''The Devil's Mask'' is a 1946 American crime film directed by Henry Levin and starring Anita Louise,

Jim Bannon James Shorttel Bannon (April 9, 1911 – July 28, 1984) was an American actor and radio announcer known for his work on the ''I Love a Mystery'' and ''Red Ryder'' series during the 1940s and 1950s. Early life Born in 1911 in Kansas City, Misso ...

and Michael Duane. The film was the second of three

B pictures A B movie or B film is a low-budget commercial motion picture. In its original usage, during the Golden Age of Hollywood, the term more precisely identified films intended for distribution as the less-publicized bottom half of a double feature ...

based on the popular radio series '' I Love a Mystery''. As well as its crime theme, the film also incorporates elements of horror.

Synopsis

Two private detectives are asked to go to a museum to meet a woman who claims she is about to be murdered by her stepdaughter. The case becomes linked to a plane crash, a

shrunken head A shrunken head is a severed and specially prepared human head that is used for trophy, ritual, or trade purposes. Headhunting has occurred in many regions of the world, but the practice of headshrinking has only been documented in the northwes ...

just sent to the museum, and a scientist who disappeared during an expedition to South America.

Cast

* Anita Louise as Janet Mitchell *

as Jack Packard * Michael Duane as Rex Kennedy *

Mona Barrie Mona Barrie (born Mona Barlee Smith; 18 December 1909 – 27 June 1964) was an English-born actress, active on stage in Australia before establishing a career in the US, and in Hollywood films. Career Born Mona Barlee Smith in London to comedi ...

as Louise Mitchell *

Barton Yarborough William Barton Yarborough (October 2, 1900 – December 19, 1951) was an American actor who worked extensively in radio drama, primarily on the NBC Radio Network. He is famous for his roles in the Carlton E. Morse productions '' I Love a M ...

as Doc Long *

Ludwig Donath Ludwig Donath (6 March 1900 – 29 September 1967), was an Austrian actor who appeared in many American films. Life Born to a Jewish family, Donath graduated from Vienna's Academy of Dramatic Art and became a prominent actor on the stage i ...

as Dr. Karger * Paul E. Burns as Leon Hartman *

Frank Wilcox Frank Reppy Wilcox (March 13, 1907 – March 3, 1974) was an American actor. He appeared in numerous films and television series, as well as Broadway plays. Background Wilcox was the son of Mr. and Mrs. Roger V. Wilcox. He was born in De Soto ...

as Prof. Arthur Logan * Bud Averill as Museum Guard *

Edward Earle Edward Earle (16 July 1882 – 15 December 1972) was a Canadian-American stage, film and television actor. In a career which lasted from the 1910s to 1966, he appeared in almost 400 films between 1914 and 1956. He was born in Toronto and died ...

as E.R. Willard * John Elliott as John the Butler * Fred Godoy as Mendoza *

Richard Hale Richard Hale (born James Richards Hale; November 16, 1892 – May 18, 1981) was an American opera and concert singer and later a character actor of film, stage and television. Hale's appearance usually landed him roles as either Middle Ea ...

as Curator Raymond Halliday * Coulter Irwin as Frank * Thomas E. Jackson as Detective Captain Quinn * Frank Mayo as Gordon R. Mitchell * Mary Newton as Karger's Nurse *

Harry Strang Harry Strang (December 13, 1892 – April 10, 1972) was an American actor. He appeared in more than 500 films and television shows between 1929 and 1965. On Broadway, Strang appeared in ''The Girl in the Train'' (1910). Primarily a characte ...

as Brophy - Night Watchman

Critical reception

TV Guide TV Guide is an American digital media company that provides television program listings information as well as entertainment and television-related news. The company sold its print magazine division, TV Guide Magazine LLC, in 2008. Corpora ...

called it an "enjoyable programmer."

References

Bibliography

* Bansak, Edmund G. ''Fearing the Dark: The Val Lewton Career''. McFarland, 2003. * Sterling, Christopher H. & O'Dell, Cary. ''The Concise Encyclopedia of American Radio''. Routledge, 2011.

External links

* * * * 1946 films American crime films 1946 crime films Films directed by Henry Levin Columbia Pictures films American black-and-white films 1940s English-language films 1940s American films {{1940s-crime-film-stub