Whispering Ghosts

1942's "Whispering Ghosts" served as a rare leading role for Milton Berle, still seven years away from TV stardom as 'Uncle Miltie,' for Sol Wurtzel's 'B' picture unit at Fox. In an obvious nod to Bob Hope's "The Ghost Breakers," Berle plays a radio sleuth, H. H. Van Buren, trying to solve the ten year old ax murder of a ship's captain who had hidden a cache of diamonds on his schooner the Black Joker. Also like Hope, Willie Best is on hand to provide wisecracks aplenty, but here, sadly, the ghosts are nonexistent. Instead, we get a pair of ham actors posing as the dead captain's first mate, Long Jack (John Carradine), and sweetheart Meg (Renie Riano), plus the captain's grand niece and heir (Brenda Joyce). The only real mystery is why nobody found the jewels before, the culprit's identity painfully obvious right from his opening scene. Carradine, Grady Sutton, and Milton Parsons are on hand to prop up the second half, as the picture remains anchored to that houseboat and doesn't budge. More serious and less cowardly than Bob Hope, Milton Berle proves himself capable of carrying a picture, though his material is substandard, his constant racial banter with Best providing the most amusement. For John Carradine, it was quite a comedown from acknowledged 'A' classics like "The Grapes of Wrath" and the recent "Son of Fury" to this ignominious little 'B,' but he's genuinely funny raising his eye patch to get a better look at the note handed to him by Berle. By his second scene, he's already revealed to be an actor named Norbert, so all the ghost talk is a cheat. He was constantly in demand as a freelance actor over the next four years, but many of the Poverty Row choices made resulted in a decline in his screen fortunes, due to his unwavering devotion to Shakespeare, and the company he wanted so desperately to succeed during the difficult war years. Incidentally, 'Long Jack' was also the name given to him in his favorite film, "Captains Courageous," while at one point, he is referred to by Berle as Dracula!

Watching Whispering Ghosts and Milton Berle's scenes with Willie Best I was put in mind of Bob Hope with Willie Best in The Ghostbreakers. It was obvious that 20th Century Fox was trying to turn Berle into their version of Bob Hope with films like these. But super stardom would have wait until television for Milton Berle.

That being said Whispering Ghosts isn't a bad comedy. Berle plays a criminologist who solves mysteries on his radio show. But he's advancing theories of crimes where the principals are long dead. When he offers to solve the mystery of Brenda Joyce's uncle who was murdered and left a buried treasure there a few folks still alive who want said treasure.

Joyce's uncle was a sea captain and he was killed aboard his ship. His will contains the usual cryptic clues as to the whereabouts of the treasure. As is usual a few cast members die before the mystery is solved.

Uncle Miltie has his usual wisecracks, but the funniest is John Carradine all made up in pirate costume telling Berle and Best he was first mate to Joyce's uncle. Carradine looked like he was having a great old time shivering everyone's timbers as a pirate, Rene Riano comes in a close second as Carradine loony sister.

Whispering Ghosts while done on the cheap is still a fun film and a must for Uncle Miltie's fans.

This is my second consecutive review of a movie starring a comedian who'd eventually become a bigger success on a new phenomenon called television several years later. Milton Berle made one of his few starring features during the '40s in a vehicle which would have been suitable for Bob Hope or Red Skelton-except he seems to play the role mostly straight with whatever wisecracks only intermittently funny. Still, this was a pretty intriguing mystery he did and there's still some pleasures like some of his banter with Willie Best as his servant as well as a player from my favorite movie-It's a Wonderful LIfe-in this case, Charles Halton, appearing in an early scene. Actually, there are also some nice visually chilling and occasionally funny touches to recommend as well. I was surprised to see someone else other than Berle dressed in drag here. Oh, and seeing John Carradine was also a hoot to see! So on that note, Whispering Ghosts is worth a look for any Berle completists out there.

Van Buren (Berle) "The Man Who Lifts the Veil" in a weekly radio mystery series, attempts to solve an actual murder that occurred several years before. This film is VERY much like the film "Mystery Broadcast", but the latter is a MUCH better film. Berle seems "out of place" here, and his wisecracks tend to "fall flat" in many scenes (esp. aboard the ship, the "Black Joker"). What saves this film from being mediocre is the "scared reaction " comedy of Willie Best, and the strange assortment of characters. It's quite enjoyable to watch, but is NOT a "classic mystery"! Norm

Light comedy flavors this mystery by way of exaggerated characters, with a few sight gags and small touches of situational humor adjoining. Those characters are rather the key, though, because the story introduces so many that the film starts to feel overstuffed. At the same time, while the cast performs admirably in the roles they're given, the scenario is overdone to the point that with more lively jocularity the picture would fit neatly among the works of more famous comedians - say, Laurel and Hardy, or Abbott and Costello. For as suitably well as this is made, however, it feels distinctly lacking and hollow. I said "light comedy," but the truth is that the levity is so gentle that it doesn't really leave an impression. Plot development comes across as meager - and given how many characters are involved, also scattered - so any vibes of tension or suspense mostly wallow in the conglomeration of light and sound. Why, murder is committed, and the occurrence comes and goes with such passivity that one could easily miss that it had happened at all! 'Whispering ghosts' isn't abjectly terrible, but mark this as an older film that doesn't particularly stand very tall 80 years later.

I do rather like the ensemble, including not least of all Willie Best; Euclid is written as so over the top that the role is almost a stereotype, but Best does a fine job and kind of steals the show. The production design is solid; the sets look outstanding, and are the single best part of the picture. Kudos to those who worked behind the scenes on this one - only, would that the contributions of writers Lou Breslow and Philip MacDonald, or director Alfred L. Werker, were as noteworthy. Even the climax arrives with an abruptness that feels contrived, emphasizing how scenes and dialogue are written with such nonchalance, and executed with even more, that robs them of any import. I think there are good ideas here, but "think" is the key word, because the movie communicates narrative beats so lackadaisically that I'm not sure I could retell the story. The last thing any film should do is allow a viewer's attention to wander, but here we are.

I've watched many features hailing all the way back to the silent era and absolutely loved them. A preponderance of the best movies that have ever been made, or will be made, come from the first half of the twentieth century. 'Whispering ghosts,' sadly, does not join that honored company, nor does it ever come close. The generosity of acknowledging "simpler entertainment for a simpler time" doesn't even really apply here, as no matter the era, what a movie above all requires is to capably convey its tale, and this falls short. It's fleetingly adequate for a diversion on a lazy day, but unfortunately I think 'Whispering ghosts' is a title that's best reserved for when you really have nothing else to watch in the moment.