''The Mystery of the 13th Guest'' is a 1943 American

crime In ordinary language, a crime is an unlawful act punishable by a state or other authority. The term ''crime'' does not, in modern criminal law, have any simple and universally accepted definition,Farmer, Lindsay: "Crime, definitions of", in Ca ...

mystery film A mystery film is a genre of film that revolves around the solution of a problem or a crime. It focuses on the efforts of the detective, private investigator or amateur sleuth to solve the mysterious circumstances of an issue by means of clues, i ...

directed by

William Beaudine William Washington Beaudine (January 15, 1892 – March 18, 1970) was an American film actor and director. He was one of Hollywood's most prolific directors, turning out films in remarkable numbers and in a wide variety of genres. Life and car ...

and released by Monogram Pictures. It is based on Armitage Trail's 1929 novel ''The 13th Guest'' and is an updated version of the 1932 film '' The Thirteenth Guest''. The film stars

Helen Parrish Helen Virginia Parrish (March 12, 1923 – February 22, 1959) was an American stage and film actress. Career Parrish was born in Columbus, Georgia. She started in movies at the age of 4, getting her first part playing Babe Ruth's daughter in t ...

as a young woman who returns to her grandfather's house 13 years after his passing to read his will as per his wishes.

Plot

When Marie Morgan (

) was eight years old, she attended a banquet held by her dying grandfather, who disliked everyone in his family except her. That day he instructed her to return to his house upon her twenty-first birthday to read his will alone. Marie arrives at the house, and although it has been vacant for 13 years, the lights and telephone both appear to be working. Marie thinks back to the day her grandfather told her about his will and recalls the seating arrangement. There were twelve guests in attendance, but a thirteenth place to her grandfather's right was empty. Marie presently decides to open the envelope containing the will. Inside is a sheet of paper with the numbers 13-13-13 written with nothing else. Someone suddenly enters the house and a gunshot is heard, and Marie screams. She next finds herself sitting at the dinner table in the same place as when she was eight, but the doctor pronounces her dead. Police Lt. Burke ( Tim Ryan) and Private Investigator Johnny Smith ( Dick Purcell) are put on the case, but it is soon revealed that Marie is still alive. Barksdale (

Cyril Ring Cyril Ring (December 5, 1892July 17, 1967) was an American film actor. He began his career in silent films in 1921. By the time of his final performance in 1951, he had appeared in over 350 films, nearly all of them in small and/or uncredited bit ...

), Marie's attorney who sat to the left of her at the banquet, is found dead in the exact chair he sat in 13 years ago. The detectives conclude that the killer is targeting the guests by where they sat, and therefore the murderer must have been one of the 13 guests.

Cast

as Marie Morgan - Granddaughter * Dick Purcell as Johnny Smith - Private detective * Tim Ryan as Lieut. Burke - Police *

Frank Faylen Frank Faylen (born Charles Francis Ruf, December 8, 1905 – August 2, 1985) was an American film and television actor. Largely a bit player and character actor, he occasionally played more fleshed-out supporting roles during his forty-two ...

as Speed DuGan aka McGinis *

Jacqueline Dalya Jacqueline Dalya (August 3, 1918November 25, 1980) was an American film and stage actress who began her career in the 1940s, appearing in films and on Broadway. Biography Early life Dalya was born August 3, 1918 in New York City. Career She ap ...

as Marjory Morgan - Cousin *

Paul McVey Paul may refer to: *Paul (given name), a given name (includes a list of people with that name) *Paul (surname), a list of people People Christianity * Paul the Apostle (AD c.5–c.64/65), also known as Saul of Tarsus or Saint Paul, early Chri ...

as Adam Morgan - Uncle *

John Duncan John Duncan may refer to: Arts and entertainment * John Duncan (painter) (1866–1945), Scottish painter * John Duncan (artist) (born 1953), American artist and musician * Big John Duncan (born 1958), Scottish punk musician * John Duncan (harpist) ...

as Harold Morgan - "Bud" - Marie's brother * John Dawson as Tom Jackson - Cousin *

as John Barksdale - Attorney * Addison Richards as Jim - District Attorney *

Lloyd Ingraham Lloyd Chauncey Ingraham (November 30, 1874 – April 4, 1956) was an American film actor and director. Biography Born in Rochelle, Illinois, Ingraham appeared in more than 280 films between 1912 and 1950, as well as directing more than 100 f ...

as Grandfather Morgan

Reception

In comparing it to the 1932 version, Dave Sindelar states that while neither film is excellent, he notes the novelty in the previous film featuring early roles of

Ginger Rogers Ginger Rogers (born Virginia Katherine McMath; July 16, 1911 – April 25, 1995) was an American actress, dancer and singer during the Classical Hollywood cinema, Golden Age of Hollywood. She won an Academy Award for Best Actress for her starri ...

and

James Gleason James Austin Gleason (May 23, 1882 – April 12, 1959) was an American actor, playwright and screenwriter born in New York City. Gleason often portrayed "tough-talking, world-weary guys with a secret heart-of-gold." Life and career Gleason w ...

. While he does not find a similar novelty in this version, he admits "it has efficient direction from

and the comic relief manage to keep on the right side of annoying."

References

External links

* {{William Beaudine American mystery films 1943 films 1940s English-language films American black-and-white films Monogram Pictures films Films based on American novels Films directed by William Beaudine Remakes of American films 1943 mystery films American crime films 1943 crime films 1940s American films