was responsible for many misjudgements in the early years ,of which this was an example.This lack of judgement and his unpopularity as a result of his interference in direction of films was ultimately to see him fired from his job a few years later.This film is more of a battle of wits rather than a murder mystery.Nothing happens for the first half hour.then the sole murder is committed.we see who commits the murder so no drama or suspense there.It is seeing how the leads manage to deduce the murderer and track him or her down that is the focus of the last part of the film.This takes a rather long and dull 90minutes.Compare it with say the sound version of "Blackmail" and whilst technically it is far superior ,as a story and film it is vastly inferior..It is from a play and unfortunately it shows.It was a fault of some early talkies that they did nothing but talk and this is fully apparent in this film.Although Dean did bring to Ealing both Gracie Fields and George Formby he also brought further films such as this to ATP and this continual misjudgement led to his departure.The only interest in this film is seeing C.Aubrey Smith,,Nigel Bruce and Frank Lawton before they went on to their respective successes in Hollywood.
