Behind That Curtain

Boris Karloff has a small part, his first speaking role in films.

Despite the objections of her guardian "Sir George Mannering" (Claude King), the headstrong "Eve" (Lois Moran) marries the dashing "Eric Durand" (Philip Strange) and they go to live in India. Her guardian dies, and she is left in a loveless marriage with her rather rakish husband who is quite clearly having an affair with their maid "Nuna" (the constantly singing Mercedes de Valasco). One afternoon, whilst keeping away from her husband, she meets an old friend "Col. Beetham" (Warner Baxter) who was always keen on her, and he offers to help. On returning home, she receives a letter that might just implicate her husband with the murder of her late guardian's solicitor on the night of their marriage - and she turns to "Beetham" for help. All of this is taking place under the watchful eye of the diligent "Sir Frederick Bruce" (Gilbert Emery) from Scotland Yard, and concludes - via an interesting trip through the desert - in a San Francisco where the assistance of "Charlie Chan" (E.L. Park) proves crucial in apprehending the culprit. It's got some quite decent photography, to be fair, but the dialogue is so stilted as to be almost staccato - particularly for the first fifteen minutes or so. Moran has no chemistry with ether of her leading men, and the mystery is far too contrived. Not entirely sure why you would go from London to Tehran via India, either...

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