The Mystery of Mr. X

This was an excellent pre-code mystery which cried out for a series starring the dapper, cosmopolitan Robert Montgomery. Could have been a second-story-man-turned-detective, or something along those lines. Always thought he had a charismatic presence on screen which commands your attention, and charisma is an elusive quality; either you have it or you don't.

He is paired here with Elizabeth Allan (not his wife, but same name) and there is a great deal of chemistry between the two (funny how important an ingredient it is to a successful picture). A sentence or two about the plot; Someone is killing bobbies in and around London, much to the chagrin of Scotland Yard. As another cop murder is taking place on the street, RM is stealing a precious diamond in an adjacent mansion. As he jumps out a window, he lands on the dead policeman, bloodying his gloves in the process. He leaves them at the scene - seemingly The Yard's first clue. For the rest of the picture he tries to extricate himself from the murder while hanging on to the stolen diamond.

Things go somewhat awry towards the end - apparently, the screenwriter was stuck for an ending and opted for one of convenience and unbelievability, but the picture was so good up to that point I decided to go with it and suspend disbelief. It was easy, as it is such an enjoyable movie.

Some pictures I can watch again-and-again. This is one.

Set in London, it is a romantic, mystery thriller (with comedy elements). It is also a fascinating window on a world now seventy-five years removed. Its pace, plot, acting, and dialog are all excellent.

Robert Montgomery is most charming as a gentleman thief. Elizabeth Allan is exquisitely lovely as his romantic interest. She's somewhat reminiscent of Paula Prentice in looks and manner, and comes across as intelligent, vivacious, wholesome, natural, and honest. (Yum!) Also, Forrester Harvey, as Montgomery's Cockney cab driver stooge, does an excellent turn as comedy relief.

What really sets this movie apart from others, however, is the absolutely amazing chemistry and timing between Montgomery and Allan. I find it a joy to replay their scenes over-and-over to watch the many nuances that occur. It really is a great shame that they never again worked together.

Finally, the villain himself appears to be the evil twin (in dress and features) of the contemporary pulp-magazine hero "The Shadow." Could this just be a coincidence? Naa! I don't think so.

The Mystery of Mr. X (1934) : Brief Review -

This film is so underrated simply for existing in the formative era of Hitchcock and others. The Mystery of Mr. X has to be one of those overlooked movies of the '30s that didn't receive its due because of the overwhelming consumption of many great films around the same time. You might remember some of Hitchcock's early thrillers from the late '20s and mid-'30s, as well as a few other good thrillers from others, including Lubitsch's rom-com featuring a con artist, so you'd surely enjoy Edgar Selwyn's pre-code comedy crime thriller. The film revolves around a series of murders occurring across the city at the same time a thief is at work trying to steal a precious diamond. One of the murders takes place on the same premises, and the cop suspects that both crimes are committed by the same criminal. They apprehend the wrong person, allowing the murderer and the thief to continue their activities. The thief, however, decides to save this innocent man and offers his good advice to the police. The cop suspects something fishy and conducts a different investigation simultaneously. The thief and the commissioner's daughter fall in love, complicating matters for him. Will he and the police be able to find the real killer? The entire film is light-hearted yet quite intriguing. The tricks are thrilling, even though the feature isn't particularly mysterious. It is executed very cleverly without making things too serious. The way the thief shifts the diamond from one location to another is absolutely mind-blowing when viewed in the context of any film from the 1930s. The suspense and curiosity are both well-built and well-served. This has to be one of the finest characters and performances by Robert Montgomery. What a charming and intelligent thief he portrayed! Elizabeth Allan was delightful, and Lewis Stone was fabulous. Philip MacDonald's original work deserves all the credit, followed by a brilliant screenplay and the director's fantastic grip on the narrative. I have seen hundreds of good thrillers from old Hollywood, yet I was glued to the screen for 80 minutes. Isn't that enough to tell how good this one is?

RATING - 7/10*

By - #samthebestest.

Modern directors who don't know how to make a movie in less than two hours could take a lesson from this fast-paced 84 minute thriller, shot in 1934. The tale centers on a killer who uses a cane-sword to skewer policemen, warning Scotland Yard of each murder before it occurs. Unfortunately, jewel thief Robert Montgomery happens to be heisting a diamond just as another bobby is slain -- and becomes the principal suspect. The only way he can clear his name is to catch the maniac, pausing from time to time to dally with Elizabeth Allan as the police commissioner's fetching daughter. As the mystery moves crisply along, there are no long tracking shots, lingering looks at people's faces or endless glimpses of scenery. Instead, Montgomery's bonhomie, Allan's saucy appeal, a clever, amusing script and tight editing make Mr. X a pleasure to watch.

Robert Montgomery is a gentleman jewel thief and in the films of the 1930s this would make him the hero...of sorts. However, his career is in jeopardy due to a serial killer named 'Mr. X'. You see, X has been killing and taunting police for some time and when one of Montgomery's burglaries happens to occur at the same place a copper is killed by X, the police now suspect that X and the gentleman thief are one in the same--which clearly are not. So, it's up to Montgomery to do what he can to help the police capture X--then, and only then, can they possibly sell the huge diamond. Things get complicated when the daughter of the police inspector on the case falls for Montgomery. By the end of the film, it's a life and death struggle between X and Montgomery--and guess who wins! In many ways, this film plays a lot like a Saint or Falcon outing, though with a higher quality budget. The overall product is enjoyable light entertainment--the sort they really haven't made in over 60 years.

By the way, couldn't you also see William Powell in the role Montgomery played? They both seemed to have a real knack for these sort of parts.