This is the 'soundie' remake of Hitchcock's first thriller "The Lodger: A Story of the London Fog", again with Ivor Novello in the title role - but without Hitchcock as director...
The story is pretty much the same as in the original: a strange lodger comes to Mr. and Mrs. Bunting's house, and their daughter Daisy is soon feeling very much attracted to him - but then the suspicion falls on him that he might be the mad killer who calls himself the 'Avenger' and goes around cutting young girls' throats... Only the twist ending takes a slightly different turn this time - but see for yourself!
Of course, this film can't reach the class of Hitchcock's masterpiece; but seen for itself, it's still a very neat and scary classic whodunit - especially the nightly London fog scenes are extremely suspenseful. Ivor Novello's performance may look a little like he's still stuck in the silent film days - but then it's the role he played before, and maybe he wanted to recreate it just as it was. While beautiful Elizabeth Allen (who would also become the heroine in another scary movie, "Mark of the Vampire", two years later) is really excellent as sweet, trusting Daisy; and there are some typical British 'characters' - and a PRETTY unpleasant reporter (he sure wouldn't have been depicted in a Hollywood movie this way; reporters usually were, especially in that era, heroes!) who's also in love with Daisy...
If you haven't seen Hitch's original - or if you can accept the fact that most average directors just haven't got the GENIUS Hitchcock had - this film will be quite entertaining, and somehow nostalgic in a... well, British way...
