User reviews

What a clever film! Other comments here will fill you in on the content but let me say how interesting and unique is this film for its interactive and multimedia history. Made as the last chapter of a radio play released into cinemas instead of a radio broadcast, this film must have been an interesting and successful experiment in its day. It is also quite creepy and the pre code violence, in particular a stabbing scene on a stairway is very gruesome and explicit. The outdoor scenes almost seem to be testing the boundaries of technical sound and picture achievements of 1931 during production. I paid $3 for a VHS copy of this superb mystery film from a discount shop in Sydney. It is part of a series released here as THE RKO COLLECTION which I see for some reason is not available in the USA. The IMDb availability panel preceding shows that there is no tape or DVD availability for it. Well we have it here..along with The Most Dangerous Game, Island of Dr Moreau, Hips Hips Hooray, Mummy's Boys etc and a whole stack of 1930-33 RKO titles, all marketed legitimately with copyright. How strange Australia can have these but not the USA.

This one does not show up very often, so watch for it. It's a rather curious film directed by journeyman director J. Walter Rubens and has a cast to die for if you are an early film buff.....Ricardo Cortez, Karen Morley, H.B. Warner Pauline Frederick, Anita Louise et al.

The story revolves around a thoroughly unlikeable schemer (Karen Morley) who is a blackmailer and all around con woman. Inviting her former victims to a party she makes one last demand for money and is murdered by one of those guests.....but who? Other murders occur and general mayhem results. The murderer wears a glowing mask which adds a nice touch to the creepiness of this film The identity of the killer is fairly easy to guess but that does not take away from the film's interest. When finally cornered by Ricardo Cortez, the killer's manner of demise is rather surprising and the camera work on the death scene is quite good for the time.

This is a tidy little film that runs just over an hour. It's a keeper.

It's sad that Karen Morley had to be killed halfway through The Phantom Of Crestwood. Even though the mystery of her death is solved in the end you are left with the memory of her performance. Definitely one of Morley's best as she essays the role of a hard hearted woman who wants a life of ease and comfort.

This woman has made a habit of soaking the rich and she only aims her sights at the old and wealthy. Karen doesn't lack for chutzpah as she persuades one of her conquests banker H.B.Warner and his sister Pauline Frederick to host a nice soirée where she plans to ask Warner and three other of her male 'friends' who were indiscreet enough to leave incriminating letters enough money for the soft life in Europe. But also as it turns out Morley's sister Anita Louise will be there as the fiancé of Warner's son, Matty Kemp.

During the party Morley is killed with a dart and Morley's made sure she has a house full of suspects. An uninvited guest is Ricardo Cortez who's got a bad reputation and he has a vested interest in clearing this case up before the police get there. Seems like they'd love to hang a murder rap on him.

This is a good well plotted murder mystery and a real undiscovered gem if you're a mystery fan or a fan of Karen Morley.

Radio Pictures was prolific in the early days of sound, and thanks to Turner Classic Movie Channel, many can be seen.

Phantom of Crestwood's opening is a rare combination of radio in the movies: The well known announcer, Graham MacNamie, stands before an early dynamic microphone and announces the introduction of the picture with a full orchestra in the studio. This really captures what early radio stations must have been like in the early 30s.

The mystery story is well done and a delight for fans of the era. His name once a household word, Ricardo Cortez is now mostly forgotten.

This one is getting a 7/10 from me just on originality, even if the proceedings were a bit rushed and confusing. The film opens with a radio announcer asking the listeners to solve the mystery. But then the film solves it for you? A well dressed fur wrapped woman (Karen Morley as Jenny Wren) is going around town running errands. She is being followed by a man (Ricardo Cortez) yet unnamed for an unnamed purpose, but he does not want to give his correct name and keeps calling himself "Mr. Farnesbarnes" to anyone who asks. He obviously does not know the woman because he poses as somebody interested in renting her soon to be vacated apartment, and she does not recognize him.

That night Jenny has arranged for all of the married and well connected men with whom she has been having affairs to meet at the Andes seaside retreat home, "Crestwood", where she announces she is blackmailing them all for large sums of money so that she can retire in style. In a completely separate development, Jenny's little sister is there to with her fiancé, Frank Andes, the son of one of the men Jenny is blackmailing. Little sister is hoping to be welcomed into the Andes family. In the middle of the night, Jenny is killed with a dart to the neck, the police are called before the phone goes out, and in burst several hoods led by Gary Curtis alias Farnesbarnes, who has nothing to do with the murder but is a well known criminal. Knowing the police will try to pin the murder on him he sets about to try and solve the crime. He can do this because he and his companions are all armed. Oh, and the road is washed out too, delaying the police.

What follows is part Sherlock Holmes, part Old Dark House, part Poe (those portraits!), part German Expressionist with some crazy camera work, a ghost, hidden passage ways, and more murders. I was expecting this all to be the work of George Zucco, but alas he wasn't in the film. Ricardo Cortez is a real hoot in this one, showing a bit of his comedic side.

"The Phantom of Crestwood" began with the reading of a prepared opening from a representative of the National Broadcast Company and RKO pictures. Per the spokesperson, "The Phantom of Crestwood" was a regular radio program. Up until the filming of this movie the mystery of the murder of Jenny Wren wasn't solved. There was a contest with a prize of $6000 for whoever came up with the best ending.

It was rather unique to inform us before the movie began that Jenny Wren, played by Karen Morley, would be murdered. It became a matter of when she was killed, not if, and by whom.

The set up of the murder was in a mansion; the Andes estate to be specific. Mansions are commonplace for murder mysteries because they are so large and can hold many guests. There were roughly ten or so guests at the Andes home at a party Jenny Wren insisted be held. She wanted specific guests because she had specific demands. She attempted to blackmail four of the male guests because she had dirt on all of them. Like Louise Brooks in "The Canary Murder Case," Jenny Wren was going to cash in on her male paramours.

While Jenny was at the party for payments, her sister, Esther (Anita Louise), was at the party to meet her fiance's family. Esther had to convince her fiance's aunt, Faith Andes (Pauline Frederick), that she was worth marrying. Such are the obstacles trying to marry into high society. The Andes were an old family that had been in California for generations and Faith wanted to keep the Andes blood "thoroughbred."

Among the uninvited guests at the Andes estate was Gary Curtis (Ricardo Cortez). He was there on business, but his business became solving the murder before the police got there because they were sure to pin it on him.

I enjoyed this murder mystery. I like Ricardo Cortez. He's an actor that plays the bad guy as much as he plays the good guy, and he does both equally well. The time constraints of solving the murder as the police tried to navigate washed out roads added to the suspense. With so many people who wanted Jenny dead, any one of the men or women could've killed her.

Free on Odnoklassniki.

Thanks to Turner, I saw a beautiful print of this movie. I've seen and enjoyed dozens of 1930s movies but they usually were public domain and poor quality prints so the quality of this print alone makes it worth seeing. Another plus was the cast, especially Ricardo Cortez as the amateur detective (and gangster - that's a nice twist). However, Karen Morley as the high class call girl who plans to blackmail four of her wealthy former clients to fund her retirement gives just an adequate performance. For me, the problem with this old house mystery was the complete absence of humor and snappy dialog. It was straightforward, had many and believable suspects and good atmosphere but just fell flat. Glad I saw and may even watch it again since it was an interesting period piece, but it is not among the best of this genre.

Initially murky but ultimately neatly plotted murder mystery, whose chief novelty is that the role of the amateur detective is filled in by a gangster! The flashback editing technique is also quite impressive. **1/2 out of 4.

This film is the concluding episode of a radio mystery, wherein listeners were to try to figure out who the murder is.

In a unique plot twist, the head of a gang (Ricardo Cortez) becomes a "detective" to find the "real killer" before the

police arrive and accuse HIM.

The reviewer who wrote that the "ending makes no sense at all" should watch it more carefully; it makes COMPLETE sense, and shows how the movie "steers you" into thinking that the reason for the murder is one thing, while the ACTUAL reason is something totally different! (I can't say any more without spoiling the ending).

By ALL MEANS, see it! Norm

Karen Morley is a bad woman who has made some money by the feelings she inspires in men. As a result, a lot of people want her dead. Surprisse! Soon after she tells a bunch of them that she's leaving the country with enough money to keep her comfortably for the rest of her life, she is dead, and which among the crowd of people at the isolated house on the cliff by the sea did it?

It's a pretty well writtne movie that began as a radio serial on NBC. There was no episode saying whodunnit; instead, RKO released this movie (the R in RKO and the R in RCA, NBC's parent company, both stood for Radio, and RCA chairman David Sarnoff had a big chunk of RKO stock).

As a movie, it's interesting for the large number of well-known performers who appear in it, and for its liberal use of an interesting variation of the zip cut. The camera pans out, making the image small, then pans to the side at a blurringly fast rate; when it stops, we're looking at another time and place.

It's a technique that fell out of favor in the movies soon afterwards, although it was revived for television in the 1960s.

In any case, it's a good print, a fair mystery, and some interesting visuals. What more do you want in a movie?

I was shocked when I read the IMDb trivia about this one. Apparently, this story was part of a radio program back in 1932. It seems that the final episode of a radio serial was deliberately left out--and if people wanted to see it they had to go see this movie!! What a bunch of jerks! Fortunately, viewers today do not have to have heard the broadcasts if they want to watch "The Phantom of Crestwood".

So, was it worth the wait for this mystery to unravel itself? Perhaps it was back in 1932, but today the whole thing comes off as rather forced. Part of it is that the film's plot is only okay. Part of it is that although I've always loved Ricardo Cortez in films, here he isn't that interesting--as he talks too fast and his usual suave demeanor is missing. Now I am not saying it's a bad film but there are tons of other B mysteries that are as good or better. Plus the film could have really used an injection of humor or something to make it stand out from the crowd. Adequate.

Other than the presence of Ricardo Cortez, who is one of those very cool actors nobody remembers, and the beautiful Karen Morley (who died in March 2003, only a couple of months ago), Crestwood is somewhat unique as it is the finale of a popular radio program. But it may also be the first interactive mystery!

According to the opening titles, radio listeners were invited to submit their storyline for the finale in a nationwide contest, with the movie to be based on their plot.

There were disclaimers, of course, and who knows what RKO really did with the winner's script, but the film deserves a place in history for the attempt at least.

Convoluted, yes. Stiff and rather lurid, perhaps. But Crestwood is an archeological clue to the once close bond between the radio and the movie theater.

At the very least, truly an "RKO Radio Picture"!

Lots of suspects with motive, plenty of opportunity, and an unusual means of death are behind this tight old-fashioned mystery set in a creaky house with thunder and lightening. The mystery opens up with an announcement by the producers that it follows on to a successful radio drama series that concluded with a contest for listeners to send in what they thought should be the ending. The final solution to "who killed Jenny Wren" leads a group of crooks into hidden passages and false leads executed via a series of flashbacks before the real killers identity is revealed. An alert viewer should be able to figure out the two most likely suspects and eventually "who done it" before all is revealed. Enjoyable film worth watching.

Guys, check out the clinging gowns the girls wear. Kind of makes me wish I was born a lot sooner. Also, those early scenes are provocative by innuendo, when we find out the sleek Jenny Wren (Morley) is really a high-class call girl, implicating some of the city's most powerful men. In fact, the undercurrent is a topical theme of the times since these guys are bankers and politicians, the very types that crashed the economy several years earlier. I'll bet audiences of the time appreciated that angle. Applying that to today, it seems like some things never change.

This first part is intriguing and well done, but once the action switches to Crestwood Manor, the plot settles into a more familiar type murder mystery. It's an interesting, if complicated puzzle, with lots of flashbacks and suspects. But once Morley drops out, a powerful presence is lost, one that Cortez (Curtis) can't equal. In fact, there're an unusual number of strong female performers deserving mention-- Pauline Frederick as the snobbish aunt, Hilda Vaughn as the tart-tongued maid, and Aileen Pringle as the abrasive Mrs. Walcott. Include the beauteous Anita Louise as Jenny's sister, and the women of the movie far outshine the men in both appearance and stage presence.

All in all, it's a superior little murder mystery that director Ruben wisely keeps from bogging down into too much talk, a 70-minutes that also includes an unusually atmospheric last scene. But most of all, the film's a showcase for that fine, fine actress Karen Morley, and a chance to see her if you never have.

This feature film was originally released as the final episode of a 16-part radio serial, which may explain its weaknesses. Firstly, the fact that every character speaks in some distinctive, but unrealistic, fashion. Secondly, the incomprehensibly convoluted plot and unlikely coincidences that abound. A scene in which a jilted lover hurls himself off a cliff is unintentionally hilarious. After repeated viewings, I still can't remember whodunit, not because it is so cleverly hidden from the viewer, but because the solution makes no sense at all.

1932 murder/mystery movie which takes place on a dark and stormy night (of course) and in a "country house" which looks like a castle (don't they all?). Actually this was based on a 1932 radio show which played for (I believe) 6 weeks. It ended with a murder unsolved--to find out who the killer is, you had to see this movie. It's still very easy to follow--you don't have to know the radio show to understand this.

It's lots of fun--there are plenty of suspects, film moves like lightning, has a few very scary moments (the appearances of the "phantom"), an eye-catching flashback technique and a pretty good performance by tall and very handsome Ricardo Cortez. Sometimes the age of this film shows (especially in the outdoor scenes) but, most of the time, it looks great.

This is (unfortunately) a little known film--it pops up on TCM occasionally but that's about it. If you get a chance, see it! It's incredible how this film still holds up after 70 years.

The movie seemed rushed and seemed to jumble together. But I did like the mystery aspect and the dark stormy night at the mysterious mansion.

The Phantom of Crestwood is a spirited tale set in an old mansion on a dark and stormy night. Gangsters are forced to solve a murder with deductive reasoning to clear themselves of the crime. The audience also can solve the mystery by paying close attention to the clues. While the movie is certainly dated, it has a fairly sophisticated plot. Overall, wonderfully entertaining.

An attractive female swindler invites several wealthy men to a large coastal mansion in order to blackmail them, but when she gets murdered who is the culprit? I liked the creepy Gothic elements - a raging storm outside the impressive house, and one of the murder suspects creeping around, wearing a spooky death mask. However I found the film too talky and did not really like a couple of comedy gangsters amongst the cast. Good looking black and white film though.

What a pleasant surprise. Karen Morley gives a splendid performance as a lusty lady who gathers her past loves to blackmail them. Ricardo Cortez matches her as a gang leader who stumbles onto the scene. And the men in Ms. Morley's life, shocked at being asked to shell out for their past affairs, include H.B. Warner (yes, that H.B. Warner) in his younger days. Of course, someone has to make sure that Ms. Morley never collects a sou. But which of her exes is it? Or does someone else have a reason to murder her? Considering that this movie was made in 1932, it's remarkably slick and stylish. And since it preceded the production code, there are references to sexual hijinks that would have given the Hays Office fits just a few years later.

Great early film with solid, considered performances from usual second leads Cortez and Morley. This was apparently originally a radio serial, with listeners entering a contest to solve the mystery. However, when the movie was produced, no attempt to follow the winning solution was made. CRESTWOOD is a great response to those dolts who think anything in "black and white with dead guys in it" can't possibly be worth seeing.

Phantom Of Greenwood was a movie I came across one rainy evening when I was looking for something to watch. OMG!!! I love a murder mystery, in an old mansion, on a dark and stormy night! The movie was shown in that color that Ted Turner was so do fond of, back in the 1980s. And it pretty much worked for THIS movie because of the "phantom." I actually loved it!

But I never saw the movie again until years later, in black and white, and I still loved it. Watch the movie for the clever dialogue! Watch the movie for the great mystery!