East Africa, 1914: English nobleman Sir Everard Dominey (Edmund Lowe) is found collapsed in the jungle after going on a lion hunt. While recuperating, he meets an old college friend, Baron Leopold von Ragastein (also Lowe), with whom he shares a remarkable resemblance. Ragastein works for an international munitions company that is hoping to exploit the impending war in Europe; he sees an opportunity to prolong the conflict by posing as Dominey and crippling England's war machine.
After disposing of his English doppelganger, Ragastein travels to Dominey Hall to carry out his plans. However, Everard's chequered past causes the imposter unforeseen problems.
This is the second of three movies to be based on the mystery novel by E. Phillips Oppenheim (the other two were filmed in 1921 and 1942). The plot combines intrigue, suspense and romance, with a sub-plot about the ghost of a murdered man (Dwight Frye) haunting the bog that borders Dominey Hall. The film starts off strong, but once Ragastein arrives in England, it treads water for a long while, eventually livening up in the final act with a neat twist and some exciting action.
Edmund Lowe acquits himself well in his dual role, effectively switching accents depending upon who he is talking to. Valerie Hobson is adequate in her role as Dominey's estranged wife, but gorgeous German actress Wera Engels, as Princess Stephanie Elderstrom, Ragastein's troublesome ex-lover, is far more captivating in my opinion. Visually, the film is impressive, benefitting from great art direction by Charles D. Hall and sets used previously for The Old Dark House and Frankenstein.
5.5/10, rounded up to 6 for IMDb.
