Even Bela Lugosi can't save this war melodrama from the ridiculousness that makes even the schlockiest Charlie Chan or Mr. Moto/Mr. Wong movies seem intelligent. This isn't a horror movie, although there are definite attempts to insert those elements. The plot revolves around an evil plastic surgery scheme where the spies are not who they seem to be.
The entire storyline gets boggled down in Lugosi's ability to make dead men appear to talk simply through his finger seemingly on their vocal cords as their voice speaks his words. People on the other side of the closed door accept the fact that the person talking to them simply wants to be alone, all the while their head collapsed on a desk as Lugosi menacingly stands over them. Joan Barclay, one of the most idiotically written "heroines" in movie history, seems to automatically accept that the uncle she has not seen in years (George Pembroke) is now a locked in recluse, and communicates with him through "houseguest" Lugosi who arrived late one night supposedly as a patient and remained on indefinitely.
When all is revealed at the end through one of the silliest flashbacks, you'll be glad that only just over an hour it is all done. The only elements of horror and mystery is seen through a series of murders where the victim is found with an ancient Japanese knife placed in their hand. The denouncement is an insult to the audience with Pembroke turned into something completely hideous and the flashback insinuating that Lugosi was actually two characters. With painfully boring movies like this, who needs enemies?
The entire storyline gets boggled down in Lugosi's ability to make dead men appear to talk simply through his finger seemingly on their vocal cords as their voice speaks his words. People on the other side of the closed door accept the fact that the person talking to them simply wants to be alone, all the while their head collapsed on a desk as Lugosi menacingly stands over them. Joan Barclay, one of the most idiotically written "heroines" in movie history, seems to automatically accept that the uncle she has not seen in years (George Pembroke) is now a locked in recluse, and communicates with him through "houseguest" Lugosi who arrived late one night supposedly as a patient and remained on indefinitely.
When all is revealed at the end through one of the silliest flashbacks, you'll be glad that only just over an hour it is all done. The only elements of horror and mystery is seen through a series of murders where the victim is found with an ancient Japanese knife placed in their hand. The denouncement is an insult to the audience with Pembroke turned into something completely hideous and the flashback insinuating that Lugosi was actually two characters. With painfully boring movies like this, who needs enemies?