''Shadows on the Stairs'' is a 1941 American

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

D. Ross Lederman David Ross Lederman (December 12, 1894 – August 24, 1972) was an American film director noted for his Western/action/adventure films of the 1930s and 1940s. Starting out as an extra in Mack Sennett's Keystone Cops series, Lederman worked ...

. It is based on Frank Vosper's play '' Murder on the Second Floor''. The British subsidiary of

Warner Brothers Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. (commonly known as Warner Bros. or abbreviated as WB) is an American film and entertainment studio headquartered at the Warner Bros. Studios complex in Burbank, California, and a subsidiary of Warner Bros. D ...

had previously produced a film adaptation of the work in 1932.

Premise

Residents of a London boarding house come under suspicion during a string of murders.

Cast

Frieda Inescort Frieda Inescort (born Frieda Wrightman, 29 June 1901 – 26 February 1976) was a Scottish-born actress best known for creating the role of Sorel Bliss in Noël Coward's play ''Hay Fever'' on Broadway. She also played the shingled lady in Joh ...

as Mrs. Stella Rosabelle Armitage * Paul Cavanagh as Joseph "Joe" Reynolds * Heather Angel as Sylvia Armitage *

Bruce Lester Bruce Lester (6 June 1912 – 13 June 2008) was a South African-born English film actor with over 60 screen appearances to his credit between 1934 and his retirement from acting in 1958. Lester's career divided into two distinct periods. Betwe ...

as Hugh Bromilow *

Miles Mander Miles Mander (born Lionel Henry Mander; 14 May 1888 – 8 February 1946), was an English character actor of the early Hollywood cinema, also a film director and producer, and a playwright and novelist. He was sometimes credited as Luther Mile ...

as Tom Armitage *

Lumsden Hare Francis Lumsden Hare (17 October 1874 – 28 August 1964) was an Irish-born film and theatre actor. He was also a theatre director and theatrical producer. Early years Hare studied at St. Dunstan's College in London. Career Hare appeare ...

as Inspector Gregg *

Turhan Bey Turhan Bey (born Turhan Gilbert Selahattin Şahultavi, 30 March 192230 September 2012). was an Austrian-born actor of Turkish and Czech-Jewish origins. Active in Hollywood from 1941 to 1953, he was dubbed "The Turkish Delight" by his fans.. Aft ...

as Ram Singh * Charles Irwin as Constable *

Phyllis Barry Phyllis Barry (born Gertrude Phyllis Hillyard; 7 December 1908 – 1 July 1954) was an English film actress. Born in Leeds, West Riding of Yorkshire, England, to Seth Henry and Bertha (née Giles) Hillyard, Barry appeared in over 40 films ...

as Lucy Timson, the Maid *

Mary Field Mary Field (born Olivia Rockefeller; June 10, 1909 – June 12, 1996) was an American film actress who primarily appeared in supporting roles. Early life She was born in New York City. As a child, she never knew her biological parents; ...

as Phoebe Martia St. John Snell * Paul Renay as Choong Thi, Hindu Sailor *

Sidney Bracey Sidney Bracey (born Sidney Bracy; 18 December 1877 – 5 August 1942) was an Australian-born American actor. After a stage career in Australia, on Broadway and in Britain, he performed in more than 320 films between 1909 and 1942. Early li ...

as Watchman (scenes deleted)

Soundtrack

* Charles Irwin - "

Comin' Thro' the Rye "Comin' Thro' the Rye" is a poem written in 1782 by Robert Burns (1759–1796). The words are put to the melody of the Scottish Minstrel "Common' Frae The Town". This is a variant of the tune to which "Auld Lang Syne" is usually sung—the melodic ...

" (Music Traditional, words by

Robert Burns Robert Burns (25 January 175921 July 1796), also known familiarly as Rabbie Burns, was a Scottish poet and lyricist. He is widely regarded as the national poet of Scotland and is celebrated worldwide. He is the best known of the poets who hav ...

)

References

External links

* * * * 1941 films 1941 romantic drama films American mystery films 1940s English-language films American black-and-white films American films based on plays Warner Bros. films American romantic drama films Films directed by D. Ross Lederman Films set in London 1941 mystery films 1940s American films Films scored by Bernhard Kaun {{romantic-drama-film-stub