Bermuda Mystery (1944)

Absolutely Fantastic

The performances transcend the film's tropes, grounding it in characters that feel more complete than this subgenre often produces.

This is a coming of age storyline that you've seen in one form or another for decades. It takes a truly unique voice to make yet another one worth watching.

Although I seem to have had higher expectations than I thought, the movie is super entertaining.

Director: BENJAMIN STOLOFF. Screenplay: W. Scott Darling. Story: John Larkin. Photography: Joseph LaShelle. Music composed by Arthur Lange, directed by Emil Newman. Art directors: James Basevi and Russell Spencer. Set decorations: Thomas Little and Al Orenbach. Film editor: Norman Colbert. Special effects: Fred Sersen. Costumes: Yvonne Wood. Make-up: Jack Pierce. Assistant director: Tom Dudley. Sound recording: George Leverett and Harry M. Leonard. Producer: William Girard.Copyright 4 May 1944 by 20th Century-Fox Film Corp. New York opening at the Rialto: 12 May 1944. U.S. release: 4 May 1944. Australian release: 11 January 1945. 6,012 feet. 66 minutes.SYNOPSIS: Private detective and slap-happy girl investigate the murder of the girl's uncle.COMMENT: Smartly-directed, well-produced mystery, with an interesting script, solid production values and a good cast, all of which belie the movie's "B" status. Butterworth is excellent as usual, but this time he has a rare dramatic role. LaShelle's photography rates as nothing short of outstanding.

OK, the title "Bermuda Mystery" is highly misleading, since only two opening scenes are set in that location, and about 95% of the movie takes place in New York! But it is still an enjoyable mystery-comedy, mostly thanks to the wonderfully expressive (not to mention gorgeous) Ann Rutherford, and a sufficiently puzzling story that rarely stops moving forward. There is a long list of suspects for the serial killings, a list that includes Rutherford herself! The killer is well-cast, and does not pop out of nowhere like it happens in some mysteries. This is not the kind of movie that will set the world on fire, however if you like the genre it belongs to you'll probably like it as well. **1/2 out of 4.

A not bad low budget stab at a "Thin Man" type thriller. Preston Foster is a private detective who gets mixed up with a somewhat ditzy Ann Rutherford. It seems she thinks her uncle was murdered. The reason for the murder is that he was one of 6 men in a tontine. Ten years before all six had put 10,000 dollars into an investment fund with the last survivor to get all the cash. Foster want's nothing to do with Rutherford since he is getting married the next morning. Of course Rutherford takes all of ten minutes to have Foster in trouble up to his neck with his bride to be. Soon the other men in the tontine start dropping dead with one problem for Foster and Rutherford. The police are hot on their trail since they are always the last to see the victim alive. Richard Lane does a nice comic turn here as the one step behind police detective. This was to be the first of a series for the two actors that was never picked up. At just over an hour it is an entertaining b-film that does not outstay it's welcome. Decent time-water. (b/w)